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Chapter Text

The sky outside was streaked with purples and reds, the kind of twilight that made Taehyung want to crawl under his blanket and shut out the world. Instead, he found himself pushing open the glass door of Haneul Study Café, dragged here because Seoyun wanted company.

The place smelled of roasted beans and honeyed pastries, warm light pooling over shelves stacked with novels students probably pretended to read. Taehyung’s body ached from lectures, his head buzzing with deadlines, and all he wanted was silence.

Seoyun, of course, was already settled at a corner table, scrolling on her phone with perfect posture. Her glossy nails tapped like impatient raindrops on the screen, not sparing him more than a glance when he slid into the chair opposite her.

Some date this is, he thought, pulling out his laptop. At least I’ll get work done.

Taehyung really found his girlfriend funny! Always arranging dates, but never really talking, but he liked her, at least he was never forced to share his things.

Mr. Han had assigned them a paper on trade routes during the Goryeo period, due tomorrow morning. Typical. Taehyung swore that professors got a secret thrill from watching students collapse under caffeine and misery. His fingers tapped across the keyboard, quick and practiced, the kind of rhythm you picked up after years of editing for the yearbook.

He was halfway through rewriting a particularly boring passage when Seoyun’s voice finally cut through. “Can you get me a pastry? The strawberry danish.”

Taehyung bit back a sigh, forcing a polite smile. “Sure.”

At the counter, the glass display gleamed with rows of desserts. He ordered her danish and reached for the paper bag the barista handed him. Turning too quickly, his shoulder clipped against another’s.

The bag slipped. The pastry didn’t fall, but the napkins he’d been holding fluttered to the floor. He bent at the same time as the stranger, their heads knocking together with a dull thunk.

“Ow!! shit,” Taehyung muttered, rubbing his temple.

The boy across from him straightened, a soft laugh escaping his lips. “You okay?”

Taehyung froze. Black hair brushed against sharp brows, a steady gaze locked on him, and the faintest trace of amusement curved the boy’s mouth. There was a mole under his lip that Taehyung’s eyes lingered on too long.

Why does he look like he stepped out of some painting?

“I- uh, yeah. Fine,” Taehyung said quickly, crouching to gather the napkins. “Sorry. My fault.”

The boy crouched too, handing him the last one. Their fingers brushed warm, steady. Taehyung pulled back too quickly, heart thudding louder than it had any right to.

“You’re clumsy,” the stranger teased lightly. “But you’re not hurt, right?”

Taehyung blinked. Not angry. Not annoyed. Just… checking on him? Who reacts like this?

“I’m fine,” he muttered, straightening. “Thanks.”

The boy tilted his head, studying him for a beat longer than necessary. Then, a small smile. “Good.”

Taehyung’s throat tightened. He needed to say something, anything, before the silence swallowed him. “Can I… buy you something? Coffee? To make up for nearly giving you a concussion.”

The stranger chuckled under his breath but nodded. “Sure.”

They walked back to the counter together. Taehyung ordered Seoyun’s pastry again, plus a hot americano for the stranger. His hands shook slightly as he passed over the drink.

“Thanks,” the boy said, voice low, smooth. “I’m Jeongguk.”

“Taehyung.” His own name felt strange leaving his lips under that gaze.

They shook hands. Jeongguk’s grip was warm, grounded, the kind of touch that made Taehyung’s pulse stumble. Up close, he noticed the leather jacket slung over Jeongguk’s shoulders, a trace of black ink curling beneath his sleeve. A tattoo. The thought sent a flicker of curiosity sparking in Taehyung’s chest.

Jeongguk gave him a final nod, that same unreadable smile tugging at his lips. “See you around, Taehyung.”

And just like that, he turned, heading for the door. Each step away felt like a thread pulling taut inside Taehyung’s chest.

When he returned to the table, Seoyun snatched the pastry without looking up. “Took you long enough.”

“Line,” Taehyung lied smoothly, sinking back into his chair.

“Mhm.” Her expression shifted, bright now. “Guess what? We're finally meeting Minchae!. My best friend, remember? I told you about her.”

Taehyung blinked. “Minchae… right.”

“You’ll like her. We should take her around the city tomorrow.”

But what about his assignment?

Taehyung forced a thin smile, but inside, his chest tightened. Do I ever get to decide? Or am I just supposed to follow along?

“Taehyung?”

“Yeah?”

“You’ll come with me, right?”

“…Of course.”

Always easier to agree. Always easier to keep the peace.

________________

Hi loves ♡ First off, thank you for checking out Chapter 1! This story is still unfolding as I write, so expect a mix of slow-burn tension, messy emotions, and maybe a few unexpected turns along the way. You’ll notice Taehyung’s world already feels a little heavy... caught between what he wants and what’s expected of him. And then, of course, fate decides to throw Jeongguk in his path.

It’s just the beginning, but I promise things will only get more complicated and Forbidden. Stick around, because the threads are only starting to tangle.

Let me know your thoughts- I love reading your reactions. Your support means everything ♡

Chapter Text

It was nearing three in the afternoon when Seoyun tugged Taehyung out of the campus gates, her manicured hand latched onto his wrist like a leash. He almost protested, but arguing with her always took more energy than it was worth.

Just as she’d insisted they meet her childhood best friend yesterday at the cafe, and off course we know Taehyung predictably had agreed, despite his pending assignment.

So now, he sat beside Seoyun in the corner booth of a café that smelled faintly of cinnamon and roasted almonds. She was, as usual, half-turned toward the light of her phone, her fingers scrolling endlessly, her lips curling into tiny private smirks.

Taehyung tapped his fingers against the wooden tabletop. His mind wandered back to the unfinished assignments, university yearbook column, and the ‘talk’ with his parents, but instead here he was, waiting.

Fifteen minutes passed. Taehyung debated ordering soup for himself… but that would look weird right? Him already savouring food even before ‘Minchae’s’ arrival?

His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him out of his soup-y thoughts. It was Namjoon, the university yearbook president.

> When will you submit the achievement column for the last month?

‘Damn! How could he forget that!’ Taehyung quickly typed with one thumb:

> Soon hyung! Do you need it urgently?

The reply came almost instantly.

> Yes Taehyung, we are already a week behind. Get it done soon as possible.

Taehyung grunted in annoyance, all this trouble for ‘meeting minchae,’

Nevertheless he texted back quickly, “Sure!” And slid his phone away.

Seoyun suddenly squealed beside him. “She’s here!”

The sound startled him so badly that he flinched, his hands touching the bottom of the plastic bottle kept nicely in front of him, nearly dropping it on the floor. But it never hit the floor. One strong hand appeared, a leather jacket covering his hands, only palm visible, painted with inks, caught the bottle midway, stopping it from completely falling off the table. Great. Off to an impressive start, Kim Taehyung.

When he lifted his gaze, he froze.

Because the person standing by ‘presumably’ Minchae’s side, with bottle in one hand, was not a stranger.

It was the boy from yesterday.

The boy with dark hair, tattoos crawling along his arm, and a leather jacket that still looked like it carried the smell of gasoline and night air. Jeongguk… offcourse, leather jackets, tattoos, who else?

Taehyung’s stomach lurched. What the actual hell…

Minchae flung herself into Seoyun’s arms, squealing with the kind of affection Taehyung could never replicate. She had cropped platinum hair that glimmered under the café lights, and makeup bold enough to draw everyone’s eyes.

Seoyun introduced them all in her bright, airy tone. “Taehyung, this is Minchae—my best friend in the whole world. And this is her boyfriend, Jeongguk.” Still holding the bottle. ‘Just keep it already!’

The word boyfriend rang in Taehyung’s ears like a dull hammer. Of course.

Minchae stuck out her hand with practiced charm. “Hi, Taehyung. Seoyun talks about you. Finally nice to meet.”

“Uh, likewise,” Taehyung muttered, shaking her hand briefly. He pulled away fast, his eyes inevitably flicking to Jeongguk.

And Jeongguk was already watching him. That same unreadable expression—half amused, half curious. His lips curved upward, just slightly. Taehyung’s pulse picked up.

He forced himself to give a stiff smile. “Hey.”

Jeongguk took his hand firmly. “Nice to see you again.” His voice was calm, smooth like he had been expecting this all along.

They sat girls on one side, boys on the other. Seoyun and Minchae immediately began chattering in fast, overlapping bursts about fashion stores and travel plans. Taehyung let the noise wash over him, relief spreading at not being dragged into it.

Except he wasn’t alone.

He could feel Jeongguk’s presence across from him, heavy, deliberate. At least the bottle was back on the table.

The girls eventually excused themselves to the counter to grab drinks, leaving Taehyung stranded in silence with Jeongguk.

His mind screamed: Say something. Anything. Don’t just stare at the napkin dispenser.

Jeongguk tilted his head. “You don’t look like you wanted to come here.”

Taehyung blinked, caught. “I, uh… didn’t exactly have a choice.”

Jeongguk’s mouth quirked. “Dragged against your will?”

“More like… cornered.” Taehyung fiddled with the sleeve of his shirt, then, before he could stop himself, blurted, “So…do you really ride a motorcycle?”

Jeongguk raised an eyebrow. “That’s the first thing you want to know about me?”

“Forget it,” Taehyung muttered, heat crawling up his neck.

But Jeongguk laughed softly, the sound unexpectedly warm. “Yeah, I do. An old black Thunderbolt. She’s temperamental, but I like the fight.”

Taehyung’s lips twitched despite himself. “Figures.”

“What about you?” Jeongguk asked, leaning forward a little. “What do you study?”

“Arts, history, english, political science,” Taehyung said automatically, then immediately regretted it when Jeongguk’s gaze sharpened.

“Literature guy?”

Taehyung nodded, reluctant. He hated when people asked, because it usually led to jokes about starving BA students. But Jeongguk only hummed, almost approving.

“Explains the way you were staring at the napkins reading the prints.”

Taehyung’s ears burned. “I wasn’t—”

“You were.”

He didn’t know if he wanted to roll his eyes or sink under the table. Something about the way Jeongguk looked at him made his skin itch and tingle all at once. Fuck. Jeongguk was so beautiful!

The girls returned, setting down iced matcha lattes for themselves, a hot chocolate for Taehyung, and an espresso for Jeongguk. Taehyung felt the eyes of a certain leather jacket guy on his hot chocolate, lingered a little.

Seoyun launched back into conversation with Minchae, and once again Taehyung was free to sit quietly.

Except now, every sip of his latte tasted faintly like nerves.

Because Jeongguk didn’t stop glancing at him.

And worse Taehyung didn’t hate it.

Chapter Text

It was late Thursday night when Taehyung finally dragged himself back to his apartment, his head still buzzing from the hours he had spent for the history assignment. He smelled faintly of caffeine and head balms, his fingertips hurting from the constant typing. The building’s hallway was quiet, save for the hum of the old lights overhead.

He fished through his satchel for the keys, muttering under his breath when they slipped past his fingers. By the time he got the door unlocked and pushed it open, a familiar silence greeted him.

“Jimin?” he called, kicking the door shut behind him. The word echoed a little too loudly in the apartment.

There was no reply. Taehyung glanced around. His roommate’s shoes were by the door, so he had to be home. When he stepped into the living room, the mystery solved itself. Jimin was fast asleep on the couch, his arms curled protectively around his body pillow as if it were a pillow.

Taehyung’s lips twitched into a smile. Only Jimin would nap this soundly wearing his boots.

Carefully, Taehyung slid the shoes away and placed them on the shoe stand in the corner. Jimin shifted, brows furrowing briefly before relaxing again, never waking. Taehyung pulled a throw blanket from the armrest and tucked it around his friend’s shoulders before flicking off the lamp.

He lingered in the kitchen to unpack the groceries he’d picked up on the way home. The fridge door clicked shut, the last of the fruit stacked neatly inside. With that chore done, exhaustion pressed down on him like a weight.

He dropped onto his bed face-first and groaned into the sheets. If I could just sleep now…

But his eyes flickered to the clock. 9:32 p.m. Shit. His deadline. He had promised Namjoon the finished piece tonight. The university year book cannot withstand any further delay and Taehyung had already tested Namjoon’s patience too many times.

Grudgingly, he rolled to his desk, flipped open his battered laptop, and pulled up his article drafts. Writing was the one thing he clung to that gave him a sense of purpose. Words made sense when people didn’t.

The piece was already written an editorial on recent student achievements but Namjoon had sent over photographs that needed attaching. Taehyung opened the file and scanned through the images. That’s when he froze.

In one picture, a boy stood on stage shaking the dean’s hand, a plaque clutched in his tattooed arm. His dark hair fell across his forehead, a lopsided grin lighting up his entire face.

“…Jeongguk?” Taehyung whispered.

He leaned closer to the screen, squinting at the ink on the boy’s forearm. It was unmistakable.

The article was about the university’s art competition. The winner, Jeon Jeongguk, had painted an angel and devil wrapped in silk.. And both looked male?. Taehyung had skimmed over the name when he wrote it, assuming it was someone else.

Business major Jeongguk, the one he had bumped into before, couldn’t possibly be the same Jeongguk who spent weeks building painting, right?

Unless he was both.

And soon he came across another article, and that was also owned by jeongguk! Damn, has this boy always been this visible? Where was Taehyung all this time?? Under a rock?

Jeongguk was grinning widely, winning a cooking competition? When did their college even had that? Surely, he leaves under a rock. A BIG RUSTY ROCK.

He sighed.

Taehyung sank back in his chair. Was there anything this boy couldn’t do? He was sharp, confident, and now apparently good with paints too.

“Of course he’d be brilliant at this as well,” Taehyung muttered under his breath.

He tried not to dwell on it, finished attaching the images, and hit send 9:55 p.m., just in time.

He was about to shut his laptop when his phone buzzed on the desk. A message from Seoyun blinked on the screen:

> Let’s go out tomorrow after classes! I found this tiny book café you’ll love.

Taehyung smiled faintly and typed back quickly.

> sure!

But before he could set the phone down, another notification popped up.

> By the way, I asked Minchae and Jeongguk to come too! Let’s make it fun. Don’t say no, okay? ♥️

Taehyung stared at the message longer than necessary, his thumb hovering uselessly over the keyboard. This would be the third time he’d run into Jeongguk not that he was keeping count.

His chest buzzed with something he couldn’t name. It wasn’t dreadful. It wasn’t annoying. If anything, there was a strange pull like curiosity disguised as nerves.

Because talking to Jeongguk never felt forced. He listened, he asked questions, he made Taehyung’s words feel like they mattered. And that was… rare.

Stop overthinking. It’s just a coincidence. Just friends hanging out, Taehyung told himself firmly. He typed back a thumbs-up emoji and tossed the phone aside.

Later, under the hot stream of the shower, his thoughts betrayed him again. Water cascaded down his back, steam clouding the mirror. His mind drifted back to Jeongguk’s grin in that photograph, the tattoos on his arm, the way his presence always unsettled Taehyung in ways he couldn’t categorize.

Strangers or friends that were usually simple enough. But Jeongguk didn’t fit into either box, and that unsettled him most of all.

I don’t need more people. I have Jimin. I have Seoyun. That’s enough.

The words echoed hollowly in his chest as the shower hissed around him.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Taehyung and Jimin sat across from each other at the kitchen counter, the sunlight spilling through the blinds and cutting golden stripes across the tabletop. Both were dressed and ready for the day, though their moods couldn’t have been more different.

Friday meant freedom, but for Taehyung, it meant a kind of pressure he couldn’t quite name. His stomach churned even though he hadn’t eaten yet, and the silence between them only made him more aware of every thought buzzing in his head.

Across from him, Jimin was grinning down at his phone, thumbs flying. He laughed quietly at something, dimples cutting into his cheeks like sunshine breaking through clouds. Taehyung envied how effortless it seemed for Jimin how easily he carried himself, how naturally joy found him.

Meanwhile, Taehyung carefully spread almond butter over a slice of warm sourdough, dragging the knife slow, deliberate, as if neatness could distract him from the knot in his chest. He even inhaled deeply, trying to ground himself in the simple scent of toasted bread. It didn’t work.

“Is it okay if I borrow your transport card?” Jimin asked suddenly, his voice casual, his eyes never leaving the screen.

Taehyung froze mid spread. “My card? Did you misplace yours again?”

“‘Misplaced’ is such a negative word,” Jimin replied smoothly, finally looking up. His silver hair caught the sunlight, making him look almost ethereal. “Let’s just say…it’s on a short vacation. Probably in my cousin’s car. Somewhere.”

Taehyung narrowed his eyes. “You lose that card more than anyone I know. One day, I swear, I’ll tattoo it to your arm.”

“Mm, as long as it’s aesthetic.” Jimin leaned his chin onto his palm with a mock dreamy sigh. “A transport-card tattoo. Minimalist, bold, very fashion forward.”

Taehyung groaned and dropped his knife onto the plate with a soft clink. “You’re impossible.”

Jimin smirked, enjoying himself far too much. “But you love me.”

Taehyung muttered under his breath, “Debatable,” but the corners of his mouth twitched despite himself.

“So, the card?” Jimin prompted, tilting his head like a puppy who already knew he was about to get a treat.

Taehyung waved toward his bag on the couch. “It’s in there. Don’t lose this one.”

“Scout’s honor,” Jimin said, hopping up to dig through the bag. He returned a minute later, triumphantly holding the card aloft like treasure. He flopped back into his seat, then, without hesitation, reached over and snagged half of Taehyung’s toast.

“Really?” Taehyung muttered.

“Consider it breakfast tax,” Jimin said, crunching loudly and winking. “You’re paying for my commute; I’m charging you in bread. It’s only fair. I'll be in Uptown soon.”

Taehyung rolled his eyes, but he didn’t fight him for it. His appetite had vanished anyway. His mind was already wandering elsewhere.

The mention of uptown gnawed at him. That area always tugged at his thoughts. It was where he’d last seen Jeongguk by chance, by accident, or maybe not by accident at all. He bumped into him, with hands full of pastry. Was it possible the universe was pushing their paths to keep crossing?

He hated how quickly his chest tightened at the memory. Every detail of Jeongguk those tattoos etched against pale skin, the way his smile tilted sharp at the edges, the confidence in the way he carried himself played on a loop in Taehyung’s mind. It frustrated him, how impossible it was to shake off.

Why did it even matter? Why did he care what someone like Jeongguk did, or where he went?

Because you’re curious. Because he unsettles you. Because he’s different.

Taehyung shook his head sharply, as if the force of it could banish the thoughts. He pressed his thumb hard against the edge of the toast, grounding himself in the texture, the faint smear of almond butter sticking to his skin.

“You okay, Tae?” Jimin asked, studying him with a raised brow. “You look like you’re about to combust. Or cry. Hard to tell.”

“I’m fine,” Taehyung muttered. His fingers tapped restlessly against the counter, betraying him.

Jimin hummed, unconvinced, before returning to his phone. A moment later, it buzzed with a notification, and he let out a sharp laugh. “Oh, hey. Isn’t this the guy from your article?”

Taehyung’s head snapped up. “What?”

Jimin spun the phone around. On the screen was the university’s official page, showcasing the winners of last night’s culinary event. There it was the headline, the photo, the name. Jeongguk. Again? his name? why?

Taehyung’s pulse skipped. The same Jeongguk who’d been haunting him since that first meeting.

“Yeah… I wrote about him,” Taehyung admitted quietly, his voice small.

Jimin leaned back, eyes twinkling with amusement, though not in the way that made Taehyung want to hide. “Do you even realize who you wrote about? That guy’s not just talented he’s connected. Family money, big reputation. Basically, he’s a walking power card.”

Taehyung’s stomach sank. Of course Jeongguk couldn’t just be ordinary. He had to be striking in every possible way looks, presence, status. Someone untouchable.

Jimin grinned, clearly entertained. “Guess you’ll have to step up your wardrobe game if you ever bump into him again. Can’t have you showing up in your tragic hoodie collection.”

“Tragic?” Taehyung shot him a glare, tugging self consciously at the hem of his hoodie. "Also, its summer, dimwit!" he snapped, hiding his insecurity.

Jimin smirked, unbothered. “I’m just saying if someone’s going to haunt your brain, at least make sure you look like you could haunt theirs back.”

Taehyung groaned, dropping his head into his hands. But his heart wouldn’t stop racing. Because today, he would see Jeongguk again. Not by chance. Not by coincidence.

And that thought terrified him almost as much as it thrilled him.

Chapter Text

The moment Taehyung stepped into the quaint little cafe, he already regretted agreeing to the double-date. He adored Seoyun, but Minchae? That girl was chaos in human form.

Her voice cut through the air like nails on a chalkboard, exaggerated with that heavy, impossibly precise accent she insisted on using. She was describing some new designing technique she’d learned at her weekend workshop, and Taehyung couldn’t stop his eyes from narrowing.

Why does she insist on talking like she’s auditioning for a movie every time she opens her mouth?

Seoyun sat beside her, nodding politely, making Taehyung feel like he was trapped in some bizarre award-show panel. He sighed and looked across the table. Jeongguk, as always, was… impossibly composed. The raven-black hair slightly messy, the jacket draped over the back of his chair, tattoos peeking from his sleeves. Taehyung’s chest tightened.

“Minchae really enjoys her designing classes,” Jeongguk said, calm and steady. “She’s passionate about it.”

And just like that, some of Taehyung’s irritation melted away. Jeongguk had a way of making everything sound… reasonable. Even Minchae.

Taehyung swallowed. He wanted to say something, anything, but the girls were like a wall of noise. He decided to focus on Jeongguk instead, catching the slight curve of his lips as he leaned on one elbow.

Seoyun piped up suddenly. “So, Jeongguk, what do you get up to when you’re not busy being mysterious?”

Jeongguk blinked, looking amused. Before he could respond, Minchae jumped in: “Oh! Let me guess… rock climbing? Calligraphy? Or… baking and painting?”

Taehyung leaned back, internally groaning. He wanted to tell her to zip it, let him answer!

Jeongguk smirked faintly but stayed silent. That’s… frustratingly adorable.

Minchae giggled, clearly thinking she’d gotten him flustered. “I swear, you couldn’t make a decent cup of tea or paint a cup of tea if your life depended on it,” she teased, tapping his forearm with a perfectly manicured finger.

“Uh… maybe I could,” Jeongguk said quietly, not looking up.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. I knew it.

The girls shifted to talk about Minchae’s trips abroad and new hobbies, but Taehyung couldn’t tear his gaze from Jeongguk. He looked… distant. Concerned, maybe? The thought gnawed at him.

Say something.
Don’t just sit there.

Taehyung cleared his throat. “Um… do you have plans after lunch?” he asked, voice hesitant, brushing a stray lock of hair from his face. That was your best Taehyung, really?

Jeongguk glanced up, eyes crinkling in amusement. “Not really. You?”

“Same.”

The silence that followed was heavy. Taehyung’s hands twitched in his lap. Did I make it awkward? Oh God, I probably did.

“Your business classes… they’re going okay, right?” Taehyung tried again, fumbling over his words.

Jeongguk raised a brow, suppressing a smile. “They’re fine. Today we watched a documentary instead of a lecture.”

“Oh? About?”

“Street food cultures,” Jeongguk replied, watching Taehyung’s eyes light up.

“That’s… amazing. I love stuff like that! The way people cook in tiny alleys, the smells…” Taehyung leaned forward, animated now, forgetting about the girls entirely.

Jeongguk chuckled softly. “You’d like our class. Most days, the teacher lets us explore whatever we want while the projector hums in the background. I usually end up taking notes on street vendors around the world.”

Taehyung laughed. This is different. This is… nice. Jeongguk wasn’t just intimidating or perfect he was engaging, playful, and somehow made Taehyung feel… lighter.

And somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized he didn’t want this lunch to end.

______________

Tell me honestly… did you feel it too? That quiet shift, when the chaos of the café melted away and it was just Taehyung and Jeongguk—two voices, two smiles, like they were in their own little world. ✨

The way Jeongguk looked at him, the way Taehyung leaned in without even realizing… it felt like the first spark of something they won’t be able to hide much longer. My heart was racing while writing it, and I wonder—did yours? 🥺

Chapter Text

Taehyung was still scribbling notes on his history worksheet when Jimin yanked his pen out of his hand with the kind of theatrical flair that made half the class look up from their own assignments.

"Yah!" he hissed, glaring at the silver-haired boy beside him. The afternoon sun streaming through the classroom windows caught the irritation in his dark eyes, making them flash dangerously.

"Enough with the scribbles, professor Kim," Jimin rolled his eyes, already packing up his bag with practiced efficiency. His movements were sharp, purposeful, everything he did had this quality of barely contained energy, like he was constantly ready to spring into action. "You're coming with me."

Professor Kim. The nickname made Taehyung's stomach twist uncomfortably. He wasn't some stuffy academic hiding behind dusty textbooks he just... appreciated the stories. The way battles unfolded like chess matches, how single decisions could reshape entire civilizations. There was poetry in it, if people bothered to look.

"Where?" Taehyung blinked, his pen hovering uselessly above his worksheet. He'd been in the middle of analyzing the strategic implications of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, and losing his train of thought felt like abandoning a half-finished painting.

"My dance practice," Jimin grinned mischievously, and there was something almost predatory in his expression like a cat who'd cornered a particularly interesting mouse. "You can't stay buried in war strategies all your life, Tae. Live a little."

Live a little. The phrase echoed in Taehyung's mind as he watched his best friend's face light up with determination. When was the last time he'd done something spontaneous? Something that didn't involve homework or studying or preparing for the next exam? His life had become a carefully orchestrated series of academic achievements, each day bleeding into the next in a haze of textbooks and lecture notes.

Before Taehyung could formulate a proper argument or any argument, really Jimin was already dragging him out of the classroom by the wrist. His grip was surprisingly strong for someone so small, fingers wrapping around Taehyung's wrist like a handcuff he couldn't escape.

"Jimin, wait- I haven't finished-"

"It can wait," Jimin said firmly, not bothering to look back as he navigated the crowded hallway with the confidence of someone who knew exactly where he was going. "Napoleon will still be dead tomorrow."

Taehyung wanted to argue, wanted to explain that history wasn't just about dead people it was about understanding patterns, learning from mistakes, seeing the human story unfold across centuries. But Jimin was already pushing through the double doors that led to the arts building, and suddenly they were in a different world entirely.

The practice room smelled faintly of resin and sweat, an oddly comforting combination that spoke of dedication and hard work. Mirrors stretched across the walls, reflecting infinite versions of the space, while bright lights bounced off every surface and created a warm, energetic glow. Loud music thumped from the speakers something with a heavy beat that seemed to pulse in time with Taehyung's suddenly racing heartbeat as two boys moved in perfect sync across the polished floor.

This is Jimin's world, Taehyung realized with a start. This was where his roomate came alive, where all that restless energy found its outlet. The Jimin he knew from their shared classes always tapping his fingers, always shifting in his seat suddenly made perfect sense.

One of the dancers, with sunshine practically radiating from his smile, immediately brightened up at the sight of Jimin. "jimin!" he beamed, jogging over with the kind of enthusiasm that made Taehyung feel simultaneously warmed and slightly overwhelmed. Without hesitation, he pulled Jimin into a hug that spoke of deep friendship and shared passion.

"Hoseok-hyung, this is Taehyung," Jimin introduced, tugging the brunet closer with the same possessive grip he'd used to drag him here. "My history nerd."

The words hit Taehyung like a physical blow. History nerd. Was that really how Jimin saw him? How everyone saw him? How jeongguk saw him? Just... a nerd? Not someone with interests, with passions, with a deep appreciation for the complexities of human nature just a nerd?

Taehyung stiffened, his jaw clenching automatically. "I am not-"

"Oh, he definitely looks like one," Hoseok cut in cheerfully, but there was no malice in his tone just the kind of easy acceptance that made it impossible to take offense. His eyes twinkled with mischief as he extended his hand, and his grip was warm and firm when Taehyung reluctantly shook it. "But hey, nerds are cool. Some of my favorite people are nerds."

Some of my favorite people are nerds. The casual kindness in the statement made something tight in Taehyung's chest loosen slightly. Maybe being called a nerd wasn't the worst thing in the world, especially when it came from someone who seemed to mean it as a compliment.

The second boy wandered over with the kind of unhurried confidence that suggested he was perpetually unbothered by anything life might throw at him. He was tall, with dyed hair that looked too perfect to be real each strand seemed to catch the light in exactly the right way. Most remarkably, he wore his shirt backwards and didn't even seem to notice, or perhaps he did notice and simply didn't care.

"Yeonjun," Jimin sighed, pointing with the weary expression of someone who'd given up trying to understand his friend's fashion choices long ago. "This is Taehyung. Don't say anything stupid."

Don't say anything stupid. Taehyung had to bite back a laugh at Jimin's preemptive warning. There was something endearingly protective about it, like Jimin was genuinely worried about what his dance friend might say.

"Hi!" Yeonjun grinned, offering Taehyung a fist bump with the kind of casual friendliness that seemed to come naturally to him. "You know, I once tried to study history but I fell asleep on the first page. Too many dead guys." He paused, tilting his head with genuine curiosity. "Are you into dead guys?"

Taehyung blinked, his brain struggling to process the question. "Excuse me?"

Into dead guys? What was that supposed to mean? Was Yeonjun asking about his sexual preferences? His career aspirations? His hobbies?

"He means historical figures," Hoseok explained between laughs, his voice warm with affection for his apparently perpetually confused friend. "Don't mind him, his brain's on airplane mode half the time."

Airplane mode. The description was so accurate that Taehyung found himself fighting back a smile. There was something oddly charming about Yeonjun's complete lack of filter, his ability to ask questions that made no sense and yet somehow cut straight to the heart of things.

Yeonjun just gave a wide, clueless smile that was impossible not to find endearing. "But hey, at least you're friends with Jimin. He's the only one who can make a nerd look cool."

"Stop calling me a nerd," Taehyung muttered, his cheeks puffing out in the way they always did when he was flustered. Jeongguk would never make fun of him! But even as he protested, he could feel the corners of his mouth threatening to turn up. There was something about these people Jimin's people that made it hard to stay genuinely annoyed.

Jimin and Hoseok only laughed at his protest, the sound echoing off the mirrored walls, while Yeonjun went back to attempting what appeared to be a moonwalk. The keyword being "attempting" his feet seemed to have their own ideas about where they wanted to go, and none of those ideas aligned with the smooth backwards glide he was obviously aiming for.

For the next hour, Taehyung found himself becoming an unwitting audience to a world he'd never experienced before. Jimin spent the time practicing with Hoseok, their movements sharp and fluid, each gesture flowing seamlessly into the next like water finding its path down a mountainside. They moved as though they shared a single mind, anticipating each other's actions with the kind of synchronicity that spoke of countless hours spent in this very room, perfecting their craft.

This is what passion looks like, Taehyung thought as he watched them dance. This was what it meant to lose yourself completely in something you loved, to forget about everything else exams, expectations, the weight of other people's opinions and just... exist in the moment.

Meanwhile, Yeonjun occasionally threw himself into the routine with the kind of enthusiastic chaos that should have been disastrous but somehow added its own charm to the performance. He messed up spectacularly and often, his limbs seeming to move independently of his brain's instructions, but he laughed at every mistake and kept trying anyway.

Taehyung sat against the wall, his notebook unopened beside him, quietly watching it all unfold. The history worksheet that had seemed so important an hour ago now felt distant and irrelevant. When was the last time he'd felt that kind of joy in something? Maybe when jeongguk and him were having a conversation about street foods.

Again!! Was jeongguk necessary?? His thoughts always went to him!

He wasn't sure if he belonged in a place like this where creativity spilled out of every corner like paint from an overturned palette, where people moved like art came to life, where imperfection was celebrated rather than criticized. The energy here was different from anything he was used to, electric and alive in a way that made his skin tingle with possibility.

But then, as his gaze wandered around the room, taking in the mirrors and the speakers and the controlled chaos of three boys lost in their respective interpretations of dance, his eyes drifted to the far side of the building. A hallway led away from the practice room, and he knew from the building's layout that it connected to the art gallery.

His heart gave a small, unexpected tug.

Jeongguk. again.

He remembered how quiet Jeongguk got when Minchae said he couldn't draw or cook if his life depended on it…not dismissive, not uninterested, but... careful. Like it was a secret only he knew, something precious that needed protecting. It had always struck Taehyung as odd. Jeongguk was a business major, after all, buried in numbers and profit margins and strategic planning. His world should be all spreadsheets and market analysis, shouldn't it?

Then how did he win it?

Did he come here sometimes? Did he sneak away from his business textbooks and calculated risks to stand in front of paintings and let himself feel something that couldn't be quantified or analyzed?

Would he be here now?

The thought sent an unexpected shiver through Taehyung's body. He found himself staring at the closed hallway door, wondering what lay beyond it, wondering if somewhere in the quiet galleries a boy with dark hair and serious eyes was standing in front of a canvas, letting his carefully constructed walls down just for a moment.

What would I even say to him if I saw him there?

"Earth to Taehyung!"

Jimin's voice cut through his reverie, and Taehyung looked up to find three pairs of eyes staring at him with varying degrees of amusement and concern.

"You looked like you were having some pretty deep thoughts there," Hoseok observed, his tone gentle but curious. "Everything okay?"

Everything okay? How could he explain that sitting in this room full of creative energy had somehow made him think about a boy he barely knew, about art galleries and secret longings and the possibility that maybe, just maybe, there was more to both of them than anyone realized?

"I'm fine," Taehyung said instead, closing his notebook with more force than necessary. "Just... thinking about history stuff."

Jimin raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying the explanation, but he didn't push. Instead, he grabbed his water bottle and took a long drink, his chest still rising and falling rapidly from the exertion of the past hour.

"You know," he said thoughtfully, "you should come by more often. The gallery next door has some pretty interesting historical exhibits sometimes. Might be right up your alley."

The gallery. There it was again, that casual mention that made Taehyung's pulse quicken. He tried to keep his expression neutral, tried not to let on that the suggestion had just made his entire nervous system light up like a Christmas tree.

"Maybe," he said, aiming for nonchalant and probably missing by several degrees. "Maybe I will."

Chapter Text

The music in the practice room was still pounding when Taehyung quietly slipped into the hallway, the bass reverberating through the walls and into his chest like a second heartbeat. Behind him, he could hear Jimin's laughter mixing with the rhythmic thud of sneakers against polished floors, but the sound felt distant now, muffled by the thick silence that seemed to swallow him whole as he moved deeper into the building.

His curiosity about the gallery tugged at him like an invisible thread, pulling him further inside with each hesitant step. What am I even doing? The question echoed in his mind, but his feet kept moving forward anyway, drawn by something he couldn't quite name. Maybe it was the need to escape the overwhelming energy of the dance studio, or maybe it was something else entirely something that had been building in his chest ever since Jimin had mentioned the gallery with that knowing look in his eyes.

The transition from the bright, energetic practice room to the gallery was like stepping into a different world entirely. Where the dance studio had been all light and movement and barely contained chaos, this space was a sanctuary of contemplation. The gallery was dimly lit, shadows dancing between patches of warm, golden light that seemed to embrace each piece of art like a gentle caress. Canvases lined the walls in careful arrangement, each one seeming to breathe in the profound silence that filled the space.

This is what peace feels like, Taehyung realized as he began to wander slowly through the space, his footsteps muffled by the soft carpet beneath his feet. Here, away from the expectations and noise of the outside world, he could finally hear himself think. His eyes scanned brushstrokes and colors with the same methodical attention he usually reserved for historical texts, but this felt different more intuitive, more emotional.

A landscape caught his attention first rolling hills painted in shades of green and gold that seemed to shimmer in the gallery's ambient lighting. The brushwork was confident but not showy, each stroke serving a purpose, building toward something larger than the sum of its parts. Like a battle strategy, he thought with a small smile, every element working together toward a common goal.

He was studying the way the artist had captured the play of light across a field of wheat when voices floated in from the other side of the room, soft but distinct enough to make him pause mid-step.

He froze, his entire body going rigid as recognition washed over him like ice water.

"Hyung, I still think this piece is overrated," Jeongguk's familiar raspy voice carried through the quiet space, the sound hitting Taehyung's ears like a physical force. There was something playful in the tone, but underneath it lay a firmness that suggested genuine conviction. "The technique is impressive, sure, but where's the soul? It feels... calculated."

Jeongguk. The name blazed across Taehyung's consciousness like a comet, leaving him dizzy and breathless. He's actually here. All those wondering thoughts back in the practice room, all that speculation about whether Jeongguk might frequent this place and here he was, not twenty feet away, discussing art with the kind of passion that Taehyung had only ever seen him apply to business presentations.

Taehyung's heart skipped, then started racing so fast he worried it might actually burst from his chest. His palms went slick with sweat, and he had to resist the urge to wipe them on his jeans. What do I do? Do I leave? Do I stay? Do I pretend I didn't hear him?

Before he could make a decision before he could do anything except stand there like a deer caught in headlights curiosity won out over self-preservation. Moving as quietly as he could manage, Taehyung crept closer to the source of the voices, his heart hammering so loudly in his ears that he was amazed it wasn't echoing through the gallery.

When he finally worked up the courage to peer around the corner, the sight that greeted him made his breath catch in his throat.

There was Jeongguk, tall and broad-shouldered in a black leather jacket that should have looked out of place in the refined atmosphere of the gallery but somehow suited him perfectly. The jacket hugged his frame in a way that emphasized the lean strength Taehyung had only glimpsed in their shared classes, and his dark hair fell across his forehead in soft waves that caught the light. He was standing with his weight shifted to one hip, one hand gesturing toward a large abstract painting while the other rested casually in his jacket pocket.

Beside him stood Namjoon, his blonde hair was styled back from his face, and he wore a cream-colored sweater that somehow managed to look both academic and approachable.

Jeongguk knows Namjoon? What a small world!

They look like they belong here, Taehyung thought with a pang of something that might have been envy. Like this is just another Tuesday for them, wandering through art galleries and having intellectual discussions about brush techniques and artistic merit.

The painting they were examining was a riot of blues and purples, abstract shapes that seemed to flow into each other like water or wind made visible. Taehyung found himself studying it from his hidden vantage point, trying to see what Jeongguk saw, trying to understand what had prompted his criticism.

"I see what you mean," Namjoon was saying, his voice thoughtful as he tilted his head to study the canvas from a different angle. "It's technically proficient, but there's something missing. Like the artist was trying too hard to impress rather than trying to express something real."

Express something real. The phrase resonated in Taehyung's chest, making him think of all the history papers he'd written over the years, all the careful analysis and scholarly language that sometimes felt like it was getting in the way of what he really wanted to say about the human stories hidden in those dusty events.

Jeongguk nodded, and there was something almost vulnerable in his expression as he continued to stare at the painting. "Exactly. Art should make you feel something, you know? It should reach inside you and grab onto something you didn't even know was there. This..." He gestured at the canvas with a slight frown. "This just makes me think about color theory and composition rules."

He understands, Taehyung realized with a jolt of surprise. He actually gets it. There was something profound in Jeongguk's critique, something that spoke to a depth of artistic knowledge that went far beyond what Taehyung would have expected from a business major. How had he learned to look at art this way? When had he developed this kind of sensitivity to emotional expression?

Lost in his thoughts and his observation of this unexpected side of Jeongguk, Taehyung didn't realize he was leaning too far around the corner until it was too late.

Before he could quietly sneak away before he could retreat back to the safety of the practice room and pretend this encounter had never happened Jeongguk's eyes flicked up from the painting and landed right on him with the precision of a heat-seeking missile.

Shit. The word blazed through Taehyung's mind as their gazes locked across the gallery space. Jeongguk's eyes were even more intense up close, dark and fathomless and entirely too perceptive. There was no way to pretend he hadn't been watching, no way to play off his presence as mere coincidence.

"Taehyung," Jeongguk said smoothly, his voice cutting through the quiet like it belonged there, like he'd been expecting this moment all along. There was no surprise in his tone, no awkwardness just a calm acknowledgment that somehow made Taehyung's cheeks burn with embarrassment.

He knows I was watching. He knows I was listening. God, he probably thinks I'm some kind of creepy stalker who follows people around art galleries.

Namjoon's eyebrows lifted in recognition, and his gaze darted between them with the kind of curiosity that suggested he was filing this interaction away for future consideration. "Wait- you two are on a first-name basis?"

His voice carried a note of surprise, as though he'd just discovered something unexpected and potentially significant. "You do realize Taehyung's two years older than you, right?"

The words hit the gallery like a bomb exploding in slow motion.

Jeongguk blinked, his composed expression faltering for the first time since Taehyung had known him. "...What?"

Two years older. The revelation seemed to knock the air out of Taehyung's lungs, leaving him gasping and dizzy. His cheeks burned with a heat that felt like it might actually be visible from space. Younger? Jeongguk is younger than me?

It had never occurred to him not once in all those moments of stolen glances and wondering thoughts. Jeongguk carried himself with such quiet authority, such self-assured confidence, that Taehyung had automatically assumed he was older. Maybe not by much, but older nonetheless. The idea that this poised, articulate person who discussed art with the passion of someone twice his age was actually his junior felt like discovering that gravity worked backwards.

How is that possible? Taehyung's mind raced as he tried to reconcile this new information with everything he thought he knew about Jeongguk. He acts so... mature. So sure of himself. How can he be younger than me?

Jeongguk tilted his head, staring at Taehyung with that unreadable, dark-eyed gaze that seemed to see straight through all his carefully constructed defenses. There was something like surprise there, yes, but also something that might have been curiosity, or maybe even intrigue. "You're older?"

The question hung in the air between them, loaded with implications that Taehyung wasn't sure he was ready to examine. In Korean culture, age determined so much about how people related to each other levels of formality, terms of address, entire social dynamics that shifted based on who was senior and who was junior. And here they'd been, using each other's given names like equals, completely oblivious to the hierarchy they were supposed to maintain.

What does this mean for us? For... whatever this is?

Taehyung awkwardly cleared his throat, his hands automatically moving to tug at the hem of his sweater a nervous habit he'd never been able to shake. The soft wool felt like armor against the intensity of Jeongguk's gaze, but it wasn't nearly enough to shield him from the way this conversation was making his entire nervous system light up like a fireworks display.

"I... guess so," he managed to say, his voice coming out smaller and more uncertain than he'd intended. The words felt inadequate, like trying to explain quantum physics with finger puppets.

Namjoon, completely oblivious to the quiet tension crackling between them like electricity before a storm, carried on with the kind of cheerful obliviousness that suggested he was used to being the social lubricant in awkward situations. "Oh, and Jeongguk you should know. Taehyung's the one who wrote those yearbook features about you. The art competition, the cooking contest... all him."

No. The word screamed through Taehyung's mind as mortification crashed over him in waves. No, no, no, he was not supposed to find out like this. He was not supposed to find out at all.
God, what if he thinks I'm obsessed with him?

But when Taehyung finally worked up the courage to look at Jeongguk's face, expecting to see discomfort or suspicion, what he found instead made his breath catch in his throat.

Jeongguk's eyes had softened. They lingered on Taehyung like he was seeing him for the first time really seeing him, not just the quiet history student who sat three rows back in business ethics, but something more complex and interesting. There was warmth there, and what might have been gratitude, and something else that Taehyung couldn't quite identify but that made his chest feel tight with possibility.

"You wrote those?" Jeongguk's voice was quieter now, almost wondering. "I... I read them. Multiple times, actually. They were really well done."

He read them multiple times. The admission hit Taehyung like a physical force, making his heart stutter and skip in his chest. He actually paid attention to something I wrote. He thought they were good.

Taehyung tried to look away, tried to find somewhere safe to rest his gaze, but it was impossible. Jeongguk's attention was like gravity, pulling him in and holding him there despite every instinct that told him to flee. His chest tightened with the intensity of that gaze, with the weight of this moment that felt far too significant for a chance encounter in an art gallery.

The silence that fell between them was heavy, charged with all the things they weren't saying, all the questions that hung in the air like smoke. Taehyung could hear his own heartbeat thundering in his ears, could feel heat creeping up his neck and across his cheeks, could sense the way the entire world seemed to have narrowed down to this gallery, this moment, this space between him and Jeongguk that felt both vast and impossibly intimate.

Namjoon, perhaps finally sensing that he'd wandered into something beyond his understanding, cleared his throat softly. "I, uh... I should probably head back to the yearbook office. Got some layout work to finish up." He glanced between them with the kind of knowing look that suggested he was filing this entire interaction away for future analysis. "It was good seeing you, Taehyung. And Jeongguk... don't stay too late, okay?"

With that, he disappeared around the corner, leaving them alone in the gallery with nothing but the soft hum of climate control and the weight of everything that had just been revealed.

For a moment, neither of them moved. The silence stretched between them, taut as a violin string, until Jeongguk finally stepped closer. The movement was slow, deliberate, like he was approaching something wild that might bolt at any sudden motion.

“Taehyun- Fuck.. Hyung…” Jeongguk gave a sleepish smile.

"There's a firework festival tomorrow night," he said, his voice lower now, almost hesitant in a way that Taehyung had never heard from him before. The confident, articulate person who'd been critiquing artwork just minutes earlier had been replaced by someone younger, more uncertain, more human. "Come with me."

The words hit Taehyung's consciousness like lightning striking water, sending shockwaves through his entire system. His lips parted in surprise, his heart stuttering to a complete stop before launching into double time. He hadn't expected this… meeting without their girlfriends? It seemed like a secret hangout…

A firework festival. He's asking me to go somewhere with him. Just the two of us.

"W-what?" The word tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop it, breathless and disbelieving. His brain felt like it was short-circuiting, unable to process the sudden shift from awkward gallery encounter to what sounded suspiciously like... a date? Was this a date?Offcourse not, you are already dating!

Maybe he's just being friendly. Maybe this is how he treats everyone. Maybe because of Seoyun…

But then Jeongguk's mouth curved into the faintest smile, one that was soft and private and entirely too knowing. It was the kind of smile that suggested he knew exactly what he was doing, exactly what he was asking, exactly what effect his words were having on Taehyung's rapidly disintegrating composure.

"You heard me," he said simply.

Yeah, there would be more people, right?. Why would it be a date?

And there was something almost playful in his tone now, something that made Taehyung's ears burn even hotter than they already were.

He's enjoying this, Taehyung realized with a mixture of mortification and something that might have been excitement. He knows he's making me flustered, and he's enjoying it.

And just like that, as suddenly as he'd stepped closer, Jeongguk turned back to the canvas they'd been discussing, his attention returning to the abstract swirls of blue and purple as though he hadn't just completely upended Taehyung's understanding of their relationship.

That's it? That's all he's going to say?

Taehyung stood there, pulse thrumming in his ears, cheeks flushed with heat that felt like it might be permanent, wondering how the hell he was supposed to concentrate on anything else now. His entire world had been rearranged in the space of five minutes, and Jeongguk was just... looking at art like nothing had happened.

Tomorrow night, his mind kept repeating on loop. Firework festival. Tomorrow night.

He should say something. He should respond, should either accept or decline, should at least acknowledge that the invitation had been extended. But his throat felt dry as sandpaper, and every time he opened his mouth, no words came out.

What am I supposed to say? Yes? Of course it's yes?

"I..." he started, then stopped, then started again. "The fireworks..."

Jeongguk glanced back at him, that small smile still playing around the corners of his mouth. "Seven o'clock. Main entrance of Hangang Park." He paused, his gaze holding Taehyung's with an intensity that made breathing feel like a conscious effort. "Don't make me wait too long, hyung."

Hyung. The honorific again. carrying with it all the implications of their newly discovered age gap. But the way Jeongguk said it soft and slightly teasing and somehow intimate made it sound less like a social obligation and more like... something else entirely.

Before Taehyung could formulate any kind of response, Jeongguk was already moving toward the gallery exit, his footsteps soft against the carpet but somehow still echoing in the profound silence he left behind.

Taehyung stood there long after he was gone, staring at the painting Jeongguk had been critiquing, trying to see what the younger man had seen, trying to understand what had just happened to his carefully ordered world.
Tomorrow night, he thought again, and this time the words felt less like a question and more like a promise.

Seven o'clock. Hangang Park.

Don't make me wait too long, hyung.

The words echoed in his mind as he finally made his way back toward the practice room, where Jimin's voice could still be heard over the pounding music, calling for one more run-through of their routine.

But for Taehyung, the music felt distant now, overshadowed by the memory of dark eyes and a knowing smile and the promise of fireworks against a darkening sky.

______________

Okay, so… are we just gonna sit here pretending this chapter didn’t just happen?? 👀 Because my comment section is suspiciously quiet, and I’m starting to think you all are secretly enjoying the chaos without letting me know 😏.
Don’t leave me hanging like poor Taehyung with his dry throat... drop your thoughts below!! 💌

Chapter Text

The night air was crisp when Taehyung and Jeongguk finally broke free from the buzzing festival crowd, their fingers still intertwined from when Jeongguk had grabbed his hand to guide him through the sea of people. The main festival area had been overwhelming bodies pressed close together, the scent of street food mixing with perfume and sweat, voices rising and falling in a constant hum of excitement that made Taehyung's head spin.

This is better, he thought as they stumbled into the quieter section of the riverside park. Here, fairy lights draped over tree branches like captured stars, glimmering above their heads in soft golden clusters that cast everything in a warm, ethereal glow. The sound of water lapping against the stone embankment filled the spaces between distant bursts of music from the main stage, creating a rhythm that felt almost hypnotic in its consistency.

Jeongguk's hand was warm in his, solid and reassuring in a way that made Taehyung never want to let go. Every few steps, the younger boy would squeeze gently, as if checking to make sure Taehyung was still there, still with him. It was such a small gesture, but it sent warmth spreading through Taehyung's chest like honey dissolved in hot tea.

"Finally," Taehyung muttered as they approached a cluster of people lounging under a lamppost, though he wasn't entirely sure if he meant finally finding their friends or finally getting some space to breathe. Maybe both.

He spotted two familiar figures. First Jin, Jimin’s guide for the next dance competition, apparently he was in teams with the judges, stood calmly with a paper cup in hand, his broad shoulders relaxed and his expression patient in the way of someone who'd appointed himself the responsible adult for the evening. Beside him, Jimin swayed dangerously on his feet, laughing at something only he seemed to find funny, his silver hair catching the light as his head tilted back.

Of course, Taehyung thought with a mixture of fondness and exasperation. Leave it to Jimin to get tipsy at a festival.

But there were other faces too Hoseok from the dance studio, his sunshine smile even brighter under the festival lights as he gestured animatedly while talking to someone Taehyung didn't recognize. A boy with striking features and an easy confidence that suggested he was used to being the center of attention. And was that Yeonjun? Yes, there he was, attempting to do some kind of interpretive dance to the distant music, his movements as chaotically enthusiastic as ever.

"Jimin," Taehyung groaned, reluctantly slipping his hand free from Jeongguk's warm grip and rushing toward his roommate. The loss of contact felt immediate and uncomfortable, like stepping from sunlight into shadow. "How much have you had?"

Jimin turned toward him with the exaggerated precision of someone who was trying very hard to appear sober and failing spectacularly. "Not… that much," he replied, slurring his words but flashing a wide grin that was somehow both endearing and concerning. He held up an empty cup like it was proof of his restraint, then promptly dropped it dramatically onto the grass, where it landed with a soft thud.

Classic Jimin, Taehyung thought, though his irritation was tempered by affection. This was just who his best friend was all or nothing, no middle ground, throwing himself into every experience with the kind of wholehearted enthusiasm that was both admirable and occasionally problematic.

Jin sighed, adjusting his coat with the long-suffering expression of someone who'd been playing babysitter all evening. "He started downing soju the moment we arrived. I tried to stop him, but…" He gestured helplessly to the silver-haired boy now attempting to balance on the park bench with the focused determination of a tightrope walker.

"Yah! Why are you yelling?" Jimin shouted suddenly, his voice carrying across the quiet section of the park even though Taehyung was standing right in front of him.

"I'm not yelling, you idiot," Taehyung muttered, rubbing his temple as he felt a headache building behind his eyes. This was exactly the kind of situation he'd been hoping to avoid tonight. Before he could dwell on it further, he slid onto the bench beside Jimin, partly to keep him from falling and partly because his legs were getting tired from all the walking.

The bench dipped slightly as Jeongguk followed, sitting close enough that their knees brushed a contact that was probably accidental but that made Taehyung's skin tingle anyway. He could feel Jin's and Jeongguk's eyes on him, both wearing that teasing expression that suggested they'd noticed exactly how flustered he'd become over the past few hours.

Do I really look that obvious? The thought made his ears burn with embarrassment, but before he could spiral into self-consciousness, he felt something that made his breath catch in his throat.

A warm hand ghosted over his thigh tentative, questioning, ready to pull away at the first sign of discomfort. Taehyung stiffened, his entire nervous system lighting up like a Christmas tree, then turned to see Jeongguk's playful gaze fixed on him. There was something almost experimental in the younger boy's expression, like he was testing boundaries, seeing how far he could push before Taehyung bolted.

He's being careful, Taehyung realized with a flutter of something warm and grateful in his chest. He's making sure I'm okay with this.

This time, instead of panicking or pulling away or doing any of the things his anxious brain was suggesting, Taehyung managed a small smile. It felt like a victory, like proof that maybe he was braver than he'd thought.
Jeongguk's expression softened at the acceptance, his hand settling more securely on Taehyung's leg not possessive, but protective. Claiming.

"Want something to drink?" Jeongguk asked, leaning close so only Taehyung could hear. His breath was warm against Taehyung's ear, and the intimacy of the gesture made him shiver despite the mild night air.

Taehyung nodded, not trusting his voice to come out steady, and Jeongguk immediately stood up. The loss of his warm presence was immediate and unwelcome, but then Taehyung realized the younger boy was about to walk all the way across the park to the food stalls just to get him a drink, and something warm and grateful bloomed in his chest.

He's taking care of me, the thought whispered through his mind, foreign and wonderful and slightly overwhelming.

"C-can I come with you?" The words tumbled out before he could stop them, and he immediately felt foolish for asking. Of course Jeongguk could handle getting drinks by himself he wasn't a child who needed supervision.

But Jeongguk's expression didn't show any irritation or amusement at the request. Instead, his smirk softened into something gentler, warmer. "Of course," he said, offering his hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Taehyung slipped his own hand into Jeongguk's waiting palm, and the gesture felt so easy, so right, that he wondered how he'd ever functioned without this contact. Their fingers laced together like they'd been designed to fit this way, and suddenly the world felt more stable, more manageable.

As they stood to leave, Hoseok looked up from his animated conversation with the unfamiliar boy. "Hey, you two aren't leaving already, are you?" His voice carried that bright concern that made it impossible not to like him.

"Just getting drinks," Jeongguk replied, his free hand coming to rest on the small of Taehyung's back a touch so light and natural that Taehyung almost didn't notice it. Almost. "We'll be right back."

"Bring me something sugary!" Yeonjun called out, somehow managing to trip over his own feet while attempting a spin move. "My brain needs fuel for dancing!"

The boy Taehyung didn't recognize handsome with sharp cheekbones and an air of quiet confidence raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure more sugar is what your brain needs right now."

"This is Soobin," Hoseok explained with a grin. "He's Yeonjun's impulse control. Well, he tries to be."

Soobin gave a small wave, his smile shy but genuine. "Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you Taehyung hyung."

Heard about me? Taehyung felt heat creep up his neck. What exactly have they been saying?

Before he could ask, Jeongguk was gently guiding him away from the group, his hand never leaving its protective position on Taehyung's back. They wove through clusters of people until they reached the line of food trucks glowing with neon signs that painted everything in shades of pink and blue and electric green. The air smelled of fried chicken and sweet pastries, making Taehyung's stomach rumble despite the nervous butterflies that had taken up permanent residence there.

Jeongguk released his hand only long enough to grab two bottles of a strange, teal-colored soda from a cooler, but even then, he stayed close, his body creating a protective barrier between Taehyung and the crowd. It was such a small thing, but it made Taehyung feel cherished in a way he'd never experienced before.

"Don't worry," Jeongguk chuckled at Taehyung's raised eyebrow, noting his skeptical expression. "It's not booze."

Taehyung took a tentative sip, expecting something artificial and overly sweet. Instead, refreshing lemon fizz exploded on his tongue, crisp and clean and surprisingly pleasant. "It's actually good," he said, almost surprised by the admission.

His gaze flickered to Jeongguk, who was sipping the soda too, his throat working as he swallowed. And before Taehyung could ask, jeongguk said, “I am not 21 yet Hyung… I cannot be drinking you know…”

The reminder of their age difference hit Taehyung again, but this time it felt less shocking and more... endearing, somehow. Taehyung blinked, then laughed. "Right. I keep forgetting how young you are."

"M'not that young," Jeongguk pouted, his lower lip jutting out in a way that was probably meant to be petulant but came across as adorable instead. "Only two years younger than you."

You don't act like it, Taehyung wanted to say. You carry yourself like someone who's seen more of the world than I have, like you know secrets I haven't learned yet. But the words stuck in his throat, too revealing, too honest for this tentative new thing between them.

"Come on," Jeongguk said quietly, his voice carefull. "Let's get back to the others."

They walked back to the bench in silence, Jeongguk's hand never leaving its position on Taehyung's back, but something had shifted between them. The easy warmth from before felt strained now, like a song played in the wrong key.

When they returned to their spot under the lamppost, Jin and Jimin were gone. The empty bench felt like an omen, like evidence of how quickly things could change when you weren't paying attention.

"Where did they go?" Taehyung asked Hoseok, who was now sitting cross-legged on the grass while Yeonjun used his shoulder as a backrest.

"Jin hyung said something about getting Jimin some water and maybe some food to soak up the alcohol," Soobin explained, looking up from what appeared to be an intense discussion with Hoseok about dance techniques. "He looked pretty determined to play designated caretaker."

Of course he did, Taehyung thought. Jin hyung always takes care of him.

Yeonjun, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly perked up. "Ooh, fireworks!" he exclaimed, pointing toward the main stage area where the first burst of colorful lights was painting the night sky in shades of gold and red and brilliant white.

The festival had reached its climax the moment everyone had been waiting for. All around them, people were stopping their conversations and tilting their heads back to watch the sky light up in celebration.

Jeongguk guided Taehyung to sit on the bench, then settled beside him, close enough that their thighs pressed together from knee to hip. But instead of the electric thrill that contact had sparked earlier, now it felt... complicated. Weighted with everything they weren't saying, everything that hung unresolved between them.

As the fireworks began in earnest brilliant chrysanthemums of light blooming and fading against the dark canvas of the night Jeongguk's arm came around Taehyung's shoulders. The gesture was protective, possessive even, pulling him closer until Taehyung was practically tucked against his side.

The fireworks continued their spectacular dance overhead, each explosion more elaborate than the last. Cascades of silver light fell like waterfalls, followed by spirals of green and blue that seemed to twist and turn in impossible patterns. The crowd around them gasped and cheered with each new display, but Taehyung found it hard to focus on anything except the solid warmth of Jeongguk's body against his and the steady rhythm of his breathing.

"They're beautiful," Taehyung whispered, not sure if he was talking about the lights in the sky or the way they reflected in Jeongguk's dark eyes.

"Yeah," Jeongguk replied, his voice rough with something that might have been emotion. "They are."

But when Taehyung turned to look at him, he found that Jeongguk wasn't watching the fireworks at all. He was looking at Taehyung, his expression soft and complicated and entirely too intense.

Around them, Hoseok and Soobin and Yeonjun were laughing at something, their voices mixing with the distant sounds of the festival and the periodic boom of fireworks overhead. It should have been perfect this moment, this night, this unexpected tenderness from someone he'd been watching from afar for months.

Jeongguk's arm tightened around him, pulling him closer, holding him more securely. As if to say: I'm not going anywhere.

The fireworks reached their grand finale, the entire sky erupting in a symphony of color and light that left everyone breathless and applauding. But for Taehyung, the most beautiful sight wasn't in the sky at all it was the way Jeongguk's fingers tangled with his own, the way their hands fit together perfectly, the way the younger boy's thumb traced gentle circles over his knuckles.

Maybe, he thought as the last of the lights faded and left them in the gentle darkness, maybe everything will be okay after all.

No thoughts of Seoyun. Just jeongguk.

Chapter Text

The late afternoon sunlight streamed lazily through Jimin’s window, painting golden stripes across the floor. Taehyung leaned against the doorway, watching his roommate pace around the room, pulling on a jacket.

“You’re going out?” Taehyung asked.

“Yeah,” Jimin replied shortly, stuffing his wallet into his pocket. “I promised Hoseok hyung I’d meet him for rehearsal and maybe grab dinner after.”

Taehyung frowned. “Again? You’ve been with him a lot lately.”

Jimin turned, narrowing his eyes. “Don’t start. At least I tell you where I’m going.”

The words landed heavier than Taehyung expected. He straightened from the doorframe, confused. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Jimin scoffed, crossing his arms. “You think I don’t notice? You’ve been hiding things from me, Tae. Not just small things. Big things. Like the fact you’re friends with Jeon Jeongguk now.”

Heat rose to Taehyung’s face. “It’s not like that-”

“Then what is it like?” Jimin cut him off, frustration edging into his voice. “We’re supposed to be best friends, roommates for three years, but you didn’t even think to tell me? I had to hear it from Namjoon hyung.”

Taehyung’s lips parted, but no words came. His chest ached with guilt.

Jimin’s voice softened, though his eyes stayed sharp. “I don’t care if you want to hang out with him. I care that you don’t trust me enough to say it. What else are you not telling me, huh?”

The silence between them stretched, tense and heavy. Finally, Taehyung murmured, “I… I just don’t know how to explain everything right now.”

Jimin studied him, hurt flickering behind his eyes, then exhaled sharply. “Fine. Keep your secrets. Just don’t expect me to pretend nothing’s wrong.” He slung his bag over his shoulder. “I’ll be back late.”

And with that, he left.

By the time the door shut behind Jimin, Taehyung’s chest felt hollow. He sank onto the couch, rubbing his temples. His best friend was pulling away, and now like clockwork the knock came at the door.

He knew it would. His mother never missed her visits.

Minutes later, she sat across from him in her usual elegance: polished dress, flawless makeup, lips painted in that same striking pink. Her presence always made the air in the apartment feel heavier.

She didn’t waste time. “Taehyung, your father is struggling.”

Taehyung stiffened.

“The farm is drowning in debt. The workers are leaving. He can’t manage alone anymore. You need to come back home.” Her words were measured, final, as though no space for argument existed.

The brunet swallowed hard, his chest tightening. “Mom… I can’t. I’m almost finished with my degree. Just one more year, and-”

“Literature won’t feed you. It won’t save our family.” Her eyes softened for a moment, but her tone stayed firm. “Your father is breaking his back out there. And you sit here reading books.”

The sting in her words burned him. He clenched his fists in his lap. “It’s not just reading books. This is what I want, what I’ve worked for. Why can’t you and dad see that?”

“Because dreams don’t put food on the table!” she snapped, voice rising. Then quieter, almost pleading, “He needs you, Taehyung. We need you.”

His throat tightened. For years, he had carried the weight of not being enough not strong enough, not practical enough, not the son his father needed. And now, once again, he was being asked to give up the one thing that was his own.

“I’m not abandoning my dream,” he whispered, tears threatening at the corners of his eyes. “Even if it means disappointing you… I can’t.”

Her expression hardened, lips pressing into a thin line.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Taehyung stared at the cold tea between them, his reflection warping in the surface. He thought of his father’s rough hands, the smell of soil clinging to his childhood, the way he once believed he could carry both their hopes and his own.

But maybe he couldn’t.

“Then you’ve chosen your books over your family,” his mother said quietly, rising from her seat.

The words sliced through him, leaving him raw and aching.

He didn’t stand to see her out. He just sat there, heart heavy, staring at the door long after it clicked shut.

The silence that swallowed the apartment after his mother’s departure was not one of peace, but of a profound, aching emptiness that pressed in on Taehyung from all sides. The last vestiges of the golden afternoon sunlight had long retreated, leaving the room draped in a somber twilight, mirroring the deepening gloom within him.

His mother’s final words, delivered with such quiet, cutting conviction “Then you’ve chosen your books over your family” reverberated in the stillness, a phantom echo twisting the very air he breathed. Each syllable was a fresh wound, bleeding into the raw nerves of his conscience.

He sat motionless on the couch, slumped, his hands still clenched in his lap, the indentations of his fingernails visible on his palms. His chest felt like a hollow drum, echoing with the beat of a frantic, wounded bird trapped inside. Tears, which had been threatening earlier, now blurred his vision, but he refused to let them fall.

What good would they do? They wouldn’t change his mother’s resolved expression, wouldn’t erase the disappointment etched on her face, wouldn’t lighten the crushing weight of his father’s unspoken expectations.

The cold tea sat between them, a forgotten monument to a conversation that had never truly been a dialogue, only a series of demands and desperate pleas. He stared at his own distorted reflection in its murky surface, a stranger with wide, hurting eyes.

Was this truly the person he had become? Someone who chose dusty pages over the warmth of family, someone so selfishly devoted to an intangible dream that he would let his loved ones suffer? The cruel irony wasn't lost on him: his passion for stories, for understanding the human condition through literature, now felt like a curse, unraveling the very fabric of his own life.

Then, Jimin’s sharp words from earlier resurfaced, piercing through the fog of his parental conflict. "What else are you not telling me, huh?" The two arguments, distinct yet agonizingly similar, converged into a singular, overwhelming wave of guilt and isolation. He was a man of secrets, it seemed.

Secrets he kept from his best friend the blossoming, confusing connection with Jeongguk, the very subject that had sparked their fight. And secrets he kept from his family the depth of his unwavering resolve to pursue a path they deemed worthless, a dream he clutched fiercely even as it made him an outcast.

He felt utterly alone, trapped between two immovable forces: the love and obligation he felt towards his family, and the fierce, unyielding need to carve out a life that was truly his own. He wanted to scream, to lash out at the unfairness of it all, at a world that demanded he choose between his heart and his blood. But no sound escaped him. Only a quiet, shuddering breath, heavy with unspoken burdens.

The apartment, usually a haven of shared laughter and comfortable silences, now felt vast and desolate. Each shadow stretched long and menacing in the fading light, reflecting the growing darkness in his heart. He felt like he was suffocating, not from the lack of air, but from the unbearable pressure of everyone else's expectations, and his own desperate struggle to remain true to himself.

And in that moment, staring at the closed door, Taehyung wondered if holding onto his dream was truly worth losing everything and everyone else.

The thought was a bitter taste in his mouth, metallic and unsettling.

Chapter Text

The café was nearly empty, the late evening lull making the clatter of cutlery echo louder than usual. Taehyung sat slouched in a corner booth, a half empty glass of iced americano sweating on the table. Seoyun sat across from him, neat as always, a light cardigan over her shoulders, her eyes sharp as she studied him.

“You what?!” she hissed, leaning forward.

“I told my parents I don’t need their money anymore.” Taehyung swirled the melting ice with his straw, pretending not to care, even though his pulse hammered in his ears.

Seoyun’s jaw dropped. “Taehyung, do you even hear yourself right now? Tuition, rent, groceries how are you planning to survive without them?”

He lifted the glass and took a long sip, grimacing at the bitter taste. “I’ll figure it out.”

“That’s not a plan,” she snapped.

“Then what do you want me to say?” His voice rose before he caught himself, glancing at the other customers. Softer, he muttered, “I’m tired of being treated like a child. They don’t trust me to live my own life.”

Seoyun sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She was the type who always had things mapped out five year goals, backup plans, color coded schedules. Taehyung, on the other hand, was chaos wrapped in pretty features. The clash was inevitable.

“They just want what’s best for you,” she said finally.

“No,” he bit out. “They want what’s best for them. My dad thinks I should give up literature and come back to the farm like some… replacement. He doesn’t care what I want.”

Seoyun’s eyes softened slightly, but her words didn’t. “Maybe he’s right.”

The air left Taehyung’s lungs like a punch. “You think so too?”

“I think you’re being reckless,” she said carefully. “The farm is struggling. Your family needs you. And you- what...sit here writing poems? Publishing columns in a university paper no one reads?”

The sting was sharper coming from her than from his mother.

Taehyung laughed bitterly and leaned back against the booth. “Wow. Thanks for the support.”

“Don’t twist my words,” Seoyun said, her tone growing impatient. “I care about you, Tae. That’s why I’m telling you this. You can’t keep drifting with your head in the clouds. Life isn’t a story you can write your way out of.”

His hands tightened around the cold glass. He wanted to tell her she didn’t understand that writing was the only thing that kept him breathing some days, the only place he felt like himself. But the words clogged in his throat.

Seoyun reached across the table, laying her small hand over his. The gesture was meant to be comforting, but to Taehyung, it felt empty. Distant. Cold.

It wasn’t the touch he wanted.

His thoughts betrayed him, dragging him back to Jeongguk. The raven haired boy would never tell him to give up. Jeongguk would’ve smirked, leaned in close, and said something bold like, “Screw them. Do what you want. You’re stronger than they think.”

And Taehyung would’ve believed it. Because Jeongguk always sounded like he believed in him.

But Seoyun’s voice cut through the daydream. “Taehyung. Promise me you’ll at least think about it.”

His lips twisted into a tired smile, but his eyes burned. “Yeah. I’ll think about it.”

Liar.

He dropped his gaze back to the melting ice in his glass. His reflection stared back at him, blurred and fractured. Just like everything else in his life.

Taehyung pulled his hand away, the phantom chill of Seoyun’s touch lingering even as she withdrew her own, leaving him with an acute sense of isolation that felt colder than the melting ice in his glass. A chasm had opened between them, her supposed concern only deepening the rift. Her words, though perhaps meant to ground him, had instead pushed him further into a corner, forcing him to question not just his impulsive choices, but the very bedrock of his identity.

Seoyun let out a soft, exasperated sigh, the sound barely audible over the distant hum of the espresso machine. "Good," she said, though her voice lacked conviction, tinged with a weariness that suggested she had exhausted her patience. She gathered her small purse, her movements precise and efficient, a stark contrast to the turbulent storm brewing inside Taehyung. "Just… be smart about this, Tae. Don't let your pride ruin everything."

Pride? All his life he has been agreeing to things. for once he wants to do something else!

It was dignity, a desperate yearning to prove that his aspirations weren't just childish whims to be indulged or dismissed. He watched her stand, then offered a tight, forced smile as she murmured a hasty goodbye, her rapid footsteps a tap-tap-tap disappearing into the café’s receding quiet, leaving him utterly alone.

He rose slowly, his limbs feeling heavy, as if the very air had turned viscous. Stepping out into the cool night was a physical shock to his system, a welcome jolt after the suffocating warmth of the café. He walked without a destination in mind, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, the chill seeping through his thin jacket. The city lights blurred into streaks of color, mirroring the internal chaos of his thoughts. Each passing face was a nameless blur, each building a silent witness to his private turmoil.

Realising, even though he has known younger for a very less time but unlike Seoyun, Jeongguk wouldn't tell him to give up.

Chapter Text

Taehyung staggered onto campus like a ghost with sunglasses and a cap pulled low. The sun felt too loud, every step echoed. His head swam with a hangover that wasn’t just from last night’s drinks it was the leftover ache of a dozen small betrayals: his parents’ calls, Seoyun’s disappointed face, the sudden, terrifying need to find work.

He kept his hands clenched around the straps of his backpack as if the canvas could hold him together. Phones buzzed in his pockets, but he had left his switched off. He wanted to be invisible.

The quad was a smear of movement and color. Taehyung aimed for the library a quiet, safe shape and moved like someone sliding through fog. He told himself he could get through the day. Three assignments. One lecture. Find a job listing. Breathe.

Halfway down the stone walkway he saw them.

Jeongguk and Minchae were coming toward him, the way couples orbit each other when they’ve got private jokes and shared playlists. Minchae’s laugh bounced off the glass of the administration building. She looped her arm through Jeongguk’s and leaned in close; he tilted his head, listening like he’d memorized whatever she was saying.

Taehyung froze. For a second the world narrowed to the steady rhythm of their steps. He yanked off his sunglasses because cowardice felt worse than exposure.

Minchae spotted him first the blonde hair and bright grin turning toward him like a light. “Taehyung!” she called, cheerful and loud, the voice that always made him flinch. She tightened her hold on Jeongguk’s arm and stepped forward, all casual familiarity. “We were just heading to the student lounge want to come?”

Jeongguk’s eyes met Taehyung’s. He blinked, a small, neutral flash across a face that had once been everything Taehyung needed. He didn’t reach for Taehyung first. He didn’t say Taehyung’s name like it was a private thing between them. He simply stayed by Minchae, hand tucked in his pocket, posture folded like he belonged where he was.

A hot, stupid ache climbed Taehyung’s throat. “I-” He tried to shape a sentence and the syllables scattered. “I’m heading to the library.”

“Library?” Minchae’s brows rose. “You always haunt the library.” She smiled too big; it had that practiced, shiny edge. “Jeongguk was helping me with some paper edits you should come by later.”

Taehyung’s chest tightened. He watched her loop a finger through Jeongguk’s sleeve and the way Jeongguk did not shrug her off. He remembered small moments a brush of a thumb, a laugh aimed at him like a secret and how quickly they dissolved into other people’s company.

“Right,” Taehyung said, breathing shallow. It wasn’t anger so much as the tired, cold kind of hurt that leaves you clawing for air. “Okay.”

Minchae chattered on as if he were a nonessential backdrop to her story about a group presentation. Taehyung noticed the way she leaned into Jeongguk and how he nodded, his attention split. He wanted stupidly, selfishly for Jeongguk to cut her off, to step in like the guy who’d once met his gaze and held it like an anchor. For a second he imagined Jeongguk’s mouth shaping the words, Leave him. Not today. Instead there was only the hollow warmth of loyalty toward someone else.

He could feel the old explanation forming in his head that Jeongguk had a life, of course he did; of course he had Minchae; of course Taehyung wanted too much. He told himself it was ridiculous to expect anything else. But the image of Jeongguk’s indifferent posture was a small, persistent knife.

“Maybe later,” Jeongguk said, voice flat but not unkind. He offered Taehyung a look that might have been concern if Taehyung wanted to see it that way. “You okay?”

Taehyung wanted to say he wasn’t. He wanted to tell him about his parents’ calls, about Seoyun’s hands on his arm in the café and the way she had mapped out his failures like a plan. He wanted to unload the panic about tuition, the fury at being told to come home and be useful to a farm that smelled of callused hands and debt.

Instead he heard himself say, “I’m fine,” because honesty felt like a luxury he couldn’t afford.

“Alright,” Jeongguk said, and his voice slid back to Minchae. “See you later, then.” He reached for her and she squeezed his hand. They moved on, a neat little pair, leaving Taehyung breathing in the space they’d vacated.

The hallway to the library felt longer than it should. Taehyung walked until the building swallowed him: stacks of books, the hush of pages, the low hum of students pretending to study. He found his usual corner table and let his body drop into the chair like something used up.

He rested his head on folded arms and let the quiet press in. The world made sense here in small cataloged pieces: call numbers, deadlines, footnotes. He wanted to believe the ache would ease if he focused hard enough on something orderly.

The sharp little mantra rose and thudded against his ribs: I don’t need anyone. I don’t need anyone. I don’t need him.

He told himself the line until it began to sound like truth. Maybe tomorrow he’d apply for those part time jobs he’d been scrolling through. Maybe he’d call his father and say he’d come home and help or maybe he’d find a way that let both things exist. For now, in the dim safe of the library, he let the lie carry him: independent, intact, whole.

But when the words floated back to him they were brittle. He imagined Jeongguk’s face, neutral and quiet, and felt a familiar emptiness that no mantra could fully fill.

He pressed his forehead to his arms and closed his eyes. The campus outside hummed with other people’s plans. Taehyung let himself be small for a moment and didn’t fight the sting that came with it.

Chapter Text

The library became Taehyung's sanctuary for the next three hours, but even sanctuary couldn't hold back the tide forever. His phone, still switched off, felt like a dead weight in his pocket. The assignments he'd planned to tackle remained untouched, the cursor blinking mockingly at him from his laptop screen.

I don't need anyone, he repeated to himself, but the words felt more hollow each time. The image of Jeongguk's neutral expression, the way he'd simply stood there while Minchae claimed him with casual touches, played on loop in Taehyung's mind.

He doesn't owe you anything, Taehyung told himself viciously. You're nothing to him. You never were.

But the rational voice was drowned out by a louder, more desperate one. He wanted to be with you, but that moment was not perfect, leaving Minchae and running behind him, right?

By late afternoon, hunger and the oppressive weight of his own thoughts drove him from the library. The campus felt different now less like a place of potential and more like a maze of reminders. Every couple walking hand-in-hand, every group of friends laughing together, felt like evidence of his own isolation.

The walk back to his flat took him through the small market district where students grabbed cheap groceries and overpriced coffee. Taehyung kept his head down, focusing on the cracked pavement beneath his feet. His stomach growled, but even the thought of spending money on food made anxiety spike in his chest. Every won counted now.

Taehyung drifted through the crowd, his chest heavy, vision swimming. He shouldn’t have expected anything. No one cared.

When he finally broke away from the press of bodies, he collided hard into someone. A man twice his size sloshed his drink down the front of his expensive coat.

“The fuck?!” the stranger bellowed, clutching the stained fabric. “Do you know what this costs?”

of course, not everyone was certain raven-head who would not shout at his clumsiness!

Taehyung stumbled back, stammering. “I-I didn’t-”

“You brat,” the man snarled, shoving him roughly. “Watch where you’re walking!”

The world tilted. Taehyung’s shoulder cracked against a stall post, pain shooting up his arm. He froze, shame burning hotter than the bruise forming on his skin. People were staring. Eyes like daggers, whispering, laughing.

“Say something!” the man barked. “Or are you too good for an apology?”

Taehyung’s lips parted, but no words came. His throat locked, the old familiar paralysis creeping in. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak. His mind screamed run, but his feet stayed rooted.

The man’s hand rose, as if to shove him again. But he never touched him. A strong arm cut between them, forcing the man back a step.

Jeongguk.

He looked like sin in leather, jaw sharp, eyes burning. His voice was low, controlled, but dangerous enough to silence the whole street.

“Touch him again,” Jeongguk said, “and I’ll break every finger you’ve got.”

The man blinked, caught off guard. “Who the hell do you think you-”

Jeongguk didn’t wait for him to finish. His hand closed around the man’s wrist, twisting it hard enough to make him yelp. Gasps rippled through the crowd.

“Apologize,” Jeongguk ordered.

“L-let go!”

“Apologize.”

The man’s knees buckled. He spat out a shaky sorry before Jeongguk shoved him away, sending him staggering into the crowd. No one dared move closer. Taehyung stood frozen, his pulse thrumming in his ears. His chest heaved, but it wasn’t fear anymore it was something heavier, hotter, coiled deep in his stomach.

“Hyung,” Jeongguk murmured, his voice a shade softer now, though his hand was still trembling with restraint. He reached for Taehyung’s collar, brushing dust off, straightening it as if the small act could erase what just happened.

“You let people treat you like that?” Jeongguk’s eyes burned into him, almost accusing, almost aching.

Taehyung finally found his voice, ragged and small. “I didn’t know what to say.”

Jeongguk’s hand lingered on his throat, thumb pressing lightly where the stranger had almost shoved him. The touch was possessive, protective, frighteningly intimate.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Jeongguk whispered. His breath ghosted over Taehyung’s ear. “Not when I’m here.”

The crowd began to disperse, but Jeongguk's eyes never left Taehyung's face. His thumb traced along Taehyung's jawline, the touch so gentle it was almost reverent, yet there was something fierce burning beneath the surface.
"Mine," Jeongguk breathed, so quietly only Taehyung could hear. The word sent a shiver down Taehyung's spine. "You're mine to protect."

Before Taehyung could process what was happening, Jeongguk's hand slid to the small of his back, guiding him through the thinning crowd. The possessive touch made Taehyung's knees weak, but he allowed himself to be led, still trembling from the confrontation.

They stopped in front of a sleek black motorcycle parked at the edge of the market. Taehyung's eyes widened.

"I can't," he whispered, taking a step back. "I've never-"

"Hey." Jeongguk's voice was soft now, understanding. He picked up the helmet from the seat, turning back to face Taehyung. "Trust me?"

Taehyung's throat felt dry. "Jeongguk, I-"

"I know you're scared." Jeongguk stepped closer, close enough that Taehyung could smell his cologne mixed with leather. "But I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

The sincerity in his voice made Taehyung's chest ache. Slowly, he nodded.

Jeongguk's hands were impossibly gentle as he lifted the helmet, carefully placing it over Taehyung's head. His fingers worked at the straps under Taehyung's chin, adjusting them with meticulous care. When he was satisfied, his hands cupped Taehyung's face through the helmet opening.

"There," he murmured, thumbs stroking over Taehyung's cheekbones. "Perfect."

But then Jeongguk's expression crumbled slightly, guilt shadowing his features. "Hyung, I'm sorry. At the library today... I should have followed you. I should have asked if you were okay. I shouldn't have just let you walk away."

Taehyung's heart clenched. "Jeongguk-"

"No, listen." Jeongguk's grip on his face tightened slightly. "I saw how you looked when you left. I should have come after you immediately. I should have been there before that bastard even thought about touching you."

The raw emotion in Jeongguk's voice made Taehyung's eyes burn with unshed tears. He wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault, that he had no obligation to chase after him, but the words stuck in his throat.

"Get on," Jeongguk said softly, helping Taehyung onto the bike behind him. His hands lingered on Taehyung's thighs, steadying him. "Hold on tight."

Taehyung's arms wound hesitantly around Jeongguk's waist, and he felt the younger man's sharp intake of breath at the contact. The engine roared to life beneath them, vibrating through their bodies.

The ride was a blur of wind and adrenaline, Taehyung clinging to Jeongguk like a lifeline. He pressed his face against Jeongguk's leather jacket, breathing in his scent, trying to calm his racing heart. Taehyung sat slumped against the passenger seat, his throat still raw, his mind still loud. He didn’t notice the red lights, the way Jeongguk kept stealing glances at him.

When they finally stopped, Taehyung looked up in surprise. They were at the college?

"Why here?" Taehyung asked as Jeongguk helped him off the bike, hands lingering on his waist.

Jeongguk only smirked, stepping ahead. “Come see.”

The air was colder here, sharper. Jeongguk tightly kept his arms around Taehyung as he hugged his jacket tighter as he walked alongside, Soon Jeongguk produced a small key from his pocket and unlocked the side entrance. A creak echoed as the heavy door swung inward.

Inside was darkness, and then the low hum of a switch.

The room bloomed into dim amber light. It wasn’t a classroom. It was an art gallery, abandoned for the night. The same gallery where he saw Jeongguk with Namjoon, showing his admiration for arts. Canvases leaned against the walls, some half-finished, some covered in sheets. The scent of turpentine and old wood filled the air. Brushes, palettes, and jars cluttered the tables in organized chaos.

Taehyung blinked, caught off guard. “You brought me… here?”

“No one comes after hours.” Jeongguk shrugged, kicking the door shut. “It’s quiet.”

The silence did feel different here heavy, private, almost sacred. Jeongguk led him to the bench his arm immediately went around Taehyung's shoulders, pulling him close.

"Now," Jeongguk said, his voice gentle but firm. "Tell me what's really troubling you. And don't say it's nothing."

Taehyung leaned into his warmth, closing his eyes. The safety of Jeongguk's presence, the familiar surroundings, and the emotional exhaustion of the day finally broke down his walls. All this time he waiting for this only. Anyone actually asking what is troubling him!

"I need to find a part-time job," he whispered, the words heavy with defeat. "My mother.... she came. They want me to come back home, say I'm wasting money here. They think I'm reading books... While father is stuggling in farming..."

Jeongguk's arm tightened around him, and his free hand came up to cup Taehyung's cheek, thumb brushing away a tear that had escaped.

"Not the first time, right? Hyung?" Jeongguk asked, his voice pained.

"Since I started studying...," Taehyung admitted. "Maybe longer. They never wanted me to come here in the first place. Every won I spend feels like... like I'm stealing from them."

Jeongguk's jaw clenched, but his touch remained tender. His hand slid to Taehyung's waist, possessive and protective. "You're not stealing anything. You belong here. You belong with your Literature, with" He stopped himself, but the unspoken words hung between them.

"Jeongguk," Taehyung started, but the younger man shook his head.

"No. You're not going anywhere." Jeongguk's voice was fierce, his grip on Taehyung's waist tightening. "We'll figure this out. Together."

Exaxtly. This is want Seoyun should have said.

The way he said 'together' made something flutter in Taehyung's chest, dangerous and hopeful. Jeongguk's thumb continued its gentle caress along his cheekbone, and Taehyung found himself leaning into the touch despite everything telling him he shouldn't.

Chapter Text

Taehyung wandered through the scattered paintings, his fingers grazing their textured surfaces. One half-hidden canvas caught his attention a bold sketch of a neck's curve, lips slightly open. His breath caught.

"How come you don't mention you're this excellent in art... why do you keep it hidden....?" he murmured.

Jeongguk's smile was subtle, mysterious. "The people who matter already figured that out..."

Damn. Did that make him more significant than Minchae? Than his girlfriend? Impossible. 'Maybe that's why she answered for him that time....to keep it hidden.'

Jeongguk moved closer with measured steps. Taehyung's body responded before his thoughts could catch up pulse quickening, breathing shallow. The younger man positioned himself just behind him, close enough that Taehyung could sense his chest's heat against his back.

"The lighting suits you here," Jeongguk whispered, his hand barely touching Taehyung's wrist as he guided it toward the canvas edge. "As if this is where you're meant to be."

Taehyung's voice caught. He attempted to brush it off with humor. "That's absurd."

Jeongguk cocked his head, observing him carefully. "Perhaps." His tone deepened. "But I'm completely serious."

Their gazes connected in a darkened window's reflection Taehyung's anxious and questioning, Jeongguk's blazing with something intense, all consuming.

The space between them vanished. Jeongguk's hand moved from Taehyung's wrist to his hip, his hold confident, drawing him back just enough to feel how real, how present he was.

"You still don't understand, do you?" Jeongguk's words brushed against his ear. "You almost vanished tonight, Hyung... And the idea of that-" His voice cracked into something rawer, fiercer. "I won't tolerate it."

Taehyung shivered, caught between pulling away and melting closer. His eyes dropped to Jeongguk's scraped knuckles, still tender from their earlier encounter.

"You frighten me sometimes," he breathed.

"Perfect," Jeongguk replied, almost tenderly, pressing his forehead to Taehyung's temple. "That means you understand how serious I am."

The studio seemed suspended with them. Canvases and shadows became silent observers as Taehyung's heartbeat thundered loud enough to silence all thought.

Minutes later, Taehyung found himself sighing yet again at the scene before him. The dark-haired figure stood several feet away, sleeves pushed up, black fabric clinging as he bent over his work. The warm lamp light sculpted Jeongguk into sharp angles jaw, throat, shoulders moving with each brushstroke.

Taehyung couldn't tear his gaze away. Those hands, those markings on his skin...

"Are you just gonna watch me the entire time, Hyung?" Jeongguk's voice cut through the quiet.

Caught.

A low laugh rumbled from Jeongguk as he continued, "Though I don't object, Hyung... Stare as much as you like."

Taehyung's head snapped down so quickly his embarrassment was obvious. His face burned. Get it together. idiot.

But how could he? Jeongguk wasn't simply drawing. He was channeling his soul onto paper, lines flowing swift and sure, tendons visible along his forearms. It was chaotic, authentic, electric. Taehyung hesitated before forcing himself to step closer. If Jeongguk was revealing this part of himself, he wouldn't squander the opportunity.

"Jeongguk..." He lost his words, distracted by charcoal streaks across those dangerous hands.

His hands. dam, so beautiful.

"Mm?" Jeongguk looked up, a playful grin tugging at his mouth.

The older man blinked, finally seeing what was actually taking shape. Not scenery, not abstract forms... but him. Taehyung. Rough, incomplete, yet unmistakably him.

"You're drawing me?" Taehyung whispered.

"Obviously." Jeongguk said it as if it were the most obvious thing imaginable. "Stay still, Hyung."

Taehyung's chest constricted. His lips parted, then closed. Words escaped him.

Then he spotted a dark smudge on Jeongguk's cheek. Without thinking, his hand rose. Foolish hand!

"You have..." his fingers brushed the mark softly, "something there."

Jeongguk stilled, eyes meeting his. The room suddenly felt cramped. Suffocating. Taehyung tried to withdraw, but Jeongguk captured his wrist, pressing it against his cheek.

"Will you help me complete this?" The younger man's voice dropped to that dangerous octave—the one that made Taehyung's nerves sing.

"Y-Yes."

Jeongguk smirked, pulling him nearer until their bodies almost connected. He positioned Taehyung's hand, wrapping his fingers around the charcoal. His chest aligned with Taehyung's back as he murmured, "Let me teach you shading. Watch me."

His breath tickled Taehyung's ear as he spoke. Taehyung's pulse faltered. He was thankful Jeongguk couldn't witness his crimson face.

"Your hands are beautiful, Hyung," Jeongguk murmured, wiping the charcoal residue from his skin with a cloth. The casual intimacy made Taehyung's legs unsteady.

Not compared to yours...

"Thanks."

"Like this," Jeongguk whispered, his hands enveloping Taehyung's, directing the strokes across paper. Their knuckles grazed, breath intermingling. The scent of graphite and solvents filled the air, intoxicating.

The drawing faded from Taehyung's focus. All he could sense was Jeongguk.

When Jeongguk finally released him, Taehyung nearly pitched forward. He turned and almost collided with him directly. Jeongguk's hands found his waist before he could retreat.

"Hyung..." Jeongguk's gaze dropped to his mouth.

Taehyung's heart hammered against his chest.

"May I kiss you?" Jeongguk asked, voice rough, unguarded.

Taehyung swallowed hard, searching his expression. No jest. No pretense. Only fire.

"Yes."

The agreement escaped before he could reconsider. Jeongguk's lips met his instantly gentle initially, tracing Taehyung's mouth, then more demanding, urgent. Taehyung gasped when Jeongguk's tongue slipped past his lips, claiming, devouring. Charcoal-stained fingers slid beneath Taehyung's shirt, marking his skin dark as Jeongguk explored, caressed, gripped until a choked sound escaped.

Nothing about the kiss was innocent. From the beginning, their mutual desire was undeniable.

Jeongguk pressed against the older man's lips repeatedly before capturing the lower one, drawing a sigh from Taehyung. Then his hand moved from Taehyung's cheek to his nape, drawing him closer.

As their mouths continued their dance, Jeongguk's free hand traced up the other's side. He glided along Taehyung's thigh to his waist, torturously slow. His marked hand paused at the shirt's hem before continuing upward, taking the fabric with it.

Taehyung shuddered at the cool air touching his skin. The space was well-cooled, but the chill was quickly replaced by Jeongguk's warm palm caressing his bare waist.

As if that wasn't enough to stop his heart, Taehyung felt the younger man's tongue seeking entry. He'd never kissed anyone before. He wasn't sure if he was doing it correctly. But he knew one thing.

It felt incredible.

He was lost in that thought when Jeongguk grew impatient. The dark-haired man slipped his tongue into Taehyung's mouth, surprising him. This was overwhelming. Too perfect. It had Taehyung restraining something. Not wanting to embarrass himself, he dug his nails into his palms, fighting the urge to cry out.

Then Jeongguk's tongue began working magic inside his mouth, exploring every corner. This made Taehyung's knees buckle. He lost his footing and leaned backward, his spine meeting the door. Immediately, Jeongguk pressed against him, eliminating any space between them.

That was his breaking point. He couldn't contain it. He released a strangled moan.

"Jeongguk..."

This seemed to affect Jeongguk intensely. They separated, an almost invisible thread of saliva connecting their mouths.

"God, that voice." Jeongguk breathed heavily.

Taehyung was amazed. He never knew he could influence someone this way. But this revelation was quickly forgotten as he felt Jeongguk's lips on his again.

"Let me hear more." The dark-haired man growled when their lips parted briefly.

And Taehyung complied. He moaned audibly as Jeongguk adjusted his angle for better access. The younger man's hand moved from Taehyung's neck to join his other beneath the shirt.

Taehyung felt gentle touches on both sides of his waist, making him squirm slightly. His clenched hands finally found courage to wrap around Jeongguk's neck. His fingers played with the dark strands.

But something was still missing. Taehyung found his body constantly pressing against Jeongguk's solid frame. He needed to feel it. The friction. His face darkened as he realized what his body was requesting.

"Jeongguk..." He moaned again when the taller man trailed wet kisses down his jaw.

No, this wasn't enough.

He didn't want to admit it, but his arousal strained against his tight jeans. It was throbbing painfully. Without thinking, after internally screaming 'damn it' countless times, Taehyung pressed his lower body against the one in front of him. Immediately—

"Damn, Taehyung." Jeongguk's fingers that had been gently grazing his skin now dug in instead, likely bruising from his strength.

Taehyung couldn't care less as he continued grinding against Jeongguk. Meanwhile, the younger man continued attacking his jaw. Taehyung tilted his head back, offering more access.

"You're so- you taste amazing, you know that?" Jeongguk mumbled against Taehyung's heated skin.

Taehyung's eyes squeezed shut each time he felt teeth mark his skin. It was beautiful pain. Pain he'd do anything to experience.

"And you're so perfect." The kisses traveled to Taehyung's collarbone. "The way you say my name..."

At those words, Taehyung felt explosions within him. Wave after wave of these new, unknown, foreign sensations. It made him tighten his grip on Jeongguk's hair, tugging the strands with all his remaining strength.

"Fuck Hyung....." He heard the younger man curse.

Jeongguk scattered marks across Taehyung's skin. The small rational part of Taehyung's mind kept screaming that people might see the love bites and ask questions. But there was no way he would stop all this pleasure.

"I'll ensure no one ever touches you again." He whispered before nipping Taehyung's soft skin.

Just hearing those words made Taehyung tighten his hold on Jeongguk's hair. He pulled harder with every bite on his neck.

"I'm sorry for not arriving sooner." Jeongguk removed his hands from under Taehyung's shirt and placed them on his backside, squeezing in the process.

"I won't let you get hurt again." Then he lifted his head and for a moment they stared at each other, absorbing the situation.

He inhaled sharply when he felt Jeongguk's large hand slide up his chest and rest directly over his heart.

Oh god.

Now the younger man could clearly feel Taehyung's heart pounding.

Jeongguk brought his lips to Taehyung's ear. "Is your heart racing like this because of me?"

Taehyung ducked his head, blushing intensely. He was already so bashful and Jeongguk was teasing him. He'd never seen this side of him before.

Jeongguk was different.

"I asked you something." Why did his voice get so much deeper? It almost frightened Taehyung.

Seeing him speak like this did things to Taehyung. It made his arousal grow. It made him want to do anything Jeongguk requested in that voice.

"Y-yes."

Jeongguk bit the tip of Taehyung's ear, even licking over the helix piercing. Yes, Taehyung had multiple piercings.

"Good."

The intensity between them was calming. They were both breathing softly. Taehyung let his head fall back against the door. His eyes closed. Jeongguk rested his head on Taehyung's shoulder.

"Please, don't be upset with me for leaving you at the library..." The dark-haired man suddenly said.

This was wrong. Taehyung had to go. Hell, he should've left long before anything happened between them. But in that moment, he just didn't want to think.

Thinking complicated everything. It created chaos from simplicity. So when Jeongguk raised his head and rested his forehead against Taehyung's, the older man felt compelled to say only one thing.

"I won't be."

"I've been wanting this for so long." Jeongguk said deeply as he traced his nose along Taehyung's sharp cheekbone, about to begin another assault on his lips.

'Me too'

___________________

Are you guys enjoying this ??

___________

HELLO??? Are we just gonna sit here and act like THAT DIDN’T JUST HAPPEN??? 😳🔥 Because Taehyung said yes and suddenly we’re making out against doors, moaning names, and talking about hearts racing like crazy?? My poor man didn’t even finish his first kiss tutorial before Jeongguk turned it into a full-blown possession 😭.

I need answers in the comments—
👉 Was this too fast or just the perfect level of chaos?
👉 Do we trust Jeongguk’s intensity or is he giving you dangerous boyfriend vibes already??
👉 And be honest, who blushed harder—Taehyung or YOU while reading? 👀

Don’t you dare ghost me like Jeongguk almost ghosted Taehyung at the library. Comment. Right. Now. 💋

Chapter Text

The cold metal of his apartment door pressed against Taehyung's spine as Jeongguk's lips moved against his with careful intensity. Even lost in the heat of the moment, the younger man remained aware of their surroundings his body angled to shield Taehyung from view, kisses measured despite their hunger.

"Someone could see," Taehyung breathed between kisses, but his hands betrayed him, fisting in Jeongguk's jacket to pull him closer. Jeongguk buried his head into the brunet's neck, leaving soft kisses there.

The dark-haired boy lightly nipped on the brunet's skin, adding another hickey to the many others that were already decorating Taehyung's skin. Then he licked over the love bite and swirled his tongue over it. This caused a deep moan to escape the older boy's mouth.

"Jeongguk..."

The said boy raised his head to face Taehyung. They locked gazes. The brunet was breathing deeply, his curly bangs stuck to his forehead. Upon seeing the brunet's current state, a smirk made it's way to the raven-head's lips.

"I love how you look right now." He rasped.

Taehyung's head fell on Jeongguk's shoulder, hiding his face. It was bright red. He just couldn't stand the things the boy said to him. Who knew Jeongguk could talk such a way? Then again, who knew the raven-head would be here right now kissing Taehyung.

It was probably one in the morning when the raven-head drove Taehyung home. But it was, uh... rather hard for them to part ways. An 'alternate goodbye' they decided upon was to make out. This certainly explained why Taehyung was pressed up against his apartment door with the younger boy's hands roaming his body at the moment.

It was better than saying goodbye.

The hallway light flickered above them, casting shifting shadows that made everything feel surreal. Taehyung's keys dangled forgotten from his fingers as Jeongguk's thumb traced his jaw, tender after their earlier passion.

Taehyung lifted his head up and ran his hands up the raven-head's neck before tangling his fingers into the dark soft strands of Jeongguk's hair. The raven-head secured his hands on the older boy's waist. He leaned forward and gave another long lingering kiss to Taehyung's lips.

It was slow and soft. Jeongguk pulled away from the kiss to run his nose along Taehyung's cheek again. His eyes were closed as he inhaled.

Suddenly, the boy's tattooed hands tightened their grip on Taehyung's waist. "I have to go now." He sighed.

Jeongguk pulled away, though his forehead remained pressed against Taehyung's. "I should let you sleep.
"
The space between them felt cold already. Taehyung nodded, not trusting his voice.

Jeongguk was still standing close to Taehyung, his hand still on the brunet's face. He used his thumb to caress Taehyung's cheek. Then he cleared his throat, looking down momentarily.

"Will you see me again?" Jeongguk was blushing as he asked this,

"Yes." He smiled.

The raven-headed boy grinned happily. He looked so adorable like a little kid.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Jeongguk said, and it sounded like a promise. His fingers lingered on Taehyung's wrist for a heartbeat longer before he stepped back. "Good night, Hyung."

"Good night."

Taehyung fumbled with his keys, hyperaware of Jeongguk's presence behind him until he heard footsteps retreating down the hallway. Only when the sound faded completely did he manage to unlock his door.

The apartment greeted him with familiar silence. Right.... Jimin had dance practice tonight. He'd probably gotten caught up with the other members and wouldn't be home until late. The thought should have been comforting, giving him time to process everything that had happened, but instead it left him feeling strangely hollow.

Taehyung moved through the darkened living room toward the kitchen, muscle memory guiding him to the cabinet where they kept the glasses. The cool water soothed his throat, but couldn't wash away the taste of charcoal and desire that lingered on his tongue.

That's when it hit him.

Seoyun.

The glass nearly slipped from his hands. How had he.... how could he have completely forgotten about her? His girlfriend. The girl who texted him sweet messages and worried when he didn't answer quickly enough. The girl who had been nothing but kind to him.

Guilt crashed over him in waves, each one more suffocating than the last. He'd cheated. Actually cheated. With Jeongguk, whose name alone made his pulse quicken even now, even drowning in remorse.

His phone felt heavy in his pocket as he pulled it out, thumb hovering over Seoyun's contact. What could he possibly say? How did someone text their girlfriend after kissing another person so thoroughly they could still feel the phantom pressure of lips against their throat?

>Good night, Seoyun. Sleep well.

The message felt pathetic, inadequate, but he sent it anyway. Three dots appeared immediately she was awake.

>Good night, Tae! ♡ Sweet dreams

The heart emoji made his stomach twist. She was so genuine, so uncomplicated in her affection. They weren't serious, he told himself. They'd never even said 'I love you' because, honestly, they didn't. She'd asked him out, he'd agreed, and they'd been dating for seven months in that comfortable, easy way that felt more like close friendship than romance.

But still. Cheating was cheating.

Taehyung set his phone face-down on the counter and pressed his palms against his eyes. He'd think about it later. He had to think about it later, because right now the memory of Jeongguk's hands on his skin was too vivid, too intoxicating to let guilt completely overshadow it.

He'd figure it out tomorrow.

Chaos. That was the first word that came to mind when Taehyung emerged from his bedroom the next morning, hair still messy from sleep, to find his kitchen had apparently become a battlefield.

"Completely unreasonable! They're just tomatoes, Jimin!"

"They're my tomatoes, and you can't just use them without asking!"

Taehyung blinked, wondering if he was still dreaming. Seoyun stood in front of his refrigerator, hands on her hips, glaring at Jimin who clutched a container of cherry tomatoes to his chest like precious treasure.

"What... is happening here?" Taehyung's voice came out rough with sleep.

"Tae!" Seoyun's entire demeanor shifted as she rushed over to him, rising on her tiptoes to press a quick kiss to his cheek. The innocent contact made his skin burn with guilt. "Your roommate is being completely unreasonable. I just wanted to make you breakfast, and he's acting like I'm trying to steal the crown jewels."

"They're special tomatoes," Jimin said defensively. "From that expensive organic market. Do you know how much these cost?"

"I'll buy you new ones!"

"That's not the point-"

"Okay, okay," Taehyung interrupted, running a hand through his hair. "Seoyun, what are you doing here so early?"

Her smile was bright, excited. "I have amazing news! Well, potentially amazing." She dug through her purse and pulled out a colorful pamphlet, waving it triumphantly. "Look what I found!"

Taehyung took the paper, squinting at the text. "Reader Rider Cafe... now hiring?"

"Yes! It's that cute little book cafe near the university. You know, the one with the cozy reading nooks and the really good coffee? They're looking for someone part-time, and I thought it would be perfect for you. You love books, you're great with people..." She bounced slightly on her toes. "I've been keeping an eye out for job openings for you."

The pamphlet felt like lead in his hands. She'd been thinking about him, actively searching for opportunities to help his future, while he'd been pressed against a studio door with another man's tongue in his mouth.

"That's... that's really thoughtful of you," he managed, voice tight.

"I knew you'd like it! We should go check it out today, maybe talk to the manager. First impressions matter, right?"

Behind her, Jimin made a theatrical gagging sound. "Will you two please take the lovey-dovey stuff elsewhere? Some of us are trying to eat breakfast." He clutched his tomatoes tighter. "With our own ingredients."

Seoyun turned back to glare at him. "You're impossible."

"And you're in my kitchen, using my food, without permission."

"I'll buy groceries next time-"

Taehyung escaped to the bathroom while they continued their bickering, splashing cold water on his face and trying to ignore the way his reflection looked back at him accusingly. The pamphlet sat on the counter where he'd left it, cheerful and innocent and representing everything he was risking by letting himself want something... someone he shouldn't.

When he returned, Jimin and Seoyun were still engaged in their ridiculous argument, though it had evolved from tomatoes to proper kitchen etiquette. Taehyung found himself only half-listening, distracted by thoughts of dark eyes and charcoal-stained fingers.

Jeongguk had said he'd visit today. The memory sent an unwelcome thrill through him, immediately followed by another wave of guilt. He shouldn't want to see him. Shouldn't be counting the hours, wondering when he might show up, what excuse he'd use.

They weren't anything. Last night had been... what? A mistake? A moment of weakness? Something more?

He didn't know, and that uncertainty was almost worse than the guilt.

"So what do you think, Tae?"

Seoyun's voice snapped him back to the present. She was looking at him expectantly, Jimin forgotten for the moment.

"Sorry, what?"

"The cafe! Should we go check it out this afternoon? Maybe around two? That way you can talk to someone about the job, get a feel for the place."

The hope in her eyes made his chest ache. "Yeah," he heard himself saying. "That sounds good."

"Perfect!" She clapped her hands together. "Jimin, you should come too. Moral support."

"Do I have to?" Jimin whined, finally setting down his precious tomatoes.

"Yes," Seoyun said firmly. "You're his best friend. It's your job to be supportive."

Jimin looked at Taehyung with an expression that clearly said 'save me,' but Taehyung just shrugged. Maybe having them both there would be a good distraction. Maybe it would keep him from thinking about Jeongguk, from checking his phone every few minutes, from wondering if he'd imagined the promise in those dark eyes.

"Fine," Jimin sighed dramatically. "But I'm bringing snacks. Their pastries are overpriced."

As Seoyun launched into excited planning for their cafe visit, Taehyung found himself nodding along while his thoughts drifted elsewhere. To a studio filled with canvases and shadows. To hands that moved with artistic precision. To lips that had whispered his name like a prayer.

He was in so much trouble.

_________________
Hi guys! I’m going to be really honest with you this story is something I’m writing as the ideas come to me. I don’t have a full plotline mapped out yet, so we’re discovering it together.

I know I usually write top!Tae books, but deep down, possessive Jeon is my absolute favorite, so you’ll definitely see shades of that here. 🖤

The pacing might feel a little slow-burn at first, but please stick with me I promise it’s going to get angstier than anything I’ve ever written before. Stay tuned, it’s going to be a ride!

Chapter Text

The walk to Reader Rider Café was punctuated by Jimin and Seoyun's constant bickering, their voices creating a familiar soundtrack of disagreement that Taehyung had grown accustomed to over the months.

"I'm just saying, if you're going to make breakfast in someone else's kitchen, maybe ask first," Jimin muttered, adjusting his oversized sweater as they navigated the busy sidewalk.

"And I'm saying it was supposed to be a sweet gesture for my boyfriend," Seoyun shot back, her voice sharp with irritation. "Normal roommates would appreciate that kind of thoughtfulness."

"Normal girlfriends wouldn't raid the refrigerator like they own the place."

Taehyung sighed, walking between them like a referee in an ongoing match. "Can we please just focus on the interview? I'm nervous enough as it is."

The café appeared ahead of them, its warm wooden exterior and large windows filled with the soft glow of afternoon light. Vintage motorcycles were parked outside, their chrome catching the sun in a way that made Taehyung's stomach flutter unexpectedly. Something about the aesthetic reminded him of...

The bell above the door chimed as they entered, and Taehyung was immediately struck by the cozy atmosphere. Bookshelves lined every available wall, filled with everything from classic literature to contemporary fiction. Small reading nooks were tucked into corners, each with comfortable armchairs and soft lighting. The smell of coffee and old books created an intoxicating blend that made him feel instantly at home.

"Can I help you?"

The voice that spoke from behind the counter was low, gravelly, and sent an unexpected shiver down Taehyung's spine. He turned to see a man with bleached blonde hair, sharp features, and an intimidating aura that seemed to fill the entire space. He wore a black leather jacket over a simple white t-shirt, and there was something about his presence that screamed danger and rebellion.

"Um," Taehyung's voice came out higher than usual. "I'm here about the job posting?"

The man – who had to be the manager – studied him with dark eyes that seemed to see straight through him. "Min Yoongi," he said simply, not bothering with pleasantries. "You have experience in food service?"

"Some," Taehyung managed, his cheeks heating up under that intense stare. There was something about Yoongi that reminded him of Jeongguk – the leather jacket, the confident way he carried himself, the slight edge that suggested he'd be more at home on a motorcycle than behind a coffee counter.

"Hyung," Jimin stepped forward, and Taehyung was surprised to hear a slight breathiness in his best friend's voice. "I'm Jimin, Taehyung's roommate. This place is really cool."

Yoongi's gaze shifted to Jimin, and something flickered in his expression – interest, maybe? "You read much?"

"All the time," Jimin replied, and Taehyung noticed the way his friend's usual sarcastic tone had been replaced by something softer, almost shy.

'liar!' Taehyung internally scoffed, jimin and books? oh please. all he does is DANCE DANCE AND DANCE.

Yoongi nodded approvingly before turning his attention back to Taehyung. "Four days a week, after your classes until ten-thirty. You'd be responsible for closing – that means cleaning, securing the register, making sure everything's locked up. Think you can handle that?"

"Yes, absolutely," Taehyung said quickly.

"Good. You can start tonight if you want. Seven PM. I'll show you the basics."

Taehyung blinked in surprise. "Tonight? That's... that's great, thank you."

Yoongi's expression remained impassive, but there was something almost approving in his nod. "Don't disappoint me."

As they left the café, Taehyung couldn't shake the feeling that Yoongi didn't quite belong in that cozy, book-filled space. He seemed like someone who should be racing motorcycles through mountain passes or performing in underground clubs. But at the same time, there had been something about the way he'd moved through the café, the obvious care he took with the books and the space, that suggested he fit perfectly.

"Well, that was intimidating," Seoyun said once they were back on the sidewalk.

"I thought he was interesting," Jimin said quietly, and Taehyung caught the slight flush in his best friend's cheeks.

Something clicked in Taehyung's mind – a realization he'd never considered before. The way Jimin had responded to Yoongi, the breathiness in his voice, the unusual shyness... Could Jimin be interested in men? The thought had never occurred to him before, but now that it was there, certain things began to make sense. Jimin's lack of interest in dating girls, his sometimes intense friendships with male classmates...

Seven PM came faster than expected. Taehyung returned to Reader Rider Café with nervous energy thrumming through his veins. Yoongi was waiting behind the counter, looking just as intimidating as before.

"Ready?" Yoongi asked without preamble.

The next few hours passed in a blur of learning the espresso machine, memorizing the layout of books, and taking orders from the evening crowd. The café had a completely different energy at night – dimmer lighting, jazz music playing softly in the background, couples sharing desserts in the cozy reading nooks.

Yoongi was a surprisingly patient teacher, though his explanations were delivered in the same blunt, no-nonsense tone. Taehyung found himself stealing glances at his new boss, noting the way the leather jacket creaked when he moved, the precision with which he prepared drinks, the small smile that appeared when regular customers made jokes.

"You're not terrible at this," Yoongi commented as Taehyung successfully prepared his fifth latte of the evening.

"Thanks?" Taehyung said, unsure if it was actually a compliment.

"It was a compliment. Take it."

By the time ten-thirty rolled around, Taehyung felt exhausted but accomplished. He'd successfully served dozens of customers, learned the closing procedures, and somehow managed not to embarrass himself in front of his intimidating new boss.

"Same time tomorrow," Yoongi said as he locked up behind them. "You did good tonight."

The walk back to his apartment was quiet, Taehyung's mind processing everything that had happened. The job felt like exactly what he needed – a distraction, a way to keep busy, something to focus on other than the complicated mess his personal life had become.

He climbed the stairs to his floor, fishing for his keys, when an incredible smell hit his nostrils. Something savory and complex, with hints of soy sauce and ginger. His mouth immediately began watering.

"Jimin?" he called as he unlocked the door, surprised. His roommate could barely manage instant ramen without burning it. "Did you actually cook something that smells good?"

The apartment was dimly lit, candles flickering on the kitchen table where an array of perfectly prepared Japanese dishes waited. Taehyung's eyes widened at the sight – gyoza arranged artfully on a plate, steaming bowls of ramen with perfectly soft-boiled eggs, tempura vegetables that looked restaurant-quality.

"Oh my god, Seoyun," he breathed, pulling out his phone to call her. "You didn't have to do all this, but thank you so much, I-"

Strong arms wrapped around him from behind before he could dial, pulling him back against a familiar chest. Hot breath ghosted across his neck as a voice he'd been trying not to think about all day whispered, "I missed you..."

Thump, thump, thump....

Taehyung's phone clattered to the floor as strong arms tightened around him, lips finding the sensitive spot just below his ear. All thoughts of Seoyun, of guilt, of everything except the heat of the body pressed against his back fled his mind.

"Jeongguk....."

____________________

Hey loves 🤍
please be honest guys, are you liking this so far?? Is my writing confusing?? So… how are we feeling about this chapter? 👀 I had so much fun writing the little chaos with Jimin and Seoyun, the mysterious vibes of Yoongi at Reader Rider Café, and then sliding back into the tension with Jeongguk. It’s a mix of cozy, angsty, and a tiny bit romantic, right? ✨

Chapter Text

Taehyung's heart hammered against his ribs as he slowly turned in Jeongguk's embrace, those dark eyes immediately capturing his. The scent of the food – savory, complex, perfect – filled the air between them, but all Taehyung could focus on was the way Jeongguk was looking at him, soft and fond and completely unguarded.

"You... you cooked all this?" Taehyung's voice came out barely above a whisper.

Jeongguk nodded, a slight pink tinge coloring his cheeks. "I thought you might be hungry when you got back from work."

The thoughtfulness of it, the care that went into every dish, made Taehyung's chest tight with emotion. He pulled away reluctantly, moving toward the table where the feast waited. "This looks incredible. I can't believe you did all this."

As he settled into his chair and took his first bite of the gyoza, Taehyung couldn't suppress the moan of pleasure that escaped him. The flavors burst across his tongue ... perfectly seasoned pork, crispy bottom, tender wrapper.

"Oh my god," he breathed, immediately reaching for another piece. "This is amazing. Where did you learn to cook like this?"

No doubt he won the cooking competition!

Jeongguk sat across from him, chin propped on his hand, watching with an expression that made Taehyung's cheeks warm. "My mom taught me some basics. The rest I picked up from YouTube and trial and error."

Taehyung was already moving on to the ramen, slurping the noodles with complete abandon. The broth was rich and complex, the egg perfectly soft-boiled, the vegetables crisp and fresh. He found himself talking between bites, words tumbling out in an unstoppable stream.

"You know, people always judge me for how much I eat," he said, twirling more noodles around his chopsticks. "They think it's weird or gross or that I should be worried about getting fat, but I honestly don't care. Food is like... it's one of the only things that makes me genuinely happy, you know?" He paused to take another generous bite. "Like, I could eat good food for every meal and be completely content. Some people chase money or fame or whatever, but give me a bowl of perfect ramen and I'm set."

He was rambling now, he knew it, but the food was so good and Jeongguk was such a good listener that the words just kept coming. "My mom used to worry I'd get chubby, and Jimin's always making comments about my appetite, but I just... I love the way different flavors work together, you know? The way something can be comforting and exciting at the same time."

Taehyung reached for a piece of tempura, biting into the crispy coating with satisfaction. "I mean, look at this. The way the batter is so light and crispy, but the vegetables inside are perfectly tender? That's art. That's..." He trailed off suddenly, realizing he'd been talking non-stop for several minutes.

Heat flooded his face as he looked up at Jeongguk, expecting to see judgment or annoyance or at least mild boredom. Instead, he found himself caught in the softest gaze he'd ever seen. Jeongguk's dark eyes were warm, crinkled slightly at the corners with a gentle smile that made Taehyung's heart skip.

"You're so cute hyung," Jeongguk said admiringly. "I love listening to you talk about things you're passionate about."

"I... I was rambling," Taehyung mumbled, suddenly self-conscious.

"You were being yourself." Jeongguk's voice was tender, fond in a way that made Taehyung feel exposed and cherished all at once. "It's beautiful, hyung. The way you find joy in simple things. Don't ever apologize for that."

Taehyung ducked his head, overwhelmed by the sincerity in Jeongguk's tone. No one had ever made him feel like his quirks were something to be celebrated rather than tolerated.

They finished eating in comfortable quiet, Jeongguk occasionally asking gentle questions that encouraged Taehyung to share more about his favorite foods, his worst cooking disasters, the little restaurant he'd discovered that served the best kimchi jjigae in the city.

When they moved to the couch afterward, Taehyung found himself gravitating toward Jeongguk's warmth, settling so close their thighs pressed together. Jeongguk's arm came up naturally to drape around his shoulders, and Taehyung let himself melt into the embrace.

"I came by earlier to see you," Jeongguk said, his fingers playing absently with the hem of Taehyung's shirt. "Jimin hyung told me you were at your new job. I asked if I could wait and maybe cook something for when you got back. Hope that's okay."

"More than okay," Taehyung assured him, tilting his head to look up at Jeongguk's profile. "You got Jimin's permission? That's... he's usually pretty territorial about the kitchen."

Jeongguk chuckled. "He seemed distracted. Kept talking about some guy named Min?"

Taehyung grinned. "My new boss. I think Jimin might have a crush."

"Ah." Jeongguk's fingers found Taehyung's hair, combing through it gently. "So tell me about this job. How was your first day?"

Taehyung settled more comfortably against Jeongguk's side, warmth spreading through his chest at the genuine interest in the younger man's voice. "It was actually really good. The place is called Reader Rider Café – it's this cozy little book café near campus. I was so nervous, but the manager hired me on the spot."

He launched into an animated description of the café's atmosphere, the smell of coffee and old books, the way the evening crowd was completely different from the daytime customers. Jeongguk listened with that same attentive focus he'd shown during dinner, asking thoughtful questions and making encouraging sounds at all the right moments.

"It sounds perfect for you," Jeongguk said when Taehyung finished. "Books and coffee and helping people find exactly what they need."

"It really is. The manager is this guy named Yoongi ... Min Yoongi. He's kind of intimidating at first, but he was actually a really good teacher. He owns this motorcycle and wears leather jackets and looks like he should be in some underground rock band, but then you see him carefully organizing the poetry section and it's just..." Taehyung gestured vaguely. "People are surprising, you know?"

The moment he said the name, Taehyung felt Jeongguk go very still beside him. When he glanced up, those warm dark eyes had gone cold, almost calculating. The change was so sudden and dramatic that Taehyung felt a chill run down his spine.

"What did you say the name was?" Jeongguk's voice was carefully neutral.

"Min Yoongi," Taehyung repeated slowly, confusion creeping into his tone. "Do you... do you know him?"

Jeongguk didn't answer immediately. Instead, he shifted so he was facing Taehyung more fully, his expression unreadable. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet but there was something sharp underneath it.

"Where exactly is this café, hyung?"

"It's on Third Street, near the university district. The one with all the vintage motorcycles parked outside?" Taehyung's confusion was growing by the second. "Jeongguk, what's wrong?"

Something flickered across Jeongguk's features.... possessiveness, worry, something Taehyung couldn't quite identify. Without warning, strong arms pulled him closer, until he was practically in Jeongguk's lap, surrounded by the scent of charcoal and something uniquely him.

"Nothing's wrong," Jeongguk murmured into his hair, but his hold was tight, almost desperate. "I just... I worry about you, hyung. New job, new people. I want to make sure you're safe."

The embrace felt possessive in a way that should have been alarming, but instead sent heat spiraling through Taehyung's chest. There was something about being held like this, like Jeongguk was afraid someone might try to take him away, that made him feel precious and wanted.

Still, the sudden shift in Jeongguk's demeanor nagged at him. There was clearly some connection between Jeongguk and Yoongi, something that had triggered this reaction. But pressed against Jeongguk's chest, surrounded by warmth and the steady beat of his heart, Taehyung found it hard to hold onto his questions.

As they shifted to get more comfortable, a piece of paper fluttered from Jeongguk's jacket pocket to the floor. Taehyung reached for it automatically, his eyes scanning the handwritten list before he could stop himself.

*Bookstore assistant - part-time*
*Library aide - weekends*
*Coffee shop barista - mornings*
*Campus tutor - flexible hours*
*Art supply store clerk - afternoons*

The list went on, at least a dozen different job postings, all circled in red ink with notes scribbled in the margins about hours and requirements.

"Jeongguk," Taehyung said slowly, holding up the paper. "What is this?"

The flush that spread across Jeongguk's cheeks was immediate and endearing. He tried to snatch the paper back, but Taehyung held it just out of reach, eyebrows raised in question.

"It's nothing," Jeongguk muttered, but his ears were turning red.

"This is nothing? You have like fifteen different part-time jobs written down here." Taehyung's voice was gentle, but insistent. "Were you... were you job hunting?"

Jeongguk's shoulders slumped slightly in defeat. "I was looking for job opportunities for you, hyung," he admitted quietly. "I know you've been stressed about money and finding work, so I've been keeping track of openings that might be good for you."

Taehyung's heart did something complicated in his chest. "You were... you did all this research for me?"

"I wanted to help," Jeongguk said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I guess Seoyun beat me to it." There was something almost petulant in his tone, a hint of a pout that made Taehyung's chest tight with affection.

The thoughtfulness of it – Jeongguk spending his free time researching jobs, making notes about which ones might suit Taehyung's schedule and interests – was overwhelming. No one had ever put that kind of care into helping him, not even his closest friends.

"Jeongguk," he said softly, setting the paper aside and cupping the younger man's face in his hands. "That's... that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me."

"Hyung, you're the sweetest thing..."

The smile that spread across Jeongguk's features was soft and shy, transforming his entire face. In that moment, he didn't look like the confident, mysterious artist Taehyung had first met. He looked young and hopeful and just a little bit vulnerable.

Unable to resist, "Can I kiss you?" Taehyung whispered out mirroring Jeongguk's question the other day.

The raven-head's wide eyes blinked once and like he had been snapped out of a trance, immediately crashed his lips against the brunet's, abandoning Taehyung's question.

The brunet's head moved back from the impact but he wasted no time in tangling his long bony fingers into Jeongguk's dark strands, sighing into the kiss.

Jeongguk bit the brunet's bottom lip hard, causing him to gasp and just like before, the dark-haired boy darted his tongue into Taehyung's mouth. The kiss was rushed. They both felt the urgency to feel each other as much as they could.

After molding their mouths together, moving their heads in different angles to get the best access to the kiss, they finally pulled away; a definite string of saliva connecting their lips.

They stared into each other's eyes, panting hard. Without letting a second go to waste, Taehyung moved his head to the side of the raven-head's jaw. With his eyes still boring into Jeongguk's dark ones, he took a deep breath.

Fuck it...

Taehyung started to plant small kisses on the raven-head's jaw. His hands slid down from in between Jeongguk's black strands to his clothed chest. He didn't care if he was doing it wrong. It was too late to stop now. He felt Jeongguk tense beneath him. And when the brunet moved his lips down to the raven-headed boy's neck, he felt two hands in his hair.

Oh.

Jeongguk had never done that to him before. So Taehyung left soft pecks over the skin on the raven-head's neck, purposely dragging his lips achingly slow down to the boy's collarbone. And then, he felt it. Jeongguk's tug on his hair. Taehyung let out a strangled breath cause it felt so fucking good.

"F-fuck, Hyung..." The raven-headed boy groaned.

Taehyung's fists tightened themselves as they rested on Jeongguk's chest.

The brunet just continued to leave more kisses on the younger boy's skin, ignoring his growls and grunts. Finally, he lifted his head up and gazed at Jeongguk through his hazy eyes.

Maybe there was something sparking up between them. Something only they could see. Jeongguk pressed his face against Taehyung's, their foreheads touching.

"I've been thinking about you all day..." The younger boy rasped.

Taehyung felt two hands slid under his shirt, caressing his skin there. His breaths came out in pants with every graze of Jeongguk's fingers. "...I thought about all the things I want to do to you..." He leaned forward and pecked the brunet's lips.

Their eyes met again. "...but now, you've gone and kissed me like this..."

Another kiss.

"...you're driving me crazy."

Without another word, Jeongguk pushed Taehyung backwards so that he was lying on the couch. He wasted no time in hovering over the brunet.

The raven-head's hands that were under Taehyung's shirt began to pushed the white fabric up, exposing the brunet's tiny tummy. He shut his eyes, feeling shy but in no time Jeongguk started leaving open-mouthed kisses all over his skin.

"J-Jeongguk..." He moaned. He tried to reach his hands out to touch the other boy above him.

Jeongguk pinned both of the brunet's hands to his sides, as his head dove in and littered kisses all over Taehyung, from his stomach to his neck; his jaw; his cheeks; his lips.

At that moment, the brown-haired boy was well-aware that Jeongguk was literally in between his legs. He was too high and caught up in the moment to actually be worried about that fact. This was all he wanted. All he cared about right now.

After another round of kissing, Jeongguk brought his face over Taehyung's. The brunet gazed up at the younger boy with starry eyes. With one final kiss on the lips, Jeongguk spoke up in a soft voice.

"I don't think I can stop myself if we go on from here."

When Jeongguk said that, all the scary thoughts reentered Taehyung's head. How far were they willing to go right now? Nothing good ever came out from rushing things. So he nodded. He licked his wet lips and nodded as his pants slowed down.

He caught Jeongguk staring at him; his lips to be more precise. There was a little hesitance in the raven-head but he finally sat up, unlacing his hands from Taehyung's. He helped the brunet to sit up.

When they broke apart, Jeongguk's eyes were soft and warm again, the coldness from earlier completely gone. But even as Taehyung settled back into his arms, a small part of his mind held onto the memory of that sudden chill, the way Jeongguk had gone rigid at the mention of Yoongi's name.

There were secrets here, connections he didn't understand. But surrounded by the lingering scent of the dinner Jeongguk had prepared with such care, the evidence of his thoughtfulness scattered on the coffee table, Taehyung found he didn't want to push for answers just yet.

Some truths, he was learning, revealed themselves in their own time.

_____________

Are you guys liking this? is it moving too fast??

Chapter Text

Hey readers!🌙💌
So, a little heart-to-heart... like I already said in the blurb, this book is going to be a lot angstier than anything else I’ve written. And yes, it does have cheating. I know that’s not easy for everyone to read, and if it makes you uncomfortable, that’s totally okay. Please don’t ever feel bad for stepping away.

But if you decide to stay… please know I really want this story to feel raw and real. I don’t want the typical “cheating because the other partner is horrible” setup. I've done that too many times. Instead, I want my characters to be messy, confused, sometimes even frustrating...because honestly, isn’t that what love often feels like? Complicated, tangled, not always making sense. And that is why I have chosen college students, because they are supposed to be figuring out things, while pursuing their career, right?

And yes… this is going to be a big book. I plan on keeping Jeongguk mysterious for a long time, which means things might feel confusing at times. But that’s exactly the journey I want us to take together.... slowly peeling back layers, feeling the frustration, the ache, and maybe even the unexpected softness that comes with it.

So please stay with me, let’s explore this world together. It won’t always be easy, but I promise it will be worth it. Thank you for trusting me with your time and emotions.... I love having you here with me. 🤍

Chapter Text

Attracted!

Taehyung was sure by now that he was truly attracted to the younger boy.

Taehyung had always thought attraction was supposed to be simple... you found someone pretty, maybe felt butterflies, maybe blushed when they smiled. What he felt for Jeongguk was nothing like that delicate flutter of teenage crushes or even the comfortable friendly warmth he'd felt with Seoyun.

This was consuming.

It had been a week since their intense makeout session on his couch, and Taehyung found himself thinking about it at the most inappropriate times. The way Jeongguk's hands had felt sliding under his shirt, warm and sure. The low rasp of his voice saying "I've been thinking about you all day". The careful way he'd pulled back when things threatened to go too far, somehow making Taehyung want him even more.

But it wasn't just the physical pull that had him so thoroughly captivated. It was everything else... the thoughtfulness that seemed to come so naturally to Jeongguk, the way he noticed things about Taehyung that no one else ever had, the careful attention he paid to every word that fell from Taehyung's lips.

No one had ever made him feel so... seen. So valuable.

The morning after had been chaotic, of course. Jimin had cornered him the moment he'd stumbled out of his bedroom, hair still mussed from sleep.

"Okay, spill," Jimin had demanded, blocking the path to the coffee maker with his arms crossed. "Why did our apartment smell like restaurant quality Japanese food when I got home last night?"

Taehyung frowned," Jimin, you allowed Jeongguk to use the kitchen!"

"Yes of course! but you never said anything about him!"

Taehyung shrugged, "It's nothing Jimina...."

But Jimin's sharp eyes had caught every tell... the way Taehyung couldn't quite meet his gaze, the flush that crept up his neck, the unconscious way his fingers touched his lips.

"You're different," Jimin had said, and there was something almost wondering in his voice. "I mean, good different. You're more... I don't know, flexible? Usually you'd rather stay home and read than meet new people or try new things. But lately you seem more open to experiences."

Taehyung had shrugged, not trusting himself to respond without giving everything away. But Jimin was right. Something had shifted in him since Jeongguk had entered his life. He felt braver somehow, more willing to step outside his comfort zone.

The entire week had fallen into a pattern that Taehyung found himself looking forward to with embarrassing eagerness. After his classes, he'd head to Reader Rider Café, where Yoongi would grunt acknowledgments and customers would smile at his genuine enthusiasm for helping them find the perfect book. The work was easy, comfortable in a way that made the hours pass quickly.

But the best part... the part that had him checking the clock obsessively after ten PM was always the same. At exactly 10:30, just as he was finishing up the closing routine, he'd hear it: the low rumble of a motorcycle pulling up outside.

Jeongguk.

Every single night, without fail, he was there. Waiting with that soft smile and those dark eyes that seemed to light up the moment they landed on Taehyung's face.

"How was your day, hyung?" he'd always ask, and then he'd listen, like really listen as Taehyung rambled about difficult customers or interesting book recommendations or whatever small thing had caught his attention.

And then, instead of taking him straight home, Jeongguk would take him somewhere new. Places Taehyung had never known existed despite living in the city his entire life. Suicide Point, with its breathtaking view of the city lights spread out like stars below them. Maggie Point, where they'd sat on a blanket and shared convenience store snacks while Jeongguk told him stories about the constellations. Lovers Point, where they'd kissed under the moonlight until Taehyung's lips were swollen and his head was spinning.

Each night brought a new adventure, a new memory to tuck away and revisit during boring lectures or quiet moments at work.

He was Jeongguk's secret.

Tonight was no different. They sat together on a worn bench in a small park Taehyung had never noticed before, despite passing it countless times on his way to campus. Jeongguk had brought hot chocolate from a nearby convenience store, and the warmth of the cup between his palms was almost as comforting as the solid presence beside him.

"Oh my god, you won't believe what happened today," Taehyung said, turning to face Jeongguk more fully. The words tumbled out in an excited rush, the way they always seemed to around him. "This customer came in looking for survival guides, right? And I found this whole section on wilderness safety that I'd never really paid attention to before."

Jeongguk made an encouraging sound, that fond smile already tugging at his lips. He'd learned that Taehyung's stories always took unexpected turns, and he seemed to genuinely enjoy following along.

"So I started flipping through this book about bear encounters," Taehyung continued, gesturing animatedly with his free hand. "And it had all these detailed instructions about what to do if you meet a black bear versus a grizzly bear, how to make yourself look bigger, whether to run or play dead really specific stuff that made me feel like maybe I could actually survive if I ever went camping."

He paused to take a sip of hot chocolate, savoring both the sweet warmth and the way Jeongguk was watching him with complete attention.

"But then... and this is the ridiculous part, I got to the very last page, and you know what it said?" Taehyung's voice rose with indignation. "It said, 'The best advice for surviving a bear encounter is to pray you never have one, because realistically, you probably won't make it out alive.'"

Jeongguk's chuckle rumbled through his chest, warm and genuine.

"Can you believe that?" Taehyung demanded, though he was fighting his own smile now. "Twenty pages of detailed survival techniques, and then the author basically admits it's all useless! I felt so betrayed. I was actually looking forward to being prepared for bear attacks, and instead I'm more terrified of them than ever."

"You were looking forward to bear attacks?" Jeongguk asked, his voice dancing with amusement.

"Well, not looking forward to them exactly," Taehyung backtracked, cheeks warming. "But at least I thought I'd know what to do if it happened. Now I know that my only option is to hope bears continue to live in forests while I stick to cities."

Jeongguk was openly laughing now, the sound bright and infectious in the quiet evening air. "You're adorable, hyung. Most people would just put the book back after reading something like that."

"I couldn't put it back!" Taehyung protested. "I had to finish it. What if there was some secret bear-fighting technique on the last page that would save my life someday?"

"And was there?"

"Just prayers," Taehyung said mournfully. "Very disappointing."

The easy laughter between them felt natural, comfortable in a way that still surprised Taehyung. All his life, he'd been the quiet one, the one who listened while others talked, who nodded along and rarely offered his own opinions. But with Jeongguk, words seemed to spill out of him without filter or fear of judgment.

It was only when he realized he'd been talking for nearly ten minutes straight about bears and survival guides that the familiar wave of self-consciousness crashed over him.

"Sorry," he mumbled, ducking his head. "I'm rambling again. You probably think I'm ridiculous."

Strong fingers caught his chin, gently tilting his face up until he had to meet Jeongguk's gaze. Those dark eyes were impossibly warm, crinkled at the corners with genuine affection.

"You're so pure, hyung," Jeongguk said softly, and there was something almost reverent in his voice. "The way you find wonder in everything, even disappointing bear survival guides. Don't ever apologize for sharing your thoughts with me."

Taehyung felt heat flood his cheeks, but this time it wasn't from embarrassment. It was from the way Jeongguk was looking at him... like he was something precious, something worth protecting and cherishing.

"I..." he started, then stopped, not sure how to put into words the gratitude and confusion and want that was swirling in his chest.

Instead, he shifted the conversation away from himself, the way he always did when emotions threatened to overwhelm him.

"What about you?" he asked, settling back against the bench so he could study Jeongguk's profile. "You're so good at cooking, and your art is incredible. Why did you choose business as your major? You could have gone into fine arts or culinary school."

The change in Jeongguk's expression was immediate and heartbreaking. The warmth drained from his features, replaced by something distant and pained. His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, and he looked away from Taehyung to stare at some fixed point across the park.

Fuck. Did he ruin his mood?

"I-" Taehyung started, regret already flooding through him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's okay," Jeongguk said quietly, though his voice had lost all its earlier lightness. He was quiet for so long that Taehyung thought he might not answer at all. Then, finally, he spoke again.

"I did try," he said, the words coming out carefully measured. "I got accepted to Seoul National University for fine arts. Full scholarship, even." There was a bitter edge to his smile. "I was so excited, hyung. I thought... I thought maybe for once my father would be proud of me."

Taehyung's chest tightened at the pain in Jeongguk's voice.

'I should not have brought that up! idiot!'

"But when he found out, he..." Jeongguk swallowed hard. "He had my name removed from their enrollment system in July. Just like that. Dream of working toward that goal, gone."

"He can't just-" Taehyung started, outraged on Jeongguk's behalf.

"He can," Jeongguk cut him off, but not unkindly. "He has connections everywhere. Money talks, and my father has plenty of both." His laugh was hollow, devoid of any humor. "'Build a career, don't joke around'- that's what he told me. Art is a hobby, not a future. Cooking is what servants do."

The casual cruelty in those words made Taehyung's hands clench into fists. He wanted to say something, to defend Jeongguk's dreams, but he could see there was more.

"My mother..." Jeongguk's voice got even quieter. "She begged me to just take the business program. Said my father's anger issues might not end well if I kept fighting him on it. She was scared, hyung. Of what he might do if I didn't comply."

The weight of that confession settled between them like a stone. Taehyung could see the shame in the way Jeongguk's shoulders curved inward, the way he couldn't quite meet his eyes.

"You must think I'm pathetic," Jeongguk said, and his voice cracked just slightly on the word. "Such a loser that I couldn't even stand up for my own dreams. What kind of man lets his father control his entire future?"

"Stop." The word came out sharper than Taehyung intended, cutting through Jeongguk's self-deprecation like a knife. "Don't say that about yourself."

Jeongguk looked up in surprise, and Taehyung shifted closer on the bench, close enough that their knees were touching.

"You're not a loser," Taehyung said firmly, reaching out to take Jeongguk's hands in his own. "You're not pathetic. You're protecting your mother, and yourself, from someone who sounds dangerous and controlling."

Jeongguk's eyes widened slightly at the conviction in Taehyung's voice.

"What you did choosing your family's safety over your own dreams that's not weak. That's brave. That's selfless." Taehyung squeezed Jeongguk's hands, trying to pour all his belief and admiration into the touch. "And your dreams aren't gone, Jeongguk. Maybe they're delayed, maybe you have to take a different path to get there, but they're not gone."

He needs you right now.

This whole time it was Jeongguk who was there assuring and comforting him. But now, it was Taehyung's turn.

"You're not pathetic..." He repeated again, this time louder, tossing the bottle in his hand aside

As the brunet neared the younger boy, he could hear his heart beating- no pounding up to his ears.

Thump, thump.

Jeongguk still was seated on the bench. So Taehyung -while screaming 'fuck it' in his head for about a hundred times- slowly climbed onto the raven-head's lap, basically straddling him, all while maintaining eye contact with the boy.

He cupped Jeongguk's cheeks, staring into his eyes that were wide and filled with shock. He was surprised at the sudden boldness coming out of the older boy. Little did he know that this was by far the scariest thing that Taehyung had ever done.

"Y-You're kind..." Taehyung started. He couldn't really say anything else because of how he handled things with his parents. He honestly regretted ever telling them to get out of his life and it killed him a little every time he thought about them.

So the only thing he could really do to help Jeongguk was to distract the raven-head. Tell him all the good things that he is and assure him that he wasn't alone.

"...and considerate..." He licked his lips and leaned closer to Jeongguk.

Thump, thump.

He noticed the raven-head swallowing hard, his breathing ragged. Taehyung loved that he had this effect on the younger boy. The atmosphere was tense between them as the brunet dared himself to continue.

"...a-and you're the bravest person I know for putting your parents' happiness above your own dreams." Their noses were practically touching.

Thump, thump.

Taehyung kissed him. Their lips crashed and melted and molded together, as if trying to remember the shape of each other's lips. Taehyung's hand trembled against the other's chest; he has never been this courageous. The world outside did not exist; only this moment mattered.

Jeongguk sucked on the lower lip, and the older let out a choked gasp. Fuck. Jeongguk has never been gentle while making out. This side was completely different from that of Jeongguk, who looks adoringly at him, listens to his ramble!

Jeongguk's fingers curled into his hair, tugging a little as he deepened the kiss, lips parting wider, tongue gliding roughly against the older's.

Jeongguk pulled back just slightly eyes devouring him..

Taehyung was straddling him, chest heaving, lips red and swollen, his entire body trembling...

"Kim Taehyung," he whispered, voice rough and full of awe, "You drive me absolutely insane..."

And connected his lips again for a rough kiss.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you," he mumbled into Taehyung's hair.

Chapter Text

Taehyung was at bliss, even if he wouldn't admit it out loud. The past week had been a haze of stolen moments and breathless kisses, of rough makeout sessions that left him dizzy and wanting more. Every night when Jeongguk appeared on that motorcycle, something in Taehyung's chest would flutter like a caged bird finally finding an open window.

It would be a lie to say he didn't think about what they were every night before falling asleep. The question would circle in his mind like a persistent moth around a flame: *What are we? What is this?* But then he'd remember the way Jeongguk looked at him, the careful way he held him, the reverent whispers against his skin, and he'd mumble a soft "Fuck it, I'm his secret" and let sleep take him.

He felt guilty sometimes, not as much about cheating on Seoyun as a boyfriend, because they'd never really been that, but as a friend. She deserved honesty, deserved to know that his heart had wandered so completely into someone else's hands. But every time he thought about ending things with her, every time he prepared to have that conversation, Jeongguk would appear with that devastating smile and all rational thought would flee.

October 15th arrived gray and unwelcoming, the kind of morning that made Taehyung immediately know he'd woken up on the wrong side of the bed. He lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, trying to shake off the heavy feeling that had settled in his chest like fog.

When he finally dragged himself upright and caught sight of his calendar, the guilt hit him like a physical blow. Red circles marked assignment due dates that had come and gone, project deadlines he'd completely forgotten about. The neat, organized schedule he'd always maintained had devolved into a chaotic mess of crossed-out dates and hastily scribbled reminders.

'Damn.' He hadn't started any of his major assignments. This was so unlike him, he was the student who submitted papers early, who color-coded his study schedule, who never missed a deadline. But he'd been so caught up in the intoxicating whirlwind that was Jeongguk that he'd let everything else slide.

The realization brought with it a cascade of darker thoughts. His father was struggling with finances, and here he was neglecting the very studies he was working for. The same studies he'd fought them about, insisting he could handle his own priorities.

'You're proving them right,' a nasty voice whispered in his head. 'They said you needed something serious, that you needed guidance. Look at you now.'

Panic clawed at his throat as he surveyed the mountain of work he'd let pile up. Papers to write, research to complete, presentations to prepare. But underneath the academic stress was something worse... the growing certainty that he was failing at the very independence he'd fought so hard to claim.

He made a decision that felt both necessary and punishing: he would get everything done before 7 PM. No breaks, no distractions, no food until it was finished. Jeongguk had mentioned wanting to take him out for dinner tonight, so he'd wait. He'd eat then, with Jeongguk, once he'd earned it by fixing this mess he'd created.

The next eight hours passed in a blur of frantic typing, desperate research, and increasingly shaky hands. Taehyung threw himself into the work with the kind of manic focus that came from guilt and self-punishment. He skipped breakfast, ignored his growling stomach at lunch, and pushed through the lightheadedness that came with running on nothing but black coffee and anxiety.

By 6:30, he was done. Every assignment caught up, every paper submitted, every project outline completed. He should have felt triumphant, but instead he felt hollow, exhausted in a way that went deeper than physical tiredness. His throat was parched, his head pounding, and when he reached for his water bottle with shaking hands, he drained it in desperate gulps that did nothing to ease the emptiness gnawing at his insides.

There was no time to rest, no time to eat something proper. He needed to be at the café by 7, and the thought of disappointing Yoongi on top of everything else was unbearable. He threw on clean clothes with mechanical efficiency, caught a glimpse of his pale, hollow-eyed reflection in the mirror, and decided he didn't have time to care about how awful he looked.

The walk to Reader Rider Café felt longer than usual, each step requiring more effort than it should. His legs felt unsteady, like they belonged to someone else, but he pushed forward through sheer stubbornness.

Yoongi noticed immediately. Of course he did, despite his gruff exterior, Taehyung had learned that his boss was observant in the way that people who'd learned to watch for trouble always were.

"You look like shit," Yoongi said bluntly as Taehyung tied his apron with fumbling fingers.

"Thanks," Taehyung managed, aiming for his usual light tone and missing by miles. "Really know how to make a guy feel good about himself."

"I'm serious." Yoongi's voice carried a note of concern that was rare for him. "You're pale as paper and your hands are shaking. When's the last time you ate something?"

"I'm fine," Taehyung lied, already moving toward the espresso machine. "Just been writing assignments all day. You know how it is, academic stress and all that. I'll be fine once I get into the rhythm of work."

Yoongi's dark eyes studied him with uncomfortable intensity, but he didn't push. Still, Taehyung caught him glancing over more frequently than usual throughout the evening, that crease of worry deepening between his brows.

The hours crawled by with agonizing slowness. Every task felt monumental, lifting the heavy bags of coffee beans, reaching for books on high shelves, even just standing for extended periods. Customers seemed to move through molasses, their orders taking forever to process, their conversations about book recommendations feeling like they were happening underwater.

But through it all, one thought kept him going: 10:30. At 10:30, he'd hear the familiar rumble of Jeongguk's motorcycle. He'd see that soft smile, feel those strong arms around him, and everything would be okay again. They'd go somewhere beautiful and quiet, and Jeongguk would feed him delicious food and listen to him ramble about his day, and the hollow ache in his chest would finally ease.

10:25. Taehyung found himself gravitating toward the window, eyes scanning the street for any sign of the motorcycle he'd come to associate with safety and warmth.

10:30. Nothing.

10:35. Still nothing.

The familiar sound of an engine never came. No motorcycle appeared outside the café's warm windows. No Jeongguk.

By 10:45, the truth settled over Taehyung like a cold weight: Jeongguk wasn't coming.

The rational part of his mind tried to offer explanations, maybe something had come up, maybe there was an emergency, maybe he'd simply forgotten. But the exhausted, hungry, emotionally wrung out part of his mind went immediately to darker places.

'Of course he's not coming. Why would he? You're nothing special. You're just some pathetic guy he's been amusing himself with. He has better things to do than waste time on someone like you.'

"Looks like your ride isn't coming tonight," Yoongi said quietly from behind the counter, and there was something almost gentle in his usually gruff voice. Yoongi has often seen him leaving with certain raved head after his shift, but never bothered to ask who is it.

Taehyung nodded, not trusting himself to speak. The disappointment was so acute it was almost physical, settling in his chest like a stone.

"Want me to call you a cab?" Yoongi offered. "You shouldn't be walking home alone in your condition."

"I'm fine," Taehyung repeated, the lie becoming more transparent with each repetition. "Just... just going to head home now. Thanks for... thanks."

He grabbed his jacket with movements that felt disconnected from his body, each gesture requiring conscious thought. The simple act of walking to the door seemed to take enormous effort, his legs unsteady beneath him.

'This is what you deserve,' that cruel voice whispered again. 'For expecting someone like Jeongguk to show up for someone like you every single day. For thinking you were special. For letting yourself believe in fairy tale romance when you should have been focusing on reality.'

He has a girlfriend, so do you. Get a grip.

"Taehyung." Yoongi's voice stopped him just as his hand reached for the door handle. When he turned back, his boss was watching him with something that looked almost like worry. "Take care of yourself, kid. Whatever's going on... just take care of yourself."

Taehyung managed a weak smile and a nod, then pushed open the door and stepped into the cool October night.

He made it exactly three steps before his knees buckled.

The world tilted sideways, colors bleeding together as his vision tunneled. The last thing he registered was the sound of his body hitting the pavement, and then everything went black.

Inside the café, Yoongi heard the thud and was moving before he'd consciously processed what it meant. He found Taehyung crumpled on the sidewalk just outside the door, unconscious and worryingly still.

"Fuck," Yoongi muttered, dropping to his knees beside the younger man and checking for a pulse. It was there, steady but weak, and when he gently shook Taehyung's shoulder, he got no response.

Chapter Text

Taehyung woke up feeling like he'd been hit by a truck, then run over by it again for good measure. Everything felt heavy, his eyelids, his limbs, even his thoughts seemed to move through thick fog. Too much light filtered through what he slowly realized were unfamiliar windows, and somewhere nearby, voices were whispering in urgent, worried tones.

Where was he?

He blinked slowly, once, twice, three times before his vision finally cleared enough to make sense of his surroundings. White walls, the antiseptic smell of cleaning products, a thin blanket tucked around his body. Hospital bed. He was in a hospital bed.

"Tae! Oh my god, what happened to you!"

The voice exploded through the quiet room like a firecracker, making Taehyung wince and squeeze his eyes shut again. But he recognized that tone, exasperated affection mixed with genuine panic.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop being such a nerd!" Jimin's voice continued, getting closer. "You didn't eat anything for some stupid assignments, did you? I swear to god, Kim Taehyung, you're going to give me gray hair before I'm twenty-five."

Groaning, Taehyung forced his eyes open again and turned his head toward the source of the noise. Jimin was standing beside the bed, hair disheveled like he'd been running his hands through it, eyes red, rimmed with exhaustion and worry. Behind him, Taehyung could make out more familiar faces..... Hoseok hovering near the window, Yeonjun and Soobin clustered together by the door, all wearing matching expressions of concern.

"Jimin," Taehyung croaked, his voice coming out rough and barely recognizable. "You're... loud."

"I'm loud?" Jimin's voice pitched even higher with indignation. "I get a call at midnight from Yoongi telling me my roommate collapsed outside a café and had to be rushed to the hospital, and you're complaining that I'm loud?"

The events of the previous evening came rushing back in fragments, the exhaustion, the empty stomach, the crushing disappointment when Jeongguk didn't show up, the way the world had tilted and gone black. Shame flooded through him, hot and uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, not able to meet any of their eyes. "I didn't mean to worry everyone."

"Worry everyone?" Jimin sat down heavily in the chair beside the bed. "Taehyung, the doctor said you fainted from low blood pressure and dehydration. You didn't have a single drop of food in your stomach. When's the last time you ate? And don't you dare lie to me."

Taehyung's throat felt tight. "Yesterday morning. I had... I had coffee for breakfast."

"Coffee is not breakfast!" Jimin exploded again. "Coffee is not a meal! What were you thinking?"

But even as Jimin ranted, even as his friends gathered closer with their worried faces and gentle questions, all Taehyung could think about was the reason he hadn't eaten. He'd been waiting for dinner with Jeongguk. He'd planned his entire day around that promise, had denied himself food as some kind of twisted reward system, and then...

And then Jeongguk hadn't come.

The thought made his chest ache in a way that had nothing to do with his physical condition. He wasn't blaming Jeongguk... he could never do that. The decision to skip meals had been entirely his own, born from his anxiety and self-punishment over his neglected studies. But the disappointment still sat heavy in his stomach, the realization that he'd built his entire evening around someone who might have simply forgotten about him.

Jeongguk probably had more important things to do. Maybe he was with Minchae, the one who had a rightful claim to his time and attention. The thought made Taehyung feel even emptier than his growling stomach had the night before.

"The doctor wants to see you," Hoseok said gently from his spot by the window. "But he said you should be able to go home later today if your blood pressure stabilizes."

"Yoongi hyung stayed until we got here," Yeonjun added quietly. "He seemed really worried about you. Said to tell you to take better care of yourself."

Taehyung nodded, guilt settling deeper in his chest. Even his intimidating boss had been concerned enough to stay, to call Jimin, to make sure he wasn't alone. He didn't deserve that kind of care.

"Oh, and Seoyun," Jimin said, pulling out his phone. "I called her too. She's at her grandmother's place right now, but she was so worried. She made me promise to have you call her as soon as you felt better."

The mention of Seoyun sent another wave of shame through him. His girlfriend – or whatever they were – didn't even know about the mess he'd made of his life, didn't know about the secret that had consumed so much of his attention that he'd forgotten to take care of himself.

When the doctor arrived, he was less sympathetic than Taehyung's friends had been.

"This is exactly the kind of behavior I see too often in university students," he said sternly, checking Taehyung's chart with disapproving clicks of his tongue. "Skipping meals, surviving on caffeine, pushing your body past its limits for academic stress. It's not admirable, it's dangerous."

"I know," Taehyung mumbled. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me," the doctor replied briskly. "Apologize to your body. And then start treating it better. Regular meals, adequate sleep, proper hydration. Your friends shouldn't have to worry about finding you unconscious on sidewalks."

After what felt like hours of tests, lectures, and concerned hovering from his friends, Taehyung was finally discharged with a bag full of vitamins and strict instructions about proper nutrition. Jimin fussed over him the entire way home, stopping to buy groceries and threatening to personally supervise every meal until Taehyung proved he could be trusted to feed himself.

That night, curled up on his couch with a bowl of the soup Jimin had insisted on making, Taehyung felt the full weight of his guilt settling over him like a heavy blanket. He didn't deserve the concern his friends had shown. He didn't deserve Yoongi staying late to make sure he was okay. He didn't deserve Jimin's frantic worry or Seoyun's anxious messages.

He'd made himself sick over his own poor choices, had scared people who cared about him, and all because he'd gotten so caught up in a relationship that existed only in stolen moments and secret touches.
Maybe, he thought as exhaustion finally began to pull him toward sleep, I don't deserve any of this concern at all.

The next day dawned gray and quiet. Jimin had left early for dance practice, but not before leaving detailed instructions about meals and checking in every hour via text. Taehyung had promised to eat regularly, to rest, to take care of himself, but as the morning stretched into afternoon, all he could manage was to curl up on the couch under his softest blanket.

He'd settled on a nature documentary about penguins.. something mindless and soothing that didn't require emotional investment. The narrator's calm voice washed over him as fuzzy black and white birds waddled across icy landscapes, and for the first time in days, Taehyung felt something approaching peace.

The penguins didn't worry about complicated relationships or disappointed expectations. They didn't skip meals for academic stress or collapse from their own poor decisions. They just existed, simple and pure, sliding on their bellies across the ice with what looked like genuine joy.

Wrapped in his blanket, hair still messy from sleep, eyes still a little puffy from exhaustion, Taehyung watched the penguins and tried not to think about motorcycle engines or the way his chest still ached with disappointment every time he remembered the empty street outside the café.

__________________
Author’s Note 💌

Hey love,

How are you liking the story so far? 🥺 I know it’s been a little heavy and emotional lately, but I hope Taehyung’s journey is making sense and not confusing you too much. He’s a complex character, soft, insecure, but also stubborn in ways that hurt him, and I really want to show that side of him slowly.

Please let me know if you’re following along fine, or if anything feels unclear! Your thoughts honestly mean the world to me, and they help me shape how I continue writing. 💕

Do you think Taehyung’s emotions are coming across well? And… how are you feeling about Jeongguk at this point? 👀

Stay with me, okay? This is going to be a big, messy, angsty book, but we’re in this together. 🫶

Chapter Text

The knock at the door came softly, barely audible over the narrator's gentle voice describing penguin mating rituals. Taehyung didn't bother looking away from the screen, where a particularly fluffy chick was attempting to follow its parent across a patch of ice.

"Door's unlocked!" he called out, assuming it was either Yeonjun or Hoseok coming to check on him. They'd been texting all morning, worried messages asking if he needed anything, if he was eating properly, if he was feeling better. The concern was touching, if a little overwhelming. He was glad that he met them! they barely knew him, yet they were so nice to him..

He heard the door open and close, footsteps moving across the hardwood floor of the apartment. Still focused on the documentary, Taehyung pulled his blanket tighter around himself and shifted to make room on the couch.
"Thanks for coming by," he said without looking away from the television. "But I'm honestly fine. Jimin already made me eat soup and take vitamins, and I promise I'm not going to do anything stupid like skip meals again."

The footsteps stopped beside the couch, and Taehyung felt the cushions dip as someone settled next to him. He was about to make a joke about his friends being mother hens when a familiar voice, low and warm and completely unexpected, spoke beside his ear.

"Hyung."

The single word hit Taehyung like a physical blow. His head snapped up from the television screen, eyes wide, mouth falling open in shock as he took in the figure sitting beside him.

Jeongguk.

The younger man was there, real and solid and close enough to touch, his dark hair slightly windswept and his leather jacket unzipped over a simple black t-shirt. But it was his eyes that made Taehyung's breath catch, they were soft with worry, scanning Taehyung's face with an intensity that made him suddenly aware of how he must look. Messy hair, pale skin, still wearing yesterday's clothes, wrapped in a blanket like a child seeking comfort.

"Jeongguk?" The name came out as barely a whisper, disbelief coloring every syllable. "What... how did you..."

"I was worried about you," Jeongguk said, and there was something raw in his voice that made Taehyung's chest tighten. "You didn't come to university today. I thought... I thought something bad had happened to you."

The concern in those dark eyes was so genuine, so completely focused on him, that Taehyung felt his carefully constructed walls beginning to crumble. All morning he'd been telling himself that he was nothing special to Jeongguk, that he was just a convenient distraction, that the younger man had more important things to worry about. But the way Jeongguk was looking at him now, like he'd been genuinely afraid something terrible had happened...

"I..." Taehyung started, then stopped, not sure how to explain without revealing too much. "I wasn't feeling well yesterday. I'm fine now, though."

But even as he said it, he could see that Jeongguk didn't believe him. Those perceptive eyes were taking in every detail – the lingering pallor of his skin, the shadows under his eyes, the way he seemed smaller somehow, curled up in his blanket cocoon.

Before Taehyung could react, before he could even process what was happening, Jeongguk's hands were on his waist. The touch was gentle but firm, fingers splaying across his sides through the thin fabric of his t-shirt. The heat of Jeongguk's palms seemed to burn through the material, making Taehyung suck in a sharp breath.

The blanket fell away as Jeongguk carefully maneuvered him, turning him so they were facing each other on the couch. This close, Taehyung could see the worry etched in every line of Jeongguk's face, could count the individual lashes framing those intense dark eyes.

"Hyung," Jeongguk said again, and his voice was barely above a whisper. The pout that had been playing at the corners of his mouth disappeared as he studied Taehyung's face with laser focus, looking for answers to questions he hadn't yet asked. "You look..."

He trailed off, but Taehyung could fill in the blanks. He looked terrible. Exhausted. Fragile. Like someone who'd collapsed on a sidewalk less than twenty-four hours ago.

Then, as if the weight of whatever he was thinking became too much to bear, Jeongguk let his head drop. His grip on Taehyung's waist tightened, almost possessive, and when he spoke again his voice was muffled and thick with something that might have been guilt.

"I'm sorry about yesterday."

The words hit Taehyung like ice water. Yesterday. The evening he'd spent convincing himself didn't matter, the disappointment he'd been trying so hard to forget, the moment when he'd stood outside the café waiting for a motorcycle that never came.

All morning, he'd been trying to avoid thinking about it. He'd told himself it was fine, that he had no right to expect anything, that Jeongguk had his own life and his own priorities. But hearing the apology, seeing the genuine remorse in the way Jeongguk held himself, made all those carefully buried feelings surge to the surface.

"Yesterday," Taehyung repeated softly, and he hated how small his voice sounded.

Jeongguk's head came up, and the look in his eyes was almost desperate. "I should have at least called you. I should have let you know I couldn't make it. I just... something came up, and by the time I could get away it was too late, and I didn't want to wake you, and I..." He was rambling now, words tumbling over each other in his haste to explain. "I'm sorry, hyung. I'm so sorry."

Taehyung felt his heart doing complicated things in his chest. Part of him wanted to demand details, to know exactly what had been more important than their dinner plans. But a larger part of him, the part that was already too attached, too invested in someone who might never be fully his, knew that he couldn't handle the truth.

He was already shaking his head, forcing what he hoped was a convincing smile. "It's fine. I had already eaten dinner anyway."

The lie tasted bitter on his tongue. He hadn't eaten dinner. He hadn't eaten anything all day, had been saving his appetite for a meal with Jeongguk that never happened. But admitting that would mean admitting how much he'd been looking forward to it, how much those evening rides and stolen dinners had come to mean to him.

It would mean admitting that he'd built his entire day around Jeongguk's promise, and that felt too vulnerable, too pathetic to voice out loud.

"You had dinner?" Jeongguk's eyes searched his face, and Taehyung wondered if his lies were as transparent as they felt.

"Mm," he hummed, not trusting himself to elaborate on the deception. "So don't worry about it. Really."

But Jeongguk was still studying him with that intense focus, and Taehyung could see the exact moment when understanding flickered across his features. A hand moved to cup Taehyung's cheek, thumb brushing across his cheekbone with heartbreaking gentleness.

"I really wanted to see you," Jeongguk said quietly, and there was something almost broken in his voice. "But I..."

"Jeongguk, you don't have to explain yourself," Taehyung interrupted, averting his eyes because the sincerity in Jeongguk's gaze was too much to bear. This was exactly what he'd been afraid of. this moment where he'd have to confront the reality of their situation, where the careful boundaries he'd drawn in his mind would be tested.

They weren't together. Jeongguk didn't owe him explanations or apologies. He had a girlfriend, a real life beyond these stolen moments, and Taehyung had no right to demand more than what was freely offered.

"Hyung-"

"I'm just glad to see you now," Taehyung cut him off again, finally meeting his eyes with what he hoped was a bright, uncomplicated smile. "That's all that matters, right?"

"You... really?" The transformation in Jeongguk's face was immediate and devastating. The worry and guilt melted away, replaced by something soft and wondering that made Taehyung's chest ache with how beautiful it was.
Taehyung nodded, not trusting his voice to remain steady.

Jeongguk's thumb continued its gentle caress across his cheek, and despite everything, the lies, the confusion, the careful emotional distance he was trying to maintain, Taehyung found himself leaning into the touch. It was impossible not to, when Jeongguk looked at him like he was something precious, something worth cherishing.

"Hyung," Jeongguk said again, and his voice was softer now, more intimate. "You know you don't have to hide anything from me, right? Whatever's wrong, whatever you're thinking... you can tell me."

The words sent a wave of guilt crashing through Taehyung so intense it was almost physical. Here was Jeongguk, offering exactly the kind of openness and honesty that Taehyung craved, and all he could do was lie. But what was the alternative? Admitting that he'd waited for hours, that he'd built his entire evening around a dinner that never happened? Confessing that he'd been so disappointed he'd made himself sick?

Telling the truth would mean acknowledging feelings that were probably one-sided, expectations that were certainly unfair. It would mean admitting that he was in deeper than he'd ever intended to be, that these stolen moments and secret touches had become the center of his world in a way that was probably unhealthy.

He looked down at his hands, avoiding Jeongguk's searching gaze. "I know," he said finally, forcing his voice to remain light. "It's just..."

This was the moment. He could feel it hanging between them like a held breath. Jeongguk was waiting, patient and attentive, ready to listen to whatever Taehyung wanted to share. It would be so easy to be honest, to let down his guard and trust that this beautiful, complicated person actually cared about his feelings.

But the fear was stronger than the desire for honesty. The fear of being too much, of wanting more than he deserved, of scaring Jeongguk away with the intensity of emotions that probably weren't reciprocated.

"Hyung?" Jeongguk prompted gently when the silence stretched too long.

Taehyung closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and made his choice.

"It's just..." He opened his eyes and met Jeongguk's concerned gaze with what he hoped was a convincing smile. "It's nothing. I'm really fine. Just a bit tired from work."

Even as the words left his mouth, he could see the way Jeongguk's face fell slightly, the way disappointment flickered across his features before being carefully hidden. But the younger man didn't push, didn't demand more honesty than Taehyung was willing to give.

Instead, he simply nodded and pulled Taehyung closer, until they were pressed together on the narrow couch with the penguin documentary still playing softly in the background. And despite the lies between them, despite the careful emotional distance Taehyung was trying to maintain, he couldn't help but melt into the embrace.

Because whatever this was, secret, complicated, probably doomed, it was still the most beautiful thing that had ever happened to him. And sometimes, he was learning, beautiful things were worth protecting, even if it meant lying to keep them safe.

_________________

To all my silent readers.... yah, very comment of yours makes my day brighter! Even if its a single word text, it would mean a lot.. since, I'm not really following any plot line ... I'm really skeptical of my work! So, enjoy your read, and if you wish, you can drop a cute comment for your author! Love ya.

Chapter Text

They settled back into watching the documentary, Jeongguk's arm draped naturally around Taehyung's shoulders, pulling him close until he was practically melting into the younger man's side. The warmth was intoxicating, familiar in a way that made Taehyung's chest ache with both comfort and guilt.

The guilt was a constant presence now, sitting heavy in his stomach like a stone he couldn't dislodge.

Seoyun.

His parents.

Attraction for the younger boy.

Every time Jeongguk laughed at something on screen, every casual comment he made about the penguins, every gentle squeeze of his fingers against Taehyung's shoulder. How was Jeonguuk so attentive?

But what else could he have done? What right did he have to demand explanations, to act hurt when Jeongguk had other priorities? They were just... what were they, exactly? Fooling around? Having fun? Whatever label applied to stolen kisses and secret meetings, it certainly didn't include the right to feel abandoned when those meetings didn't happen.

So Taehyung found himself laughing at Jeongguk's observations about penguin parenting techniques, to smile when he pointed out particularly clumsy chicks, to act like everything was normal and fine and uncomplicated.

"Look at that one," Jeongguk said, nodding toward the screen where a penguin was dramatically sliding on its belly across the ice. "That's definitely me trying to get to class when I'm running late."

Despite everything, Taehyung found himself genuinely giggling at the image. "At least you'd look graceful doing it."

"Graceful?" Jeongguk's eyebrows shot up. "Hyung, have you seen me try to navigate stairs in the morning? I'm more like..." He gestured at another penguin that had just face-planted into a snowbank. "That one."

The easy banter should have been comforting, should have felt like the natural intimacy they'd been building over weeks of late-night conversations. Instead, it made Taehyung hyperaware of the distance he was trying to maintain, the careful emotional walls he was reconstructing even as he melted into Jeongguk's embrace.

"Hyung," Jeongguk said suddenly, his voice softer, more serious. The hand on Taehyung's shoulder stilled, and when Taehyung glanced up, he found those dark eyes studying his face with uncomfortable intensity. "You're okay, right? You're not hiding anything from me?"

Taehyung's breath caught. The question was gentle, concerned, but it felt like a knife twisting in his chest. Because he was hiding something, he was hiding the disappointment, the hurt, the way he'd waited and hoped and been left empty-handed. He was hiding how much it had mattered, how much it had broken something inside him.

"You know I care about you," Jeongguk continued when Taehyung didn't immediately respond. "Whatever it is, whatever you're thinking... you can tell me. I want you to tell me."

The sincerity in his voice was almost unbearable. Taehyung could see it in his eyes, genuine concern, real affection, the kind of care that made him want to spill everything and trust that it would be okay. But the fear was stronger, the voice in his head that whispered he was already too much, wanted too much, expected too much from someone who had never promised him anything.

Taehyung reached for Jeongguk's free hand, threading their fingers together and holding on like it might anchor him. "I'm just tired," he repeated, the lie coming easier this time. "Really, Jeongguk. I'm fine."

He could see the frustration flicker across Jeongguk's features, quickly hidden but not quickly enough. The younger man wanted honesty, wanted the kind of openness that Taehyung was too scared to offer. But he didn't push, didn't demand more than Taehyung was willing to give, and somehow that made the guilt even worse.

The sound of keys jingling in the hallway made them both look up, and moments later the apartment door swung open to reveal Jimin and Hoseok, both carrying bags of what smelled like takeout.
"Tae!" Jimin's voice was bright with relief as he spotted them on the couch. "You look so much better. How are you feeling?"

"I'm good," Taehyung said quickly, untangling himself from Jeongguk's embrace and sitting up straighter before they could see their position. "Much better. Thanks for checking on me.”

Before anyone could mention exactly why they were asking in the first place, he jumped up from the couch with forced energy.

"Should we order something to eat?" he asked brightly, changing the subject with the subtlety of a bulldozer. "I'm actually starving, and I think there's a new pizza place that delivers."

Jimin's eyes narrowed slightly, clearly picking up on the deflection, but Hoseok was already pulling out his phone. "Pizza sounds perfect. What does everyone want?"

As they debated toppings and argued over whether pineapple belonged on pizza, Taehyung caught Jeongguk watching him with that same thoughtful expression. But the moment passed, buried under the comfortable chaos of friends gathering for an impromptu dinner.

An hour later, they were settled around the coffee table with pizza boxes spread between them and a deck of cards in Jimin's hands.

"Poker?" Jimin suggested, shuffling the cards with practiced ease.

"I'll go easy on you, hyung," Jeongguk said with a grin that was anything but reassuring.

Twenty minutes later, Taehyung was staring at his rapidly dwindling pile of chips while Jeongguk sat across from him with a stack that had somehow tripled in size.

"How are you so good at this?" Taehyung demanded, throwing down his cards in defeat. "This is your first time playing with us."

"Beginner's luck?" Jeongguk suggested innocently, but the slight smirk playing at his lips suggested otherwise.

"Beginner's luck, my ass," Jimin muttered, eyeing his own sad collection of remaining chips. "You're hustling us."

"I may have played a few games in high school," Jeongguk admitted with a laugh.

"A few games," Hoseok repeated flatly. "Right. And I 'may have' taken a few dance classes."

As they reset for another round, Jimin fixed Taehyung with a pointed look. "You know, I've been asking Taehyung to introduce me to you formally for weeks now," he said to Jeongguk. "But apparently he wants to keep you all to himself."

Heat flooded Taehyung's face so fast he felt dizzy. "Jimin!"

"What? It's true!" Jimin continued, clearly enjoying Taehyung's mortification. "Very secretive about his social life lately. Very protective of his new friendship."

"Can we please just play cards?" Taehyung mumbled, avoiding everyone's eyes as he focused intently on arranging his new hand.

But he could feel Jeongguk's gaze on him, warm and amused and something else, something that looked almost fond. When he finally risked a glance up, Jeongguk was smiling at him with an expression that made his stomach flip.

Sudden ring at the doorstep.

The pizza arrived, saving him from having to analyze the flutter in his chest or the way Jeongguk's eyes seemed to linger on his face.

"I'll get it," Jimin announced, jumping up from the floor. "Hoseok, come help me carry everything."

"It's just pizza," Hoseok protested, but he followed Jimin toward the door anyway.

The moment they were alone, the atmosphere shifted. Jeongguk moved closer on the floor, close enough that Taehyung could see the individual flecks of gold in his dark eyes, could smell the faint scent of his cologne mixed with something that was just uniquely him.

"I don't mind if you want me all for yourself, hyung," Jeongguk said quietly, and there was something in his tone that made the words feel like more than just a response to Jimin's teasing.

"I really want to kiss you right now," Jeongguk whispered, his voice low and rough with want.

Taehyung's eyes darted toward the door, where he could hear Jimin and Hoseok talking to the delivery person. They had maybe thirty seconds, maybe less, but the pull in his chest was too strong to resist.

He leaned in, capturing Jeongguk's lips in what was meant to be a quick, careful kiss. But the moment their mouths connected, time seemed to slow. Instead of pulling away, Taehyung found himself pressing closer, lips parting slightly as he held the kiss for eight, nine, ten seconds of perfect stolen intimacy.

When he finally pulled back, Jeongguk's eyes were dark and intense, filled with something that looked almost like desperation.

"Please," Jeongguk whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of approaching footsteps. "Please never lie to me, hyung. Tell me everything, okay? I need you to tell me everything."

The honesty in his voice, the raw need in his eyes, hit Taehyung like a physical blow. Guilt crashed over him in waves, making it hard to breathe, hard to think, hard to do anything but nod with what he hoped looked like sincerity.
"Okay," he whispered back, the lie bitter on his tongue even as he forced himself to smile. "Okay."

But even as he made the promise, even as Jimin and Hoseok returned with dinner and the moment dissolved into easy conversation and shared laughter, Taehyung knew he was digging himself deeper into a hole he might never be able to climb out of.

Because the truth was too complicated, too vulnerable, too dangerous to the beautiful, fragile thing growing between them.

But he was jeongguk's secret.. and that was enough for now..
_____________________________
Author’s Note:

Okay, confession time ----------- I seriously debated if I should let Taehyung open up here. Like… Jeongguk basically handed him the perfect opportunity, right? But then I thought, if Tae actually spilled everything this early, where’s my delicious angst gonna go?? Exactly. Gone. Poof.

So nope, I’m holding back. I want you to feel the frustration of him keeping things in, because that’s just who he is right now, quietly breaking on the inside but pretending to be fine on the outside. And trust me, when he finally cracks open later… it’s gonna hit way harder.

So, bear with me, okay? 🤫 We’re in this slow-burn pain together.

Chapter Text

The next day arrived gray and heavy, matching the weight that had settled in Taehyung's chest overnight. The guilt was starting to feel unbearable, a constant pressure behind his ribs that made it hard to breathe normally, hard to focus on anything else.

He couldn't even face Seoyun properly as they sat next to each other in the small coffee shop near campus, having one of their regular 'quick dates', though calling them dates felt more like a mockery with each passing week.

Taehyung had bought her favorite Americano without her asking, setting the cup in front of her with the kind of attentive gesture he'd never made before. He wasn't trying to make up for cheating on her by buying her things, well, maybe he was, but only until he figured out what to do about this mess his life had become.

There was really only one obvious solution, and that was to tell Seoyun the truth. But every time he thought about having that conversation, his stomach twisted with dread. Why did that have to be his only option? Couldn't there be some other way through this that didn't involve confessing about Jeongguk?

A sigh escaped his lips as he tried to focus on his green tea, wrapping his hands around the warm ceramic mug. The heat seeping through the porcelain was comforting, but it wasn't the same warmth that surged through his body every time Jeongguk touched him-

Stop it.

Taehyung literally face-palmed himself, earning a brief glance from Seoyun before she returned to her phone. How could he still be thinking about Jeongguk when she was sitting right next to him? When he was supposed to be figuring out how to be honest with her?

Speaking of Seoyun, he turned his head to study her profile as she scrolled through social media, completely absorbed in whatever was on her screen. Her dark hair fell in a neat curtain around her face, and she looked perfectly put-together as always, but there was something distant about her presence that made him frown.

Why did she always insist on these coffee dates when they never spoke more than a few sentences to each other? They'd sit in comfortable silence, occasionally commenting on their classes or mutual friends, but there was never any real connection, never any of the easy intimacy that couples were supposed to share.

On one hand, Taehyung felt grateful that he and Seoyun weren't deeply involved with each other. It made the guilt slightly more bearable, knowing that she probably wasn't pining away for him or planning their future together.
But it also made the whole situation more confusing, if they barely functioned as a couple, why were they pretending?

This was one of those moments where Taehyung felt completely lost, uncertain about every choice he'd made and every step he needed to take. But through the confusion, some things were becoming crystal clear.

The first thing was that he didn't have romantic feelings for Seoyun. At all. Even before Jeongguk had crashed into his life like a beautiful, leather-jacketed hurricane, Taehyung had never felt that flutter of genuine attraction, that pull of desire that he was supposed to feel for his girlfriend. She was a wonderful friend who clearly cared about him, but that was all it was.

Friendship.

Their romantic relationship was heading absolutely nowhere, and Taehyung was positive that somewhere deep down, Seoyun knew it too. They'd never even properly kissed, just a few countable pecks on the cheek, and those had been initiated by her. These coffee dates and the occasional group hangout were literally all they had.

At first, Taehyung hadn't wanted to rock the boat. He'd figured that dating Seoyun through college wouldn't be so bad, that having the stability of a relationship without the complications of deep feelings might actually be easier. Being truly in love, feeling that vulnerable and exposed with someone, hadn't been on his list of priorities.

But now...

Taehyung found himself smiling despite everything, taking a sip of his tea as warmth that had nothing to do with the beverage spread through his chest.

Now he'd met Jeongguk.

And they always had such an incredible time together. Every stolen moment, every late-night ride, every quiet conversation felt more real and meaningful than months of coffee dates with Seoyun.

It was nice. More than nice, it was magical in a way that made him understand why people wrote songs about falling in love.

Jeongguk made him feel special, seen, cherished in a way he'd never experienced before. And lately, Taehyung thought about him constantly, wondering what he'd had for breakfast, what he was wearing, if he'd finished his assignments, whether he was getting enough sleep.

What did it mean when you couldn't stop thinking about one person? When their happiness became more important than your own comfort?

His eyes widened as the realization hit him like a physical blow.

No.

Obviously, Taehyung couldn't actually have... The word stuck in his throat, too terrifying to even think completely.

He gulped hard, his hands tightening around his mug.

"Feelings?" he whispered, so quietly he could barely hear himself.

For Jeongguk? Real, deep, terrifying feelings that went way beyond attraction or infatuation?

The thought made his heart race with panic and something that might have been hope. Now that the possibility was there, hovering in his consciousness like a neon sign, Taehyung couldn't ignore the truth of it. He couldn't avoid the fact that-

"Oh my god!"

Seoyun's voice exploded beside him, so sudden and loud that Taehyung nearly fell off his chair. His heart hammered not just from the surprise, but from being yanked so violently away from the earth-shattering realization he'd been approaching.

"What?" he managed, trying to collect himself.

But Seoyun was already moving her phone toward him, practically vibrating with excitement. "Look at this! Isn't this the cutest thing ever?"

Taehyung's eyes focused on the screen, and the world seemed to tilt sideways.

It was a photo of Jeongguk standing beside Minchae. They were posed in front of an elaborate cake decorated with "Happy Anniversary" in elegant script lettering. Both of them were smiling, Jeongguk's arm around the girl's waist in a gesture that looked natural, comfortable, intimate.

But it wasn't just the pose that made Taehyung's stomach drop. It was how different Jeongguk looked. Gone was the leather jacket, the casual white t-shirt, the slightly rebellious edge that had first caught Taehyung's attention. Instead, he wore an impeccably tailored black suit that screamed wealth and sophistication, his hair styled perfectly, his entire appearance polished to a shine that belonged in boardrooms and country clubs.

He looked like a CEO. Like old money. Like someone who existed in a completely different world from Kim Taehyung, who bought his clothes at discount stores and worried about paying for textbooks.

"It's their relationship anniversary," Seoyun continued, oblivious to the way Taehyung's face had gone pale. "Minchae posted these pictures. Look how gorgeous they look together!"

Taehyung's eyes found the date stamp on the post, and his blood turned to ice.

October 15th.

The same day they were supposed to have dinner. The very same day he'd waited outside the café until he'd made himself sick, the day he'd ended up in the hospital because he did not eat anything.

All this time, he'd stopped Jeongguk from explaining why he hadn't shown up. He'd told himself he didn't deserve an explanation, that they were nothing official, that Jeongguk didn't owe him anything. He'd been so careful to protect both of them from uncomfortable truths.

But now, staring at the evidence of where Jeongguk had actually been, Taehyung felt his shoulders sag with the weight of understanding.

Of course he'd been at his anniversary celebration. Of course his real relationship, his official girlfriend, had taken priority. Why would he show up for dinner with his secret, his side distraction, when he had something real and legitimate to celebrate?

Taehyung was just that, a secret. Nothing more, nothing less.

The realization hit him like a physical blow, making it hard to breathe, hard to think past the crushing disappointment and the sudden, horrible clarity of his situation.

In that perfectly tailored suit, with that beautiful girl on his arm and that expensive cake between them, Jeongguk looked like he belonged to a world where Taehyung could never fit. And maybe, Taehyung thought as his vision blurred slightly, that was exactly where he belonged.
_____________________________
Author’s Note:

So… yeah 😅 I know this chapter might feel like getting slapped in the face with reality, right alongside Taehyung. I need you to feel the whiplash he felt: that spark of realizing “oh no, I actually like this boy,” followed by the crash of seeing Jeongguk’s perfect little world with Minchae. 💔 It hurts, but that’s the point.

And honestly… I’ve been there too. That stage where you don’t even question labels or what it means, you just want to be around that one person, soaking up every stolen second. So I wrote Taehyung with that exact quiet ache in mind.

The angst is marinating, but trust me, the flavor’s going to be worth it.

Chapter Text

It had been four days since Taehyung started ignoring Jeongguk's calls and texts. Four days of deliberately taking different routes to class, eating lunch in obscure corners of the library, and pretending he didn't feel his phone buzzing with increasingly worried messages.

He didn't have to try too hard to avoid him, though – the younger man had been mysteriously absent from campus for most of the week. Taehyung caught glimpses of him occasionally, across crowded courtyards or disappearing around corners, but never close enough for conversation. Never close enough for those dark eyes to pin him in place and make him forget all his carefully constructed reasons for staying away.

It was Thursday now, and Taehyung was completely exhausted. For the past four days, he'd thrown himself into every possible activity – extra study sessions, volunteer work, helping classmates with projects he had no business being involved in. Anything to keep his mind occupied, his body tired enough that the moment his head hit the pillow, he'd fall into dreamless sleep.

No space for unwanted thoughts. No time to miss the rumble of a motorcycle engine or the feeling of strong arms around his waist.

But even exhausted, even with his schedule packed to the point of absurdity, Taehyung couldn't escape the truth that had been eating at him since he'd seen those anniversary photos. He had no right to feel upset – that was the reality he kept trying to hammer into his own skull. He and Jeongguk were nothing official, nothing real. Just stolen moments and secret kisses that meant everything to him and probably very little to the person who already had a real relationship waiting at home.

His phone had buzzed again that morning with another text from Jeongguk: "Hyung, should I pick you up after your shift tonight? I miss talking to you."

Taehyung had stared at the message for a full five minutes before deleting it without responding. He was almost shocked at his own willpower – a week ago, he would have melted at those words, would have been waiting outside the café with embarrassing eagerness. But now that he'd accepted the truth about his feelings, now that he understood just how deeply he'd fallen, he knew he needed self-control more than he needed those few stolen hours of happiness.

Because unlike his relationship with Seoyun – which barely qualified as a relationship at all – Jeongguk and Minchae seemed to have something real. Three years of anniversaries and family dinners and shared futures. The kind of relationship that Taehyung could never compete with, even if he'd wanted to.

His heart burned with the unfairness of it all as he walked down the corridor toward his next class. Why couldn't he have met Jeongguk first? Why couldn't he have been the one in those photos, wearing expensive clothes and celebrating milestones and being introduced to parents?

But even as the thoughts spiraled, Taehyung knew they were pointless. Even if Jeongguk had been single, even if there had been no Minchae, someone like Jeon Jeongguk would never seriously consider someone like Kim Taehyung. The anniversary photos had made that crystal clear – they existed in different worlds, and Taehyung was foolish to have ever thought otherwise.

Lost in his brooding, he barely registered the footsteps behind him until someone grabbed his arm and pulled him quickly toward the nearest door. Panic flared in his chest until he realized where he was being led – the campus news publishing room, empty except for a few desks and the lingering smell of coffee and printer ink.

"What–" he started to say, but the words died in his throat when he turned to see who had grabbed him.

Jeongguk stood in front of him, but this wasn't the confident, leather-jacketed figure who had been haunting Taehyung's dreams for weeks. This Jeongguk looked broken – red-rimmed eyes, disheveled hair, the kind of exhausted sadness that seemed to radiate from his entire body.

"Jeongguk?" Taehyung whispered, his carefully constructed walls crumbling at the sight of genuine distress. "What are you doing? Are you okay?"

The younger man opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again, his throat working as he struggled to find words. When he finally managed to voice something, it came out as barely more than a broken whisper.

"You've been ignoring me."

The simple statement hit Taehyung like a physical blow. There was so much pain in those four words, so much raw vulnerability that it made his chest ache with guilt and confusion.

"I..." Taehyung started, but before he could form a complete thought, Jeongguk stepped closer and pressed their lips together in a desperate, chaste kiss.

For a split second, Taehyung melted into it. For one perfect, terrible moment, he let himself forget about anniversary photos and expensive suits and all the reasons this was wrong. Because this – this was what he'd been missing. The warmth, the connection, the way everything else faded away when Jeongguk touched him.

But reality crashed back too quickly, bringing with it all his carefully reasoned arguments about why this needed to stop. With a surge of willpower he didn't know he possessed, Taehyung placed both hands on Jeongguk's chest and pushed him away.

"No," he said firmly, even though every cell in his body was screaming in protest. "We can't do this."

The hurt that flashed across Jeongguk's face was devastating. His eyes, already red from what looked like recent tears, filled with fresh moisture as he stared at Taehyung with complete bewilderment.

"Hyung," he whispered, and his voice cracked on the word. "You've been ignoring me for days. Did I do something wrong? Please, just tell me what I did wrong."

The desperation in his tone made Taehyung's resolve waver. This wasn't the reaction of someone who was just missing a convenient hookup – this looked like genuine heartbreak, the kind of raw emotion that suggested their stolen moments had meant something to Jeongguk too.

But before Taehyung could process this new information, before he could figure out what to say or how to respond, the sound of the door opening made them both jump apart.

"Taehyung!"

The familiar voice made Taehyung's heart sink even as relief flooded through him. He turned to see Namjoon standing in the doorway, his tall frame filling the entrance as he looked between them with mild curiosity.

"Hi," Namjoon continued, stepping into the room with his characteristic easy smile. "Good to see you both! Taehyung, I've been looking for you all week."

"Namjoon hyung," Taehyung managed, grateful for the interruption even as part of him wanted to scream at the timing. "What's up?"

"I need to talk to you about the university Coding competition next month," Namjoon explained, his dimples showing as he smiled. "Good thing I found you here – saves me from having to track you down later."

Taehyung's eyes darted to Jeongguk, who was standing frozen beside him, still looking like he might break down at any moment. The younger man's distress was so obvious, so heartbreaking, that Taehyung found himself reluctant to leave despite all his resolutions about maintaining distance.

What if this wasn't just about their physical relationship? What if something else was wrong? Jeongguk looked genuinely devastated, like he'd been crying for hours, and Taehyung couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than just being ignored for a few days.

"I actually have class in a few minutes," Taehyung said finally, his internal conflict making his voice sound strained. "Can we do this some other time?"

Namjoon's expression remained politely determined. "It'll only take a while. I just need to show you the overall itinerary for that day – I have everything laid out in the library."

Taehyung felt torn in completely opposite directions. Part of him – the part that had spent four days convincing himself that distance was the only solution – knew he should go with Namjoon, should use this interruption as an excuse to escape before his resolve crumbled completely.

But another part, the part that was looking at Jeongguk's broken expression and feeling his own heart crack in response, didn't want to leave. Not when the younger man looked like he was barely holding himself together. Not when there might be something seriously wrong that had nothing to do with their complicated relationship.

As if sensing his internal struggle, Jeongguk placed a gentle hand on Taehyung's thigh, the touch so careful and tentative that it made Taehyung's chest ache. When their eyes met, Jeongguk managed a sad smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"You should go, hyung," he said quietly. "This seems important."

The selflessness in that simple statement – putting Taehyung's obligations before his own obvious need for comfort – made Taehyung feel like the worst person in the world. Here was someone who was clearly struggling, clearly hurting, and still trying to do what was best for him.

Maybe if he didn't let his feelings get involved, if he could just be a friend, everything would be fine. Maybe he could find a way to care about Jeongguk without wanting more than he could have. Maybe he could learn to be satisfied with whatever pieces of himself Jeongguk was willing to share, even if it meant knowing he'd never be the priority.

At least he'd gotten to kiss him, even briefly. At least he'd had these few weeks of feeling wanted and cherished and special. That was more than he'd ever expected to have, wasn't it?

But even as he tried to convince himself, Taehyung knew he was lying. Because what he felt for Jeongguk wasn't the kind of surface-level attraction that could be satisfied with stolen moments. This was deeper, more consuming, the kind of feeling that demanded everything or nothing.

And what if it got more serious? What if these feelings continued to grow until they consumed every other aspect of his life? What if he became the kind of person who lived entirely for someone else's attention, who sacrificed his own dignity and self-respect for a few crumbs of affection?

The thought terrified him more than the idea of walking away.

"Okay," Taehyung said finally, standing up with movements that felt mechanical and disconnected from his actual desires. "Let's go."

Namjoon's phone rang just as they reached the door, and he stepped aside to answer it with an apologetic gesture. In the brief moment of privacy, Taehyung felt a warm hand settle on his lower back, and suddenly Jeongguk was standing close behind him.

Too close. Close enough that Taehyung could feel his body heat, could smell the familiar scent that had become synonymous with safety and want and terrible, beautiful confusion.

"Will you see me after this, please hyung?" Jeongguk whispered in his ear, his voice so low and rough that it sent shivers down Taehyung's spine. "I'll pick you up after your last class."

Taehyung closed his eyes, trying to summon the willpower that had gotten him through four days of ignored calls and deleted messages. "Jeongguk, you don't have to do that. I'll be out really late."

"It's fine," Jeongguk replied, his breath warm against Taehyung's ear. "Just find my car in the front parking lot, okay?"

The desperation underlying the request made it impossible to refuse. Whatever was wrong, whatever had put that broken look in Jeongguk's eyes, Taehyung couldn't bring himself to add to it by saying no.

"Okay," he whispered back, hating himself for the weakness even as relief flooded through him.

The hand on his back disappeared as Namjoon finished his call, and when Taehyung turned around, Jeongguk was standing at a respectable distance with careful space between them.

"Ready?" Namjoon asked, tucking his phone away.

"See you later," Jeongguk said, but his eyes were fixed on Taehyung's face with an intensity that made it hard to breathe.

"Bye," Taehyung managed, and followed Namjoon out of the room before he could change his mind.

But as they walked toward the library, as Namjoon chatted about bake sale logistics and volunteer schedules, all Taehyung could think about was the broken look in Jeongguk's eyes and the way his own carefully constructed walls had crumbled at the first sign of genuine need.

He was in so much deeper than he'd ever intended to be, and he had no idea how to find his way back to the surface.

Chapter Text

"So you and Jeongguk, huh?" Namjoon suddenly said, making Taehyung stop in his tracks.

What?!

"What?" Taehyung bit his lower lip nervously, his heart immediately jumping into overdrive. The older boy stopped walking too, turning to face him with an expression that was far too knowing for comfort.

Oh god. Did Namjoon see them? Oh no! This was finally happening – someone had witnessed their secret, and now everything was going to fall apart. The kiss! He definitely saw the kiss–

"I meant that you guys are pretty close friends now."

Oh.

Taehyung felt his shoulders sag with relief, but his heart was still hammering against his ribs. That was close. Too close.

"Oh... y-yeah we are," he managed, and they started walking again. He kept his head down, thoughts buzzing frantically in every direction like startled bees.

It's fine, he told himself. Namjoon didn't see anything compromising. They were just friends talking about being friends. Nothing suspicious about that.

"So how is it like kissing him?"

He fucking saw.

Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut and let out a long, defeated sigh. Damn it. There was no point in pretending anymore – Namjoon had clearly witnessed everything, and lying would only make things worse.

With a deep breath, he looked up to face his hyung, who was trying unsuccessfully to hide his laughter. They were standing outside the main building for the art block now, where their club room was located. The air was still cold from the early morning rain, carrying the scent of wet pavement and something that felt like impending disaster.

"Hyung, it's not like that... we're just..." He trailed off, his face heating up with embarrassment and confusion. Fuck, what exactly was his relationship with Jeongguk? Friends who occasionally hooked up? Fuck buddies? Secret lovers? The uncertainty made him blush even harder, his eyes widening at the implications of any of those labels.

But Namjoon just shook his head and chuckled softly. "It's fine. I understand, and I won't tell anyone." His voice was honest, reassuring in the way that made Taehyung immediately trust the promise. He knew Namjoon well enough to know that the older boy would keep his word.

"Did–did you actually see us... uh... k-kiss?" Taehyung stuttered, though the smirk on Namjoon's face already provided the answer.

Taehyung rolled his eyes. "So... that's it?" They started walking again, heading toward the building. "You're not going to ask me anything else? You saw us kiss and you're being awfully calm about it."

They stopped right outside the giant doors of the building, and Namjoon bounced his shoulders once, making a thoughtful face. "Well... let's just say I've noticed some things between the two of you."

"What?!" Taehyung screamed, causing several passing students to give him strange looks. "What do you mean you've noticed us?" He lowered his voice, mortification creeping up his neck.

"I don't know, it's just the way you guys act around each other," Namjoon explained with the casual tone of someone discussing the weather. "Nothing friendly about it..."

Taehyung started to blush furiously. He couldn't believe he was actually hearing these words right now. Had he and Jeongguk really been that obvious? Had everyone been watching them, picking up on the tension and the stolen glances and the way they gravitated toward each other?

"...and then a few days back at the local market, he beat up those guys just to save you–"

"Woah, woah wait. You saw that?"

Namjoon sighed. "Taehyung, everyone knows about that. Word travels quite fast around here. And are you forgetting who I am? I'm the head of the newspaper club, so of course I have to stay updated on the latest news."

"That's not news," Taehyung scoffed. "It's gossip."

"Anyway," Namjoon pressed, "for as long as I've known Jeongguk, he's never been one to raise his fist. But he didn't think twice before beating the shit out of those guys."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Jeongguk hates violence."

Taehyung started to think, his mind racing back to that night at the market. Jeongguk didn't fight? But it had looked like he was a professional at it, moving with a confidence and skill that suggested experience. More importantly, he'd beaten up those guys despite hating violence...

Because of me?

The thought made something warm and terrifying unfurl in his chest. Namjoon leaned against the outside wall of the library, calmly watching Taehyung internally freak out. The older boy looked like he was about to say something, but then Taehyung spoke up first.

"Hyung, is it really messed up that Jeongguk and I have this sort of relationship?" His voice was low and sounded utterly drained. He could feel a headache starting to build behind his temples, the familiar pressure of too much stress and too little sleep.

If Namjoon had found out about them, it would only be a matter of time before other people did too. Other people like Seoyun and Minchae. This was getting really complicated, spiraling beyond his ability to control or contain.

Namjoon moved closer and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Look, I didn't tell you all this just to make you feel guilty or bad about what you have with Jeongguk..." He looked away momentarily, then met Taehyung's eyes again. It seemed like it was hard for him to continue with what he was about to say. "...it's just, you have to be careful."

"Careful? Of what?"

The older boy pulled back his hand and tucked it into his jacket pocket. His eyes gazed out onto the yard in front of the library where they were standing. "If you two are just fooling around with each other then that's fine– well, it's not fine but it's better that way, than..." He sighed, not finishing the sentence.

Taehyung went to stand beside him. "Than what?"

"Than having feelings for each other."

Oh shit. Taehyung was left speechless, his heart sinking like a stone in his chest. That was exactly what he was doing – catching feelings for Jeongguk, deep and dangerous feelings that made everything else in his life seem secondary. It made him wonder if Jeongguk felt the same way, though the rational part of his mind immediately supplied the answer.

Probably not.

Disappointment flooded through him at that thought, and he didn't realize that Namjoon had been staring at him with narrowed eyes, like he was trying to figure something out. Then the older boy's eyes widened and he gasped.

"You like him, don't you?"

Taehyung was about to argue back but stopped himself, shamefully lowering his head instead. What was the point of lying? Especially to Namjoon, who was currently doing his Master's in Psychology and was an expert at reading people. Taehyung could never successfully lie to him.

Namjoon moved his gaze away from Taehyung, back to the yard in front of them where students were walking by, minding their own business. The tall boy had always loved observing people from afar, and Taehyung could feel him processing this new information.

"Like I said, Taehyung. You need to be careful."

Taehyung hated everything right now. It felt like there was a giant, insurmountable obstacle between him and any possibility of happiness with Jeongguk. And he hated hearing Namjoon telling him to be careful, even though he knew his hyung's words were the truth.

But there was still one thing he didn't understand.

"Why do you keep telling me to be careful?" He faced the older boy, who was still gazing out at the passing students.

Namjoon sighed and finally returned his gaze. "Okay, you know who Minchae is, right?"

Taehyung wanted to roll his eyes at the mention of her name but didn't. He nodded, and then Namjoon continued.

"How do I say this?" Namjoon looked up, thinking. "Jeongguk and Minchae are married."

"What?!" Taehyung shouted, not caring that he was being loud.

"No! They're not actually married," Namjoon quickly said, waving his hands to calm him down. "Sorry, that came out wrong. What I meant was, even though they're only dating right now, they are equal to a married couple."

Taehyung did not like the sound of that at all. "And why is that?" he demanded, trying to act cool but failing miserably.

"Because both their families are very close and have known each other for a very long time. Jeongguk and Minchae have known each other since their diaper days. Their parents were already planning their engagement party when they were five." Namjoon shook his head sadly. "In such a way, it's like they're meant to be together."

Taehyung felt like someone had slapped him across the face. "R-Really?"

"Yes, Taehyung." Namjoon pressed his point. "It's practically an arranged marriage disguised as a love story."

"How do you know all this?"

"Word gets around. There's also a lot of mention about the future marriage on Minchae's Instagram page."

"But–" Taehyung didn't know what he was going to say, but he felt obligated to prove Namjoon wrong, to find some crack in this seemingly perfect foundation.

"Taehyung, there's really no point in thinking too much about this." Namjoon sighed and then delivered the final blow: "They will never break up."

Now Taehyung was completely deflated, all the fight draining out of him. Everything just sucked! How could he ever fit into Jeongguk's rich and lavish lifestyle? Especially now that he knew about the deep family connections between Jeongguk and Minchae, he was confident that he had no chance.

No chance at all.

Taehyung stared out into the yard, feeling a familiar hand on his shoulder. "Look, I know this must suck a lot for you, but it's better to not get in between Jeongguk and Minchae."

It felt like something heavy was pressing down on him, something that was crushing him, making him feel small and worthless and completely insignificant.

"I can't help the way I feel, hyung," he whispered, but Namjoon still heard it.

"It's tough. But you need to do the right thing."

They spent the next five minutes in silence, just standing next to each other and staring at the students that passed them by. The weather was cold and it looked like it might rain again. Luckily, Taehyung had chosen to wear his black hoodie today.

He was halfway through a heated internal debate about whether he should come clean and tell Seoyun the truth, when an elbow nudged his side.

He turned to Namjoon, who gestured to someone standing in the yard. "Speaking of the devil."

And there was Minchae, standing near two other girls in her red high heels. She wore a really short lilac dress that reached above her knees. It was so cold today, why the fuck was she wearing something that short?

She giggled in that high-pitched tone that made Taehyung clench his fists by his sides. As usual, a striking lipstick color painted her thin lips, and she looked every inch the perfect girlfriend for someone like Jeongguk.

At this point, there might as well have been smoke coming out of his ears. The mere sight of that girl infuriated him, and that's when he knew he was in deep trouble.

He wasn't supposed to be jealous of Jeongguk's girlfriend. If he was jealous, that meant he really did like Jeongguk – and Taehyung should not be falling for him. Not now! Not ever! He had to get out of this before things got even worse.

With heated determination firing up his confidence, Taehyung grabbed his backpack and prepared to walk away. He needed to get on with his life and not dwell on feelings he wasn't allowed to have.

"Where you headed?" Namjoon watched the younger boy prepare to leave.

"My next class. I'm already ten minutes late." He started walking away.

The tall boy shouted from behind him. "Wait! I still need to talk to you about your task for the bake sale!"

Taehyung didn't spare a glance back as he shouted, "Later!" He was seriously late for his next class.

As he half-walked, half-ran to the building where his psychology classes were held, Taehyung thought long and hard about everything Namjoon had told him.

It was simple, really.

Later, when he met up with Jeongguk, he was going to tell him. He was going to tell Jeongguk that they had to stop fooling around like this. Namjoon was right – it was getting too complicated, too dangerous, too likely to end in heartbreak for everyone involved.

It was the best thing to do. The only thing to do.

Even if it felt like it might kill him.

__________________

Ahem! Do you think he would be able to do so? 👀🌚

Chapter Text

When Taehyung's last class finally ended, he slipped out through the back exit of the psychology building, avoiding the main corridors where he might run into anyone he knew. His head was pounding with a mixture of exhaustion and emotional overload, every thought feeling like it was wrapped in barbed wire.

The worst part was that Jeongguk wasn't really hurting him knowingly. It wasn't like the younger man was hiding his relationship, everyone knew about Minchae. Hell, even Taehyung had a girlfriend, so who was he to judge?
Everything was just so impossibly messed up, layers of deception and half-truths that had somehow become his entire life.

It would have been so much easier if he was only physically attracted to Jeongguk. If it was just about the leather jacket and the motorcycle and the way those dark eyes could make him forget his own name. Physical attraction he could handle, could compartmentalize, could walk away from when it became inconvenient.

But Jeongguk was so much more than that. He was considerate and thoughtful, always remembering little things that Taehyung mentioned in passing. He listened when Taehyung rambled about books and bears and stupid documentary facts. He cooked elaborate dinners just to see Taehyung smile. He researched job opportunities because he cared about Taehyung's future.

How could anyone not like someone like that?

And today, that broken look on Jeongguk's face... Every time Taehyung remembered those red-rimmed eyes, his heart clenched with a pain that felt physical. The younger man had looked so lost, so genuinely devastated by Taehyung's avoidance. Like he was drowning and Taehyung was the only life raft in sight.

Could he really abandon him? Could he really walk away from someone who clearly needed him, who had looked at him with such desperate vulnerability?

But at the same time, could he keep living this lie? Could he keep pretending that stolen moments were enough when every kiss made him want more, made him hope for things that were never going to happen?

His internal debate raged as he walked across campus, his feet carrying him toward the front parking lot almost without conscious decision. He would go see Jeongguk, he decided. He would ask what was bothering him, offer whatever comfort he could, and then... then he would explain that whatever this was between them had to stop.

It was the right thing to do. For both of them.

The parking lot was mostly empty when he arrived, just a few scattered cars and the maintenance crew collecting trash. But there, leaning against a sleek black sedan that definitely hadn't been there that morning, was Jeongguk.

The younger man was staring down at his phone, and even from a distance, Taehyung could see the tension in his shoulders, the way he held himself like he was trying not to fall apart. He looked empty, hollowed out, like someone had scooped away everything that made him Jeongguk and left only the shell behind.

Taehyung approached slowly, his footsteps echoing in the quiet evening air. When Jeongguk looked up and saw him coming, his entire face transformed. The emptiness was replaced by something so bright and relieved that it made Taehyung's chest ache.

Fuck. the raven-head looked so vulnerable, how can Taehyung even think of not coming? He slapped himself a couple of times in his head for that.

"You came, hyung," Jeongguk said, and there was so much gratitude in those three words that Taehyung almost broke right there.

"I said I would," Taehyung replied quietly, though they both knew he'd been tempted to run.

Jeongguk unlocked the car with shaking fingers, and they both got in without speaking. The interior was all black leather and expensive technology, the kind of car that cost more than Taehyung's family made in a month.

But above all that, there was something else in the air. It mixed with the cool air-conditioned air and invaded the brunet's nose, making him sigh contently. It was a musky- no aftershave, wait- It was a 'Jeongguk scent'.

Taehyung was pretty sure he just made that up but it was the only way to describe the beautiful -eyes fluttering shut- scent. Jeongguk was truly something.

They sat in silence for several long minutes, both staring straight ahead through the windshield. The tension in the small space was suffocating, heavy with all the things they weren't saying.

Finally, Taehyung couldn't stand it anymore.

"Jeongguk," he said softly, turning in his seat to face the younger man. "What's wrong? You looked.... I'm worried..."

Jeongguk's hands tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles going white. For a moment, Taehyung thought he wasn't going to answer. Then, slowly, he turned to meet Taehyung's gaze, and the pain in his eyes was devastating.

"You really want to know?" he said, his voice already starting to crack. "My family's drowning, hyung. My dad's company is under investigation, papers, media, investors pulling out. And do you know what their solution is?"

He looked at Taehyung with hollow eyes that seemed to contain all the world's exhaustion.

"Tie me tighter to Minchae. Parade me around with her so everyone believes the Jeons still have everything under control."

Taehyung froze, his breath catching in his throat. This wasn't what he'd expected to hear. He'd thought... he'd thought maybe Jeongguk was upset about their situation, about the complications of whatever was happening between them. He hadn't imagined something like this.

Jeongguk's laugh came again, sharper this time, brittle with bitterness. "They don't care about me. They don't care that I can't stand pretending anymore. As long as I stand beside her and smile, I'm useful. A pretty puppet for their reputation."

His voice broke then, raw and jagged with pain. "And when you started ignoring me, it felt like I had nothing left. Do you get it? At home I'm a pawn, at school I'm a rumor, and now even you-"

His words caught in his throat, his chest heaving with the effort of breathing around his pain.

"I feel like you want to leave me as well, hyung..."

Taehyung felt tears gathering in his own eyes, hot and unexpected. This whole time, while he'd been feeling sorry for himself, while he'd been nursing his hurt feelings about anniversary photos and expensive suits, Jeongguk had been dealing with this. His family was falling apart, his future was being decided without his input, and he was being used as a prop in someone else's desperate play for respectability.

And Taehyung had abandoned him. Had decided that his own hurt feelings were more important than being there for someone who clearly needed him.

"I'm sorry," Taehyung whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears. "I'm so sorry, Jeongguk...."

Jeongguk stared at him, something flickering in his dark eyes. "Why are you apologizing Hyung,... you never have to do that... please..."

The silence that followed was deafening. Maybe honesty was what they both needed.

Taehyung needed Jeonggukk. He would be there for him. Whatever they had, whatever it was, it was something for him...

Jeongguk cannot go through this alone. Not when he was here. All his life he has been doing things that people expect him to do. Never took any bold decision. A sudden realisation hit him.

Fuck. Jeongguk made him brave.

He decided not to judge and put a 'rich kid' label on Jeongguk. The raven-head had treated him nicely up to now, so why must Taehyung ruin it by letting his feelings get to him? Who cares if Jeongguk had another life that the brunet was a stranger to. He got to see and kiss the raven-head all the time.

What they had was enough.

"I won't leave you," Taehyung said firmly, reaching across the center console to take Jeongguk's hand. "Not when you're going through this. I don't care how complicated it gets, you don't have to face this alone."

Something in Jeongguk's expression cracked, and suddenly tears were streaming down his face. Not the careful, controlled crying of someone trying to maintain dignity, but the raw, desperate sobs of someone who had been holding everything inside for too long.

Taehyung could not undo his seatbelt but still awkwardly leaned across the console, pulling Jeongguk into an awkward but fierce embrace. The younger man buried his face in Taehyung's shoulder and cried like his heart was breaking, his whole body shaking with the force of his grief.

"It's okay," Taehyung murmured, running his fingers through Jeongguk's hair. "Let it out. I've got you."

They stayed like that for a long time, Jeongguk crying while Taehyung held him and whispered meaningless comforts. Eventually, the sobs subsided into quiet hiccups, but neither of them moved to pull away.

"I feel like such a mess," Jeongguk mumbled against Taehyung's shoulder.

"You're not a mess," Taehyung said firmly. "You're dealing with an impossible situation. Anyone would be overwhelmed."

suddenly, Taehyung remembered something!

"Oh, that reminds me – I have a story that might cheer you up. I was reading at the café yesterday, and there was this article about a man who tried to rob a bank with a banana."

"A banana?" Jeongguk asked, genuine curiosity replacing some of the sadness in his eyes.

"Yeah, he wrapped it in a plastic bag and told the teller it was a gun. But halfway through the robbery, he got hungry and ate the evidence."

Despite everything, Jeongguk laughed. It was a small, watery sound, but it was real. "That's the dumbest criminal I've ever heard of."

"Right? The police found him at a bus stop, complaining about stomach problems."

"You're making that up," Jeongguk accused, but he was still smiling slightly.

"I swear I'm not. It was in the local news section. I took a picture because I knew you'd find it ridiculous."

Jeongguk was looking at him with that soft, wondering expression again. "You took a picture for me?"

"I take pictures of a lot of things for you," Taehyung admitted, feeling heat rise in his cheeks. "Weird news stories, dogs I see on campus, interesting cloud formations. I'm always thinking about what you'd find funny or beautiful."

Something shifted in Jeongguk's expression, something intense and grateful and maybe a little desperate. Before Taehyung could process what was happening, strong hands were cupping his face and pulling him forward.

Their lips met in a kiss that tasted like salt and promises, desperate and gentle at the same time. It was different from their other kisses, less urgent, more emotional, like they were trying to communicate everything they couldn't say out loud.

________________
to be continued!!!

Chapter Text

After a deep kiss, Jeongguk moved away a little.

'Why did he stop?'

Then Jeongguk gave Taehyung a familiar look. It was the same look he'd given the brunet when they were on the couch that day, right before Jeongguk kissed him. The tension between them was strong and intoxicating as they both simultaneously leaned towards each other.

"You'll never leave me?" The raven-head whispered his breath fanning over the brunet's lips. Taehyung's eyes were glued to the younger boy's red lips. But he still heard what the boy asked and nodded, answering the question.

And then slowly, nothing more was said as their lips connected. It was new and familiar at the same time. Every time they kissed, under any circumstance, there was always that thing that lingered in the air. The thing was how much they cared for each other and it showed through the kiss.

The brunet's hands found their way to the younger boy's dark hair, tangling his fingers in them. He felt Jeongguk bite down on his lower lip, making him grip the boy's hair harder. The raven-head tensed momentarily at that.

It was getting heated fast. The raven-head had pushed his tongue into the older boy's mouth. Both their tongues touched, with the contact from the swirling just made the brunet's toes curl. He started to feel the butterflies wake up from their slumber in his stomach.

Jeongguk's one hand was moving up and down the other boy's thigh while his other hand cupped the back of Taehyung's neck, keeping their heads leveled with each other.

The older boy had to moan out when he felt the raven-head's warm tongue do wonders inside his mouth. However the sound came out muffled but it was still acknowledge by the younger boy. He really wanted to hear Taehyung moan so he pulled away and started leaving kisses down the boy's neck.

The raven-head sucked on one particular spot, right below the boy's right ear, making Taehyung whimper.

"Jeongguk..." His wrecked voice came out.

The said boy smirked to himself. "I love hearing your voice like that." Then he licked over the brunet's skin.

They were both fighting to get closer to each other but Taehyung still had his seat belt on. So Jeongguk unbuckled the older boy's seat belt. Once it was out of the way, the younger boy placed his hands under Taehyung's thigh, gesturing for him to get on his lap.

And that's exactly what the brunet did. He hurriedly and clumsily climbed over the gear stick and got onto the Jeongguk's lap. Soon, he was straddling the raven-head, his back inches away from the steering wheel. Their lips met again in a short kiss before Jeongguk was kissing down on the older boy's neck again, daringly leaving red hickeys all the way.

Taehyung didn't mind. He wanted the bruises to be there forever. He felt the younger boy's hands move under his hoodie, warming up his body. His heart was beating out of control now.

"I can't get enough of you." Jeongguk voice rasped as he brought his wet lips to Taehyung's right jaw.

The brunet with his eyes closed shut, hummed in response. There were too many things happening at once, he didn't know where to bring his attention to. Also, his dick was starting to feel uncomfortable now.

Oh boy.

"You know what happened the other night at your apartment?" Jeongguk continued to say, now kissing the side of the brunet's mouth. "I still think about it to this day..."

Their lips met again. Then the younger boy licked Taehyung's lower lip and pulled away, looking straight into the older boy's eyes. "...the way you looked while I was kissing you...."

The older boy's eyes widened, his heart accelerating into a whole new level.

Jeongguk brushed his lips against Taehyung's flushed cheek and made his way to the boy's striking red ear. "...the way you kept moaning my name." The brunet's pants quickened as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

That was it.

Taehyung couldn't handle the dirty talk anymore.

"J-Jeongguk..." He breathlessly said. He didn't know what he was going to say. He just needed- Damn it, he needed-

Fuck, I'm hard.

Taehyung was just about to rub his crotch against Jeongguk's shamelessly when he felt the raven-head's lips leave his neck. Why did he move back? Through Taehyung's hazy daze, he could see Jeongguk sit back in his seat, his tattooed hands were resting on either side of the brunet's thighs. It looked like the younger boy wanted to say something.

"Are you gonna keep working at that cafe?" The raven-head suddenly asked.

'Huh? Why that now!'

"I guess so... why?"

He sighed and shrugged. "Nothing, it's just... I hate seeing you overwork yourself like this."

It was considerate of Jeongguk to think that, but- "I don't really have a choice."

There was a moment of silence before the raven-head gave Taehyung a very intense look. "Why not?"

He felt a pinch in his heart. "Jeongguk I-"

"It's your parents right? You feel guilty?" Jeongguk stared at the brunet but Taehyung looked away, focusing on the road outside instead.

It wasn't that he didn't want to tell Jeongguk. It's just he didn't know how to and the moment just didn't feel right. He felt a hand run through the hair at the back of his head in a comforting way. He turned to the boy next to him.

"You don't have to tell me anything Hyung..." The raven-head cupped the back of Taehyung's neck also pulling him closer. "It's just... I can tell you're bothered by it and I wanna be there to help you."

Taehyung with his eyes now glassy and filled with emotion only stared at the boy in the driver's seat feeling his heart pump faster.

The younger boy brought his face closer, his hand that was at the back of Taehyung's neck now moved to cup his cheek. "You know you can tell me anything right?" He searched the brunet's eyes for any response.

So many things crossed his mind but he just couldn't form a simple sentence to reply the boy. Instead Taehyung just nodded, his eyes were threatening to spill the tears he was holding in. He just hadn't experience the concern and care from another person like this. Jeongguk looked dead serious and completely genuine about wanting to help him through his problem.

He only realized his tears had fallen when Jeongguk's thumb stroked his cheek, wiping away a stray tear. "Hyung... it's okay."

They immediately hugged. It was a much delayed hug. Why didn't they hug a lot? It was the best feeling in the world. Taehyung nuzzled his face into the side of Jeongguk's neck, breathing in his scent at the same time. His eyes were shut when he felt the the raven-head's body vibrate. He was saying something.

They pulled away a little, but still had an immense amount of proximity between them. "What?" The brunet voiced out not hearing what Jeongguk said.

"I said I feel like I'm the hyung here."

A small laugh came out of the brunet's mouth as he sniffled. "Are-are you saying that you're more mature than me?"

Jeongguk looked up pretending like he was thinking. "Maybe."

Then his eyes moved up to Taehyung's and his hand cupped the older boy's cheek.

"You're beautiful."

And then without a second to waste, the raven-head's hand moved to the back of the brunet's neck and pulled his head forward, causing their lips to crash together for the hundredth time.

The kiss was long and passionate with Taehyung's slim body moving against Jeongguk's built one. It didn't take much time for the younger boy to start grinding against Taehyung. It was getting steamy now.

Wet, sloppy kisses were passed to each other as Jeongguk's strong hands roamed the other boy's body. Their crotches coming in contact through their jeans, every once in a while rubbing that right spot that made one of them go:

"Fuck, Hyung..." Jeongguk breathlessly said as their body moved in one rhythm.

With his eyes shut, Taehyung tried to concentrate on the kiss and not on the things happening... downstairs. It was indescribable, really. This feeling.

Taehyung let his head fall back as he felt Jeongguk's lips assault his neck again. His hands gripped the younger boy's shoulder harder when the raven-head's teeth nipped on his skin lightly.

"Jeongguk..." His eyes closed tighter feeling that pain somehow morph into a wonderful pleasure.

It was when their clothed cocks rubbed against each other at the right spot again that made Taehyung's eyes shoot open as he fell forward, his chest pressing against Jeongguk's clothed one.

The older boy was panting roughly as he rested his chin on the younger boy's shoulder, taking a few seconds to recollect himself. He could feel Jeongguk leaving soft kisses to his bare shoulder that was exposed right in front of him. Taehyung was completely wrecked now.

As the raven-head was pecking the brunet's skin with his red lips, Taehyung got a view of the backseat to Jeongguk's car. He had never really had a reason to take a look at the backseat because he always sat in front with Jeongguk.

But now...

The brunet was left frozen to his core as his eyes stayed open, focusing on something that rested on the seat. His grip on Jeongguk's shoulder loosened as he felt a little piece of his heart break. What he was currently looking at...

A familiar lilac dress-

Minchae's fucking lilac dress. The one she wore earlier. Taehyung was sure it was her dress that he was looking at.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Even though Jeongguk's kisses were there, the brown-haired boy couldn't stop now. His brain went into overdrive thinking how the fuck could Minchae's dress be here? There was only one logical explanation but Taehyung refused to believe it.

No. Taehyung made a promise. He wasn't going to leave Jeongguk. He agreed that it didn't matter if he got hurt along the way.

So why did seeing Minchae's dress drive him crazy?

It's because of his obvious feelings towards the raven-head. But Jeongguk was with Minchae and he would- could never return Taehyung's feelings.

And then Namjoon's words entered the brunet's head, hauntingly.

"They will never break up."
_______________

Hi guys! i feel like i'm writing too much of steamy scenes! is it not going with the plot? leeme know what you think??

Also, you guys are not commenting and giving kudos!! are you guys not enjoying it? :(

Chapter Text

Everything had changed between them after that night in the car.

Not in the obvious ways, they still met in secret, still stole moments between classes and after Taehyung's shifts at the café. But there was a different quality to their interactions now, something both more desperate and more tender. Now that Taehyung had accepted that Jeongguk could never truly be his, he found himself determined to savor every second they had together, till he can. Everyone has their limit.

Every touch felt precious, every laugh like something to be memorized and stored away for the inevitable time when this would all be just a memory. He found himself studying Jeongguk's face during quiet moments, trying to capture the exact shade of his eyes in different light, the way his mouth curved when he was amused, the little crease that appeared between his brows when he was thinking.

And Jeongguk... God, Jeongguk was so hot it was almost criminal.

It wasn't just the leather jacket or the motorcycle or the way he could make a simple white t-shirt look like high fashion. It was the confidence that seemed to radiate from him, the way he moved through the world like he owned it, the intensity in his dark eyes when he looked at Taehyung like he was the only person in the room.

But what really undid Taehyung, what made his knees weak and his heart race, was the way Jeongguk had started calling him "baby" when they were making out.

The first time it happened, Taehyung had frozen completely, sure he'd misheard. They'd been in one of their usual secluded spots, a quiet corner behind the library where no one ever went, and Jeongguk had him pressed against the brick wall, lips trailing hot kisses down his neck.

"You taste so good, baby," Jeongguk had whispered against his throat, and the endearment had shot straight through Taehyung like electricity.

'baby? what??'

The thing was, Taehyung did like it. He liked it so much it was embarrassing, the way the pet name made him feel claimed and cherished and completely overwhelmed all at once. But it also confused him, what did it mean when someone who could never really be yours called you baby like you belonged to them?

"I..." Taehyung had started, then given up on words entirely and pulled Jeongguk back down for another kiss.

Because as much as he loved hearing it, he knew it was temporary. These stolen moments, these whispered endearments, they existed in a bubble that would eventually burst. But for now, for as long as it lasted, he was going to enjoy every second of being Jeongguk's baby, even if it was only in secret.

The thought was interrupted by his phone buzzing insistently on the counter. Taehyung glanced at the screen and felt his stomach drop.

It was his mother.

They had not spoken to each other since the argument the other day. Yeah, the one where his mother asked her to return because his father was struggling and he refused. The very reason why he had to start working... well, you know the rest.

The phone didn't stop ringing and knowing his mother, Taehyung was sure she wasn't going to stop calling until he answered.

So with a deep breath, his finger tapped on the 'answer' button and he place the phone near his ear.

"Hello?"

"Taehyung... darling? How are you?" His mother's usual loud demanding voice was soft making the brunet feel guilty about the things he said the last time.

"I-I'm fine, mom."

His eyebrows scrunched together, wondering what could she possibly want. As much as he'd like to think his mother called him just to check on him without any ulterior motive, he couldn't. Because, she always called with a specific intention.

"Your father and I really miss you." She suddenly said.

The brunet's free hand ran through his hair once as he thought of a reply. He wasn't the type to show his affection towards his parents. So-

"I... I miss you guys too?"

He cringed. But the brunet also took this opportunity to say 'sorry'.

"A-And I'm sorry about the things.... the last time we talked.... I care about you guys...." He quickly mumbled. He just had to get the apology out there. The brunet couldn't stand being in bad terms with his own parents.

There was a faint chuckle through the phone. "It's okay darling."

A wave of relief washed over him as he found himself smiling a little. For the first time in a long time, it actually felt nice to talk to his mother without it turning into a scream fest.

He heard his mother clear her throat over the line. "Taehyung, why don't you visit us next weekend? We could have dinner together as a family. It'll be like the old times."

His smile slowly fell. Dinner? He thought about it for a moment. Okay, why were his parents suddenly so cool with everything? Weren't they supposed to be mad at him? Just last week they wanted him to go back home and help his father at the farm.

Taehyung's father was not a mere farmer who worked in the field. He actually owned the farm, and has employed many people to work in the field. Also, he enters into delivery arrangement with various fruit selling vendors and organisations and send them the required amount in the due date. It is a seasonal occupation kinda, because when it rains too much, the quantity of fruits gets decreased. and offcourse it affects the farm and its business.

The brown-haired boy had no interest in farm whatsoever. So just the thought of joining hands with his father, was totally out of question.

"Mom... why do you suddenly want to have me over for dinner?"

He heard her sigh. "Darling look, I'm not going to lie to you so I'll just say it..." Taehyung pressed the phone closer to his ear, anticipating what she was going to say this time. "...we think you should give the idea of helping your father a second chance-"

"I knew it!" He yelled a little too loud.

Taehyung lowered his tone. "Mom, I already told you no. Why do you keep on insisting that I-"

"Okay wait! I know that you have your heart set on being a writer. I know that but even you know that it really isn't an occupation with a guaranteed successful future-"

He rolled his eyes. "Mom-"

"No just listen to me first." Her voice sounded strained and it was hard for her to stress her point through a phone call. This type of thing should be done face to face. But he could hear the frustration in her voice.

She was frustrated because of him.

The brunet sighed feeling bad for making her feel this way. "Okay, I'm sorry. Go on." He decided to just hear his mother out for once instead of yelling back at everything she said to him.

"Thank you. Now I know that it's hard for you to give up on something that you're passionate about. And the last time we talked, I should have been more considerate towards your feelings and I'm sorry..." Her voice sounded really soft and Taehyung was now feeling a hundred times worse.

"...but you have to understand that as your parents, your dad and I don't want to see you suffer in the future. We're not telling you drop everything you have there and come back home. Just come for this dinner, okay?"

Taehyung continued to stay silent. He really had no words. His parents weren't forcing him to do anything. It was just dinner. Yeah, that didn't sound so scary.

It's just having a meal with my family.

"Taehyung?" His mother's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm here."

"Can you just come home for dinner first? Don't think too much about anything. We'll talk more about it when you get here, yeah?" There was so much concern and love in her voice. Taehyung just couldn't believe how different his mother sounded from the last time they saw each other.

"Fine."

He had lost this battle. His parents were compromising so much just to get him to come home and if they really claimed they cared about Taehyung then the brunet owed it to them to hear them out; to give them a chance. Someone had to give in.

"Oh darling! I'm so happy to hear that. Your dad will be thrilled. I'll even make your favorite dish. How does that sound?" Taehyung could hear her smile through her voice.

She was happy.

The brown-haired boy was about to speak but then something occurred to him. He was going back to his hometown. Alone. What if he ended up quarreling with his parents again? He needed emotional support. He definitely could not survive being there all on his own.

Immediately, he had an idea.

He cleared his throat through the phone. "Mom?"

"Yes Taehyung?"

With a deep breath, he spoke. "I'll come to dinner but on one condition..."

"What is it darling?"

He braced himself before finally saying it.

"Jimin has to come too?"

The line went silent. For a moment, Taehyung thought his mother had hung up on him. It was a general fact that Taehyung's parents, well his mother mostly wasn't too favorable over Jimin. She just claimed that Jimin was a little to loud to be Taehyung's friend, whatever that meant.

"Mom? Are you there?"

"Oh yes! Yes, I'm here." It sounded like she had just been snapped out of her thoughts. Did she really have to think that deeply just to decide whether or not Jimin could come?

"So? Can Jimin come to dinner?"

She sighed. "Yeah sure, why not." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. This must be killing her right now but it couldn't be helped.

This was Taehyung's decision and he needed Jimin to be there because if he had another fight with his parents he was probably going to do something stupid. Yeah, so Jimin's presence was vital in this situation. And if Taehyung's mother really cared about him, she'll be okay with this.

"Okay mom. I guess I'll see you next weekend then." He glanced to his watch to see that the rehearsal was over. Jimin would probably be looking for him. He had to go.

"Yes. I'll see you then Taehyung."

"Well, I've gotta go now. Bye mom." He turned around and started walking into the theater hall.

"Bye darling. I love you."

"Love you too, mom."

And he ended the call. Taehyung exhaled deeply. That phone call didn't go so bad. He placed the phone back into his back jeans pocket.

***

The café was busier than usual for a weeknight, filled with students cramming for exams and couples sharing desserts in the cozy reading nooks.

Around nine o'clock, just as the evening crowd was starting to thin out, the bell above the door chimed and Jimin walked in. He looked unusually excited, practically bouncing on his toes as he approached the counter.

"Taehyung!" he called out, waving enthusiastically. "Perfect timing, I was hoping to catch you before closing."

‘Duh. It closes after 10:30! And catch you? I live with him!’

"What's up?" Taehyung rolled his eyes at his dramatic roommate.

"So, you know how I've been talking about that drive-in movie theatre that opened up outside the city?" Jimin said, his words coming out in a rush. "Well, I managed to get tickets for tomorrow night's showing, and I have extras!"

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "Drive-in movie? Since when are you interested in that?"

"Since I heard a certain café manager mentioning he'd never been to one," Jimin said with a meaningful look toward Yoongi, who was pretending not to listen while reorganizing the same shelf he'd already fixed twice.

Understanding dawned on Taehyung's face.' Oh yoongi-hyung...'

"I'm asking if he wants to join a group of friends for a fun evening of cinematic entertainment under the stars," Jimin replied with exaggerated dignity. Then, dropping the act, he added, "Okay, yes, can we please go."

"What do you say, hyung?" Taehyung called to Yoongi. "Want to experience the magic of movies under the stars?"

Yoongi looked up from his reorganizing, his expression carefully neutral, but Taehyung caught the slight flush in his cheeks. "What's playing?"

"Some classic romance from the eighties," Jimin answered eagerly. "The reviews say it's either brilliantly romantic or hilariously cheesy, depending on your perspective."

"Sounds terrible," Yoongi said, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "Count me in."

Jimin's face lit up like Christmas morning. "Really? Great! I mean, cool, whatever. It'll be fun having the group together."

"Group?" Taehyung asked.

"Well, me, you, Yoongi hyung, and I have one extra ticket," Jimin explained. "I was thinking you could invite someone. Maybe Hoseok? Or Yeonjun?"

Taehyung considered for a moment, his mind automatically going to Jeongguk before he remembered that inviting his secret whatever, they-were to a group outing was probably not the wisest choice. Especially not when that group included his best friend, who was far too observant for his own good.

"Actually," he said slowly, "I think I should invite Seoyun."

The words felt strange coming out of his mouth, but as soon as he said them, he knew it was the right choice. He'd been neglecting his relationship with her, using her as a comfortable excuse while his heart was entirely elsewhere. The least he could do was make an effort to be the friend she deserved, even if he couldn't be the boyfriend she wanted.

"Seoyun?" Jimin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "When's the last time you two actually hung out?"

"Too long," Taehyung admitted, feeling a familiar pang of guilt. "I've been a terrible boyfriend lately. This could be a good chance to spend some quality time together."

" Yeah whatever..." Jimin rolled his eyes.

It was the right thing to do, he told himself. Seoyun deserved his attention, deserved to feel valued and appreciated. And maybe spending time with her in a group setting would help him figure out how to either fix their relationship or find the courage to end it honestly.

As Jimin continued to chatter about logistics and meeting times, Taehyung found his thoughts drifting to tomorrow night. A drive-in movie with his friends and his girlfriend, pretending to be a normal college student with normal relationship problems. It felt surreal after weeks of secret meetings and stolen kisses, but maybe that was exactly what he needed.

A reminder of the life he was supposed to be living, before leather jackets and motorcycles and whispered endearments had turned everything upside down.
__________________________

kudos and comments pleasee!

Chapter Text

Next day by nine PM, they were all piled into Yoongi's car, heading toward the drive-in theater on the outskirts of the city.

Taehyung had texted Jeongguk earlier in the evening, letting him know he'd be busy with his roommate and Seoyun for the night. He may or may not have deliberately avoided mentioning Yoongi's involvement, after all, they hadn't officially met yet, so what was the point of bringing it up?

Now, sitting in the backseat of what was unmistakably an expensive BMW, Taehyung couldn't help but be impressed despite himself. He'd never been one to admire cars particularly, but everyone knew what BMW meant- luxury, status, money.

The leather seats were butter-soft beneath him, and the dashboard looked like something out of a spaceship, all sleek lines and digital displays.

So Yoongi was rich too, just like Jeongguk. The realization sat uneasily in his stomach, a reminder of how different his world was from the people he seemed to keep gravitating toward.

The drive-in was located in what used to be farmland, converted into a sprawling entertainment venue that looked like something out of an American movie. When they arrived, Yoongi maneuvered the BMW into a convenient spot, not too far back, not too close to the front, with a perfect view of the massive screen that dominated the landscape.

As they all climbed out of the car, Taehyung paused to take in the scene. The place was genuinely beautiful in an unexpectedly rustic way. Rolling grass fields stretched out in every direction, dotted with cars of all shapes and sizes.

The giant movie screen stood like a monolith against the darkening sky, and scattered throughout the field were couples and groups sitting on picnic blankets, beer cans and snack bags arranged around them like they'd been planning this for weeks.

The whole atmosphere was relaxed and festive, with food stalls lined up along one side of the field selling everything from popcorn to hot dogs. String lights hung between the stalls, casting a warm glow that made everything look slightly magical. The evening air was crisp and clean, carrying the scent of grass and freedom that made Taehyung understand why people loved these kinds of outdoor events.

"Why is it so cold?" Seoyun complained the moment she stepped out of the car, hugging her arms around herself. She'd just finished what sounded like an important phone call and now wore a frown that suggested the conversation hadn't gone well.

Taehyung looked at her with a mixture of sympathy and mild exasperation. He'd specifically reminded her to bring a jacket before they left, but she'd insisted it wouldn't be that cold, brushing off his concern with the confidence of someone who clearly hadn't checked the weather forecast.

Still, he knew what any decent boyfriend would do in this situation.

"Here," he said with a resigned sigh, shrugging off his own jacket and holding it out to her.

Her face lit up with genuine gratitude as she accepted it, and Taehyung tried to ignore the immediate bite of cold air against his skin. He shivered slightly but was determined not to let the weather ruin what was supposed to be a fun evening out with friends.

The truth was, he needed this night more than he cared to admit. Everything in his life felt complicated and stressful lately, the situation with his parents, the impossible dynamic with Jeongguk, the guilt over his relationship with Seoyun. His mind felt constantly cluttered with worries and half-formed plans and the exhausting work of keeping secrets.

Maybe it was silly, but movies had always been his escape. For a couple of hours, he could lose himself in someone else's story, let his problems fade into the background while he focused on characters whose conflicts would be resolved by the time the credits rolled.

He walked over to where Jimin and Yoongi were standing near the front of the car, discussing logistics in low voices. The cold was already making his teeth want to chatter, but he clenched his jaw and tried to power through it.

Jimin immediately noticed his missing jacket and narrowed his eyes. "Dude, where's your jacket?"

Instead of answering directly, Taehyung just nodded toward where Seoyun stood, now wrapped in his warm outer layer. Jimin and Yoongi followed his gesture and understanding dawned on their faces.

"I told you we shouldn't have invited her," Jimin muttered under his breath, his voice carrying a note of irritation that made Taehyung wince.

"Jimin, shut up!" Taehyung hissed, glancing nervously toward Seoyun. "She's right over there. She could hear you."

"But you're going to freeze to death—"

"It's okay, I'm really fine," Taehyung interrupted, though they all knew it wasn't true. The wind was cutting right through his thin sweater, making him feel like he was standing in a freezer. But he didn't want to ruin everyone's night over something as simple as being cold. "I'll go buy snacks. What does everyone want?"

Yoongi shook his head, giving Taehyung a look that seemed to see right through his casual act. "I'm fine. Don't want anything."

Jimin, on the other hand, looked like he'd been waiting for this question all evening. "I want popcorn and a chocolate bar, you know the kind, without nuts." His expression turned serious, almost threatening. "I'm serious about the nuts thing, Taehyung. No nuts, okay?"

Despite everything, Taehyung found himself chuckling. Jimin's hatred of nuts was legendary among their friend group, stemming from a childhood allergic reaction that had left him paranoid about checking every ingredient list. "Got it. Nut-free chocolate."

He was already walking toward Seoyun to ask what she wanted when Jimin's voice called after him. "Also, I want a bottle of diet coke!"

Taehyung waved acknowledgment without turning around, focused on reaching Seoyun before the cold made him lose all feeling in his extremities. But as he approached her, his words died in his throat.

"Hey, I'm going to buy some snacks. Do you want anyth-"

He stopped mid-sentence, his entire body freezing in a way that had nothing to do with the temperature. His eyes had landed on a group of people several cars away, and his heart immediately started racing with a mixture of panic and involuntary excitement.

It couldn't be. But it was.

There, standing next to a sleek silver car that probably cost more than most people's annual salary, was Jeongguk. He was dressed in all black – black jeans, black shirt, black baseball cap that made the ends of his hair peek out in that effortlessly attractive way that made Taehyung's knees weak. Even from this distance, even surrounded by other people, he was magnetic in a way that drew the eye and held it captive.

And beside him, looking perfectly at home in this wealthy, social setting, was Minchae. Her silver hair caught the lights from the food stalls, and she was laughing at something one of their companions had said. The group around them looked exactly like the people from the anniversary photos Taehyung had seen, polished, expensive, the kind of effortlessly beautiful that came with money and privilege.

All those feelings came rushing back at once , the longing, the jealousy, the desperate wish that he could be the one standing beside Jeongguk in public, the one who belonged in his real life instead of existing only in stolen moments and secret meetings.

"Oh my god! She came!" Seoyun's excited voice cut through his spiral of emotions.

Taehyung turned to look at her, confusion mixing with growing dread. "What?"

"You invited them?" The words came out sharper than he'd intended, but he couldn't help it. The last thing he needed right now was to spend the evening watching Jeongguk and Minchae play the perfect couple while he pretended to be happy with his own relationship.

Seoyun looked nervous, picking up on his tone. "Well, when you called and told me about the movie, Minchae was right next to me, so she heard everything. I'm sorry, I thought it would be fun to make it a bigger group—"

"Wait." Taehyung's brain caught up with what she'd just said. "Minchae was next to you when I called? You were in the apartment, right? Getting your laptop and that flash drive?"

"Yeah, and—"

"So Minchae was in my apartment?" The words came out like an accusation, though Taehyung wasn't entirely sure why the thought bothered him so much. Maybe it was the idea of Jeongguk's girlfriend existing in his personal space, contaminating the place where he lived and breathed and tried to sort through his complicated feelings.

"Oh, come on, she's my best friend," Seoyun said defensively. "Don't tell me you're really mad because I had her over."

Taehyung knew he was overreacting. He could see it in Seoyun's confused expression, could hear it in the unreasonable edge to his own voice. But something about the whole situation, Jeongguk being here, Minchae having been in his apartment, the way his two separate worlds were suddenly colliding in the most uncomfortable way possible, made him feel like he was losing control of everything.

He forced his features to soften, managed to dial back the intensity of his reaction. "Fine, fine. It's all right. Anyway, I'm going over to the stalls. You want anything?"

Seoyun looked wary, clearly expecting him to start yelling or making a scene. "Just some water."

With that, Taehyung turned and headed toward the food stalls, his mind buzzing with anxiety and frustration. He felt like a coward for not going over to say hello to Jeongguk, but what was the alternative? Walk up to him while he was with Minchae and their wealthy friends, pretend they were just casual acquaintances, act like his heart didn't race every time he looked at him?

He was with his friends, and Jeongguk was with his. That was how it had to be.

The stall he approached was busy but organized, with a cheerful vendor who efficiently filled his order, popcorn, nut-free chocolate bar, diet coke, bottled water. As he waited for everything to be bagged up, Taehyung kept his eyes focused on the ground, trying not to look toward where Jeongguk was standing with his perfect girlfriend and perfect friends.

"Hyung, where is your jacket?"

The familiar voice behind him made Taehyung's breath catch in his throat. He turned slowly, and there was Jeongguk, close enough to touch, looking concerned and slightly confused as he took in Taehyung's obviously inadequate clothing situation.

"I..." Taehyung started, then felt a sneeze building and couldn't suppress it. "Achoo!"

The sneeze was perfectly timed to emphasize just how cold he was, and without hesitation, Jeongguk was already shrugging out of his own jacket.

"Here," he said, moving to drape it around Taehyung's shoulders. "You'll get sick."

Taehyung looked frantically toward where both of their respective groups were standing. The movie hadn't started yet, but people were settling into their spots, and he could see Jimin and Yoongi having a conversation. More like, jimin animatedly saying something, and yoongi listening it.

"What about you?" Taehyung murmured, gesturing toward Jeongguk's simple white t-shirt. "You'll get sick if you go like this."

Jeongguk smiled softly, that fond expression that always made Taehyung's heart do complicated things. "Hyung, it's fine. I'm strong and won't get sick from a little cold wind. I don't need the jacket."

"You say that like I'm not strong," Taehyung frowned, a hint of sulking in his voice. "Like I'm some weakling."

A deep chuckle escaped Jeongguk as he watched Taehyung pout. "Hyung, you're strong. Very strong." He reached up to adjust the jacket that was hanging loosely around Taehyung's shoulders, making sure it was properly positioned. "I just don't want you to get sick."

"But won't you get sick without the jacket?" Taehyung persisted, his logical mind struggling with the sweet gesture.

Jeongguk shook his head. "I'll be fine, hyung."

"This brings us back to square one – you won't get sick because you're strong, but apparently I'm not."

"Hyung!" Jeongguk rolled his eyes playfully. "Don't twist my words. Let's say that if I get sick, then you'll take care of me. That's why you should keep the jacket."

Taehyung gasped dramatically. "Are you saying you won't take care of me if I get sick?"

"No—" Jeongguk sighed, looking simultaneously frustrated and fond. "I meant hypothetically, what if I'm not here when you get sick? That's why you should have the jacket."

"Why wouldn't you be here? Where would you be going?"

"I meant hypothetically."

"Okay, so hypothetically, where would you be going?"

Jeongguk took a deep breath, looking increasingly exasperated as he poked his tongue to the side of his mouth, clearly recognizing that Taehyung was enjoying this back-and-forth far too much. "Okay, fine-"

"Taehyung."

The new voice cut through their playful argument like a knife. Both of them turned to see Yoongi approaching, holding what looked like an extra jacket in his hands. His expression was carefully neutral, but Taehyung caught something in his eyes as they flicked between him and Jeongguk, recognition, maybe, or surprise.

"I had an extra in the car," Yoongi said simply, holding out the jacket. "Figured you might need it."

Taehyung looked between Jeongguk and Yoongi, suddenly aware of a strange tension in the air. There was something in the way they were looking at each other, a familiarity that suggested this wasn't their first meeting. But how could that be possible?

"Thanks, hyung," Taehyung said, reluctantly slipping out of Jeongguk's jacket and handing it back to him. The loss of that particular warmth - warmth that smelled like Jeongguk and carried the weight of his caring felt symbolic somehow.

As he put on Yoongi's jacket instead, he noticed that neither man was speaking, just studying each other with expressions he couldn't quite read.

"Taehyung!" Jimin's voice called from across the field. "Movie's about to start!"

Taehyung looked toward his friend, then back at Jeongguk, who was watching him with that intense, unreadable expression that always made his stomach flutter with nervous energy.

"I should go," Taehyung said quietly, though every instinct was screaming at him to stay, to figure out what was happening between Jeongguk and Yoongi, to steal just a few more minutes of this complicated closeness.

Jeongguk nodded slowly. "Yeah. Enjoy the movie, hyung."

There was so much weight in those simple words, so many things left unsaid. Taehyung wanted to say something back, wanted to acknowledge the care Jeongguk had shown, wanted to express how much these small gestures meant to him.

Instead, he just nodded and started walking back toward his friends, hyperaware of Yoongi walking silently beside him.

He didn't want to leave Jeongguk. Every step away from him felt wrong, like he was abandoning something precious. But what choice did he have? Jeongguk was here with Minchae and his wealthy friends, playing the role he was expected to play. And Taehyung was here with his friends and his girlfriend, playing his own assigned part.

For the rest of the evening, they maintained their separate worlds. Taehyung sat with Jimin, Yoongi, and Seoyun on a blanket spread out beside the BMW, while Jeongguk remained with his group several cars away.

Some secrets, he was learning, were harder to keep than others. And some distances felt impossible to bridge, no matter how much you wanted to reach across the space between two worlds and touch the person who had somehow become the center of your universe.

After all, he was still just a secret.
_______________
Hi guys! Are you enjoying this?

Chapter Text

When the movie finally ended and the credits rolled across the giant screen, Taehyung felt a mixture of relief and disappointment. Relief that he no longer had to pretend to be invested in a romantic comedy while hyperaware of Jeongguk's presence several cars away, and disappointment that this strange, tension-filled evening was coming to an end.

The drive-in field erupted into the organized chaos of hundreds of people packing up simultaneously. Car engines started up in waves, headlights cutting through the darkness as vehicles began the slow exodus from the grass field onto the main road. Yoongi was methodical about it, waiting for the initial rush to clear before starting his own BMW and joining the orderly queue of cars heading toward the exit.

Seoyun was quiet during the drive back, occasionally commenting on scenes from the movie or checking her phone, but mostly staring out the window at the passing streetlights. She seemed tired, and Taehyung wondered if she'd picked up on the strange undercurrents of the evening or if she was simply ready to be home.

They dropped her off first, at her apartment complex near the university. She handed Taehyung back his jacket with a grateful smile and a quick kiss on the cheek that felt perfunctory, like something performed out of obligation rather than genuine affection.

"Thanks for inviting me," she said. "It was fun seeing everyone."

"Yeah," Taehyung agreed, though the word felt hollow. "I'll call you tomorrow."

As they pulled away from her building, Taehyung settled back into his seat and tried to process everything that had happened. The evening felt surreal in retrospect – seeing Jeongguk in that social context, surrounded by his wealthy friends who all seemed to fit together like pieces of an expensive puzzle. There was something about their group dynamic that had made Taehyung feel like an outsider looking into a world he'd never be able to access.

Jeongguk's friends had given off that unmistakable rich-jock-sporty vibe – the kind of people who wore designer clothes casually, who talked about vacation homes and private clubs like they were discussing the weather. Even from a distance, Taehyung could tell they belonged to a different social stratum entirely, one where money was never a concern and connections were more important than character.

But what bothered him more than the obvious wealth disparity was the way Yoongi and Jeongguk had looked at each other. That prolonged stare, loaded with recognition and something that might have been old hurt or regret. You didn't give someone that kind of look if you were meeting them for the first time. There was history there, complicated history that neither of them had acknowledged out loud.

His internal analysis was interrupted when Jimin suddenly spoke up from the front passenger seat.

"Hyung, can you stop at that mart up ahead?" he asked, pointing to a brightly lit convenience store. "I'm craving some sour gummies, and I know they have the good Korean ones there."

Yoongi glanced at him with what might have been amusement. "Right now?"

"I know it's random, but I always get cravings after movies," Jimin explained with a sheepish grin. "Plus, it's not that late, and they're open twenty-four hours."

It was such a typical Jimin thing to do – he was always wanting to munch on something, always had specific cravings that needed to be satisfied immediately. Taehyung found it endearing, this childlike enthusiasm for simple pleasures that could make even mundane trips to convenience stores feel like small adventures.

Yoongi pulled into the parking lot without complaint, finding a spot near the entrance under the bright fluorescent lights. The convenience store looked busy despite the late hour, with a steady stream of customers going in and out – college students buying late-night snacks, night shift workers grabbing coffee, people like them who'd just come from evening entertainment.

"Does anyone else need anything?" Jimin asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt and prepared to get out.

"I'm good," Yoongi replied simply.

Taehyung thought for a moment, then remembered something he'd been meaning to take care of for weeks. "Actually, could you grab some AA batteries for me? My wall clock has been dead since forever, and I keep forgetting to replace them."

"Sure thing," Jimin said with a thumbs up before disappearing into the store, leaving Taehyung and Yoongi alone in the quiet car.

The silence that settled between them wasn't uncomfortable exactly, but it was heavy with unasked questions. Taehyung found himself stealing glances at Yoongi through the rearview mirror, trying to work up the courage to ask what he really wanted to know. His eyes would catch Yoongi's reflection, then quickly dart away when he realized he was being obvious about it.

After several minutes of this awkward dance, a soft chuckle escaped from the driver's seat.

"Ask away," Yoongi said, his voice carrying a note of dry amusement.

Heat flooded Taehyung's cheeks as embarrassment crashed over him. Had he really been that obvious? He must have looked like a nervous teenager trying to work up the courage to talk to his crush, all sidelong glances and fidgeting hands.

"I... um..." Taehyung started, then took a deep breath and decided to just dive in. "Do you know Jeongguk? I mean.... The way you two looked at each other earlier... it seemed like you'd met before."

Yoongi was quiet for a long moment, his hands resting on the steering wheel as he stared out at the convenience store entrance. When he finally spoke, there was a sadness in his voice that made Taehyung's chest tighten with sympathy.

"Yeah, I know him," Yoongi said with a hollow chuckle. "We used to be friends. More like part of the same circle, I guess."

"The same circle?"

"Rich kids from uptown," Yoongi explained, and there was something bitter in his tone. "Our parents all knew each other, moved in the same social spheres. Country club memberships, charity galas, business partnerships. The kind of world where your friendships are predetermined by your family's net worth and social status."

Taehyung felt something cold settle in his stomach. This was exactly what he'd suspected but hadn't wanted to believe, that Jeongguk's world was even more restrictive and artificial than he'd imagined.

"It was always awkward for me," Yoongi continued, his voice gaining strength as he opened up about something he'd clearly been carrying for a long time. "I could never play along with their conversations, their inside jokes about mutual acquaintances I didn't care about, their constant talk about girls and parties and who was hooking up with whom. Everything felt so surface-level, so performative."

"So what happened?" Taehyung asked gently.

"I finally decided to leave that world behind," Yoongi said with a shrug that tried to appear casual but didn't quite succeed. "Started my own café, created my own space where I could be around books and coffee and people who came in because they wanted to, not because they were supposed to network with me."

Taehyung thought about Reader Rider Café, with its cozy reading nooks and carefully curated book selection, its atmosphere of genuine warmth rather than manufactured sophistication. It made perfect sense now – the café wasn't just a business for Yoongi, it was a sanctuary from a world that had never really fit him.

"I often felt like Jeongguk might have similar feelings about the group," Yoongi added quietly. "Even when we were all together, he never seemed fully engaged with their conversations. There was always something distant in his eyes, like he was going through the motions but not really present."

The description made Taehyung's heart ache for reasons he couldn't fully articulate. The idea of Jeongguk feeling trapped in that social circle, surrounded by people who didn't really know him, resonated with his own feelings of being caught between different worlds.

"When I made the decision to step away from all of it, the rich business show-off culture, the meaningless social obligations, I lost contact with everyone," Yoongi continued. "Their parents stopped encouraging their kids to maintain friendships with me. I became persona non grata pretty quickly once I was no longer part of their exclusive club."

The information hit Taehyung like a series of puzzle pieces clicking into place. Yoongi's wealth, his expensive car, his obvious education and sophistication – it all made sense now. He came from the same world as Jeongguk but had chosen to leave it behind, to build something authentic instead of living within the constraints of inherited privilege.

And suddenly, other things started making sense too. The way Jeongguk had reacted when Taehyung first mentioned Min Yoongi's name, that flash of something cold and calculating in his eyes. The question a few days ago about how long Taehyung would work at "that" café, with a subtle emphasis that suggested judgment or disapproval.

Jeongguk knew exactly who Yoongi was and what he represented, someone who had walked away from their shared world, someone who had chosen authenticity over acceptance.

"This is so messed up," Taehyung said, his voice thick with emotion. "Forcing someone to only be friends with certain kinds of people based on their family's money and status. Friendship is supposed to be about choosing your own family, finding people who understand and support you. Not some business arrangement between parents."

The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became. How could anyone live like that, constantly performing for an audience that would abandon you the moment you stopped playing by their arbitrary rules? How exhausting it must be to never know if people liked you for yourself or for your family connections and bank account.

"It's not humane," he continued, his hands clenching into fists in his lap. "No wonder Jeongguk looked so broken the other day. He's trapped in a world that doesn't value him as a person, just as a prop for maintaining appearances."

Yoongi glanced at him in the rearview mirror, and there was something knowing in his expression. "You care about him."

It wasn't a question, and Taehyung felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment and something that might have been relief at having someone finally acknowledge what felt obvious to him.

"I..." he started, then gave up on denying it. His eyes said everything.

"He's not a bad person, Taehyung," Yoongi said gently. "Just someone caught in a system that's bigger than both of us. Sometimes people make choices that look selfish or wrong from the outside, but when you understand the pressures they're under..."

"I know," Taehyung said quietly. "I'm angry at the situation. At parents who treat their children like business assets. At a world that values money more than genuine human connection."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, both lost in their own thoughts about privilege and authenticity and the prices people paid for belonging to exclusive worlds.

When Jimin finally emerged from the convenience store, bags of candy and a small package of batteries in hand, the serious atmosphere in the car shifted back to something lighter. But as they drove the remaining few minutes to Taehyung and Jimin's apartment, Taehyung's mind continued to process everything he'd learned.

The revelation about Yoongi and Jeongguk's shared history had given him a new perspective on the younger man's situation, but it had also raised uncomfortable questions that he couldn't stop thinking about. If Jeongguk was truly unhappy with his social circle, if he felt as trapped and performative as Yoongi had described, then why didn't he make the same choice to walk away?

Was it because of Minchae? Because his relationship with her was too important to sacrifice for the sake of authenticity? Or was it because he simply didn't have the same courage that Yoongi had shown, the strength to give up security and acceptance for the uncertain rewards of being true to yourself?

And most pressingly, most selfishly, if Jeongguk had to choose between his established world and something real but complicated like what he had with Taehyung, which would he pick?

The question followed Taehyung up the stairs to his apartment, through his nighttime routine, into his bed where he lay staring at the ceiling in the dark. Would he choose Taehyung over the safe, expected path that had been laid out for him since childhood?

Taehyung found himself pouting into his pillow at the thought, frustrated by questions that had no clear answers and situations that seemed designed to have no happy endings. The richer you got, he reflected bitterly, the smaller your world became. Money might buy you comfort and security, but it also came with invisible chains that were just as restrictive as any physical prison.

As he finally drifted off to sleep, his last conscious thought was a wish, not for wealth or status or any of the things that seemed to complicate Jeongguk's life, but for a world where choosing love didn't require sacrificing everything else, where authenticity wasn't such a radical and dangerous act.

A world where secrets didn't have to exist because there was nothing to hide from, nothing to be ashamed of, no one whose approval mattered more than your own happiness.

But wishing, Taehyung was learning, rarely changed anything. Some problems were too big and too systemic to be solved by individual desire, no matter how desperately felt. Some cages were built so carefully, so beautifully, that the people inside them forgot they were trapped at all.
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Kudos and comment! :)

Chapter Text

Taehyung had woken up to a pillow being thrown directly onto his head. He groaned, ignoring whoever had the audacity to disturb his peaceful slumber, and burrowed deeper under the thin sheets that had become his cocoon against the world.

"Tae, come on. Get up." Jimin's voice cut through his determined sleepiness as he heard his roommate moving around the apartment, the familiar sounds of someone getting ready to leave. "I'm about to head out now."

In response, Taehyung mumbled something completely inaudible into his pillow and hugged it tighter against his chest. Today was special, no classes, no work shifts at the café, no obligations pulling him in different directions. Days like this were very, very rare in his overscheduled life, and he had the perfect plan for how he was going to spend every precious hour of it.

Absolutely nothing.

The plan was beautiful in its simplicity: stay in bed until his body decided it was done sleeping, then maybe migrate to the couch to watch documentaries about penguins or deep-sea creatures or whatever randomly educational content the streaming services wanted to suggest. No thinking about complicated relationships, no analyzing every interaction with Jeongguk, no guilt about Seoyun or worry about his parents or stress about assignments.

Just blissful, mind-numbing nothingness.

His perfect plan was rudely interrupted when he suddenly felt the sheets being ripped away from his body, exposing him to the cold morning air in his thin pajamas. His eyes shot open immediately, outrage flooding through his sleep-addled brain.

"What the hell?!" he protested, finding Jimin standing beside his bed like some kind of morning terrorist, holding his stolen blankets hostage.

"Are you really going to spend the entire day sleeping?" Jimin asked, walking over to the kitchen island where his dance prop was lying on the countertop, ready for whatever entertainment obligations filled his Saturday.

Taehyung let his head fall back against his pillow dramatically, throwing one arm over his eyes to block out both the light and the sight of his far-too-energetic roommate. "Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Dude, I'm gonna be out the whole day," Jimin continued, apparently immune to Taehyung's clear signals that this conversation was unwelcome. "You're really going to just lie here alone for twelve hours?"

"That's the plan," Taehyung confirmed, his voice muffled by his arm. "It's called self-care, Jimin. Look it up."

But even as he said it, he could hear the concern underlying his friend's prodding. Jimin had been watching him more carefully lately, picking up on the signs that Taehyung thought he'd been hiding better. The distracted silences, the way he'd check his phone obsessively and then put it down with disappointed sighs, the dark circles under his eyes that spoke of too many nights lying awake thinking about impossible situations.

"When's the last time you actually left the apartment on a day off?" Jimin pressed. "Like, for fun. Not for work or classes or obligations, but because you wanted to go somewhere."

Taehyung considered this question and realized he couldn't remember. Somewhere along the way, his free time had become something to endure rather than enjoy, hours to fill until the next distraction came along.
"I go places," he said defensively, though they both knew it wasn't true.

"Going to the café to work doesn't count. Neither does going to campus for classes." Jimin was fully in lecture mode now, his voice taking on that tone he used when he'd decided Taehyung needed intervention whether he wanted it or not. "I'm talking about actual recreational activities. Fun. Remember fun?"

"This is fun," Taehyung insisted, gesturing vaguely at his position sprawled across his mattress. "Sleeping in is fun. Being horizontal is fun. Not having to think about anything is the most fun I can imagine right now."

"Dude, I will leave my key set with you." Jimin rolled his eyes.

Taehyung closed his eyes shut as Jimin approached him. "Why?" The brunet asked lazily.

"You know, just in case you decide to leave the apartment or anything."

Upon hearing Jimin's words, Taehyung scoffed. There was no way he'd be leaving the comfort of the apartment today. Mainly because of how tired he was with all the assignments and work lately. And another thing was Taehyung had decided to bring some courage into him to call it off with seoyun, the girl deserved better. And also, he needed a little space from some people.

And by 'some people', he meant someone he's been thinking about a lot lately.

And by 'someone he's been thinking about a lot lately', he meant a certain boy with a leather jacket.

And by 'a certain boy with a-

Okay, it's Jeongguk!

Taehyung just didn't want to end another one of their conversations awkwardly again... like the last time. So, in short, one perfect way to avoid having awkward conversations with the raven-head was to not leave his apartment.

It was a full-proof plan.

"So, I'll be back a little late today. Don't wait up for me." Jimin's voice pulled Taehyung out of his thoughts. Also, making him curious.

"Woah- w-wait. Where are you going?" The brunet sat up on the couch, blinking a few times to try and remove the sleep from his vision.

Jimin came and sat down on the armchair that was near the couch. "I have dance practice and then... I'm going to hang out with Yoongi." He said and then started wearing his socks, not realizing that Taehyung was staring at him.

Now Taehyung was really determined to know what was Jimin's relationship with Yoongi. They said they were just friends but something seemed a little off... Taehyung squinted his eyes at his roommate. Hold on- was Jimin wearing lip gloss?

"What?" Jimin raised his brows.

Taehyung shook his head, moving his eyes away from the silver-haired boy's lips. "N-Nothing. You're just spending a lot of time with Yoongi nowadays." The brunet leaned back against the couch.

Jimin shrugged. He stood up and walked towards the front door where his shoes were at. "Hanging out with Yoongi is fun." He smiled to himself.

The brunet only nodded to that. As Jimin was about to leave, Taehyung slumped back onto the couch. Current task at the moment:

Fall back to sleep.

"Hey, I'm leaving!" Jimin yelled as he was already outside the apartment holding the door open. "You better come and lock the door now."

Taehyung was just so lazy so he waved his arm aimlessly in the air. "Yeah, yeah. I'll do it soon. Just leave already." Jimin only rolled his eyes and closed the door, leaving Taehyung alone in their apartment.

Finally, his eyelids slowly shut and soon he was drifting off again.

. . .

About twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Damn it.

Go away, whoever you are...

The brunet ignored it at first. But when it rang for the second time, Taehyung suddenly had the craziest idea that it was Jimin at the door.

He probably forgot something.

And then, Taehyung remembered that he didn't lock the door so from where he was lying down, eyes still shut, he shouted, "Jimin! It's open!"

When he heard the door creak open, he took that as a sign to go back to sleep. He also made a mental note to yell at Jimin later for disturbing him.

The door closed. It was quiet for a while... until-

"Hyung?" A deep voice spoke out from beside him.

The brunet was still very half-conscioused to recognize who's voice that was so he just groaned and then said, "Stop messing around Jimin. I wanna sleep." He pulled the sheets closer to him, making the thin blanket ride up, exposing his bare legs.

Next he heard, "Hyung, wake up. It's me." Okay, the voice was starting to sound very different from Jimin's.

However, Taehyung's stubbornness and severe desire to sleep resulted in him to groan again before saying, "Two more minutes."

When there was no response, the brunet thought he'd won. But soon, a sigh was heard coming from the person next to him.

Taehyung's body froze when he felt a warm hand run over his exposed thigh. He wore shorts to bed almost every night (which now was a mistake). His blood started rushing faster through his veins, triggering alert sirens to his brain. His sleepiness was completely gone now.

Wait- Jimin wouldn't- Oh god!

His eyes shot open so fast and he was faced with a smirking Jeongguk, kneeling down next to him.

"J-Jeongguk? What are you..." He trailed off, eyes falling on the younger boy's hand that was still caressing his skin.

His cheeks burned bright red. The tall boy's dark onyx eyes bored into Taehyung's. "You know, you really shouldn't leave the front door unlocked." He inched closer to the older boy also making the brunet's heart hammer in his chest. "I could've been a thief."

This is a dream!

This had to be a dream! There was no way Jeongguk was here next to him. Taehyung was in his sleepwear for goodness sake!

Okay, okay. Relax.

Taehyung licked his sudden dry lips and slowly got up into a sitting position. Jeongguk's eyes followed the older boy's action, pulling his hand away from Taehyung's thigh.

"Jeongguk, what are you doing here?"

The younger boy stood up, now towering over Taehyung from where he sat. "I wanna take you out today."

Aw... was what the brunet thought at first. Jeongguk wanted them to spend the day together. Taehyung loved the idea of that.

"Really?" He asked in confirmation.

Jeongguk grinned. "Yeah, I just really want to spend some time with you." He scratched the back of his head and smiled nervously. "We didn't really had a chance to hang out the last time."

The last time...

To be more detailed, it was the night of the drive-in movie. How Taehyung discovered Jeongguk and yoongi used to be the part of same circle, 'group of friends.'

And it was nice of Jeongguk to want to take the brunet out. Even though Taehyung was still having a real hard time dealing with the whole thing, seeing the raven-head had its pros and cons.

And right now there was one big pro over-shadowing everything else. And that was how hot the raven-head looked in his black turtle-neck and fitting jeans as he stood there, height hovering over the older boy.

Why does he have to look so good?

Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to go out with Jeongguk. It wouldn't be a date or anything. Just two bros hanging out. Okay, why did that sound very weird?

Bottom line is, spending the day together wouldn't be the worst thing to do.

But... Yes, there was always a 'but'.

What about your promise to yourself?

You're supposed to have some space.

It's for the best.

Remember, you're still cheating on Seoyun...

All these voices in his head overlapped with each other but as Taehyung stared up at the raven-head with starry eyes, he felt the butterflies awake within his stomach. It was an exciting feeling and he wanted to feel more of it.

Maybe he'd regret this later and end up feeling stupid again but it'd be more stupid to not take this chance.

The raven-head smiled down at Taehyung and he started to smile back, like an idiot. They were alone now. No one standing a few feet away from them, watching their every move. There was no pretending now.

"Do you want to go?" Jeongguk asked.

So Taehyung nodded, throwing away every little worry he had in his body.

"Yes, I want to."
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ahem! are you excited for the next part??? two 'bros' hanging out? ;)

Chapter Text

"Yes, I want to," Taehyung said, the words tumbling out before his rational mind could intervene with all the reasons this was a terrible idea.

The smile that spread across Jeongguk's face was radiant, transforming his entire expression from nervous uncertainty to pure joy. It was the kind of smile that made Taehyung's chest ache with how beautiful it was, how genuine and unguarded.

"Great! Go get ready then," Jeongguk said, his excitement barely contained. "Take your time. I'll wait here."

Taehyung nodded and headed toward his bedroom, his heart racing with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. As soon as he closed the door behind him, he leaned against it and took a shaky breath. What had he just agreed to? This went against every resolution he'd made about maintaining distance, about protecting himself from getting in too deep.

But the memory of Jeongguk's smile, the genuine happiness in his eyes at Taehyung's acceptance, made it impossible to regret his decision. Maybe he was weak, maybe he was setting himself up for more heartbreak, but right now he didn't care. The prospect of spending an entire day with Jeongguk, without having to hide or pretend or worry about who might be watching, was too tempting to resist.

He walked to his closet and stood staring at the meager collection of clothes hanging there, suddenly overwhelmed by indecision. What did one wear on a not-date with someone who existed in a completely different social stratosphere? What would be appropriate for whatever Jeongguk had planned?

The weather was another concern entirely. It was one of those unpredictable autumn days where the morning chill could give way to afternoon warmth without warning. If he chose a long-sleeved shirt and it got hot outside, he'd be uncomfortable all day. But if he went with just a t-shirt and the temperature dropped, he'd freeze.

Maybe the safe option was a t-shirt with a jacket he could remove if needed. But then his eyes drifted to where Jeongguk's expensive-looking turtleneck was visible through the partially open door, and self-doubt crashed over him like a wave.

Jeongguk looked so polished, so effortlessly sophisticated in his fitted black turtleneck and perfectly tailored jeans. Next to him, Taehyung would look like exactly what he was – a scholarship student who bought his clothes at discount stores and worried about every purchase.

This was harder than it should be. Taehyung had never really cared about his appearance beyond basic cleanliness and comfort. But suddenly, standing in front of his humble wardrobe, he desperately wanted to look good for Jeongguk. He wanted to be someone worthy of being seen in public with him, someone who wouldn't embarrass him or make people wonder what someone like Jeongguk was doing with someone like Taehyung.

The sound of movement in the kitchen reminded him that Jeongguk was still out there, probably wondering what was taking so long. Earlier, the younger man had asked permission to use the kitchen, mentioning something about wanting to make breakfast. The thoughtfulness of the gesture made Taehyung's chest warm with affection and guilt in equal measure. Jeongguk was being so considerate, so generous with his time and attention, and Taehyung couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't deserve any of it.

It had been exactly an hour since he'd woken up to that pillow hitting his head, since his perfectly planned day of doing nothing had been derailed by dark eyes and a devastating smile. After taking the quickest shower of his life, he'd retreated to his bedroom, and now he was hiding again – hiding from his own feelings, from the intensity of Jeongguk's attention, from the impossible complexity of their situation.

He was being a coward. Again.

Why did he have to overthink every single thing? This paranoid spiral, this tendency to freeze up and retreat whenever emotions got too real – it was starting to feel pathological. If he kept hiding from everything that scared him, when would he ever overcome his own limitations? When would he stop being his own worst enemy?

The exhaustion he felt wasn't physical; it was emotional, mental, the bone-deep weariness that came from fighting yourself constantly. He was doing this to himself, creating problems where none needed to exist, building walls where bridges would serve him better.

He needed to let go. It really was that simple.

Taking a deep breath, Taehyung stood up from where he'd been sitting on the edge of his bed. He reached for a beige cotton sweater that split the difference between casual and put-together, paired it with simple black pants that fit well enough to be flattering. The outfit was nothing special, but it was clean and comfortable and made him look like he'd put in some effort without trying too hard.

He gathered his essentials – wallet, phone, keys – and tossed them into his backpack along with a black coat that could serve as backup warmth if needed. As he stood in front of his bedroom door with his hand hovering over the doorknob, he gave himself one last pep talk.

Just for today, he could ignore the fact that they both had girlfriends waiting at home, girlfriends who deserved better than the deception they were living. Just for today, he could pretend that this was simple, that two people spending time together didn't have to carry the weight of impossible circumstances and conflicting loyalties.

Just for today, he could let himself be happy.

He stepped out of his room and was immediately hit by the most incredible aroma wafting through the apartment. The scent was complex and inviting – something savory and comforting that made his mouth water instantly. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the smell wash over him as his feet carried him automatically toward the kitchen.

He dropped his bag and coat on the couch in passing, his attention entirely focused on the scene that greeted him in the kitchen. Jeongguk stood at the stove with a spatula in hand, his movements confident and practiced as he flipped what looked like a perfect golden pancake. His turtleneck sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing strong forearms that flexed as he worked, and there was something almost domestic about the sight that made Taehyung's heart do complicated things in his chest.

"Hyung?" Jeongguk's voice pulled him out of his daze, and when he looked up, he found the younger man watching him with amused eyes. "You're just in time."

Jeongguk's grin was pure joy, the expression of someone genuinely excited to share something special. He turned off the stove and carefully transferred the pancake to a plate that already held four others, each one perfectly golden and uniform. Then he carried the plate to the small dining table, and that's when Taehyung truly understood the scope of what Jeongguk had accomplished in the hour he'd been hiding in his bedroom.

The table was transformed. What was usually a cluttered surface covered in mail and textbooks had become a feast that looked like something from a restaurant. There was a pot of kimchi stew still bubbling slightly, filling the air with its rich, spicy aroma. A plate of gimbap sat arranged with mathematical precision, each roll perfectly uniform and garnished with sesame seeds. An omelet that looked impossibly fluffy occupied another plate, and a bowl of steaming rice completed the spread.

It was the kind of meal that reminded Taehyung of childhood, of special occasions when his mother would spend hours in the kitchen creating elaborate spreads that made ordinary days feel celebratory. The nostalgia hit him like a physical weight, bringing with it a rush of emotion he hadn't expected.

"Hyung, come and sit," Jeongguk said, his attention focused on the pancakes he was now arranging on a clean plate with the careful precision of a chef plating at a high-end restaurant.

Taehyung sat down, still speechless as he watched Jeongguk work. The younger man took one pancake and placed it carefully on the plate, then reached for a small bowl containing what looked like dark paste. He scooped a generous spoonful and spread it evenly across the pancake's surface before adding a second pancake on top, creating a sandwich of sorts.

Recognition dawned as Jeongguk continued to work, adding fresh strawberries and blueberries around the edge of the plate with artistic flair. The careful layering, the sweet red bean paste, the presentation that turned simple pancakes into something special – it was dorayaki, the Japanese confection that required skill and patience to execute properly.

"I hope you like it," Jeongguk said as he placed the finished dish in front of Taehyung, his eyes sparkling with anticipation and what might have been nervousness. "It's dorayaki."

Taehyung stared down at the beautiful creation, his throat tight with emotion. Jeongguk had made this for him. Had spent time and effort creating something special, something that required technique and care and attention to detail. The thought alone was enough to make him want to cry.

"It looks incredible," he managed, picking up his fork and cutting into the stacked pancakes. The moment the flavors hit his tongue – the subtle sweetness of the pancakes, the rich complexity of the red bean paste, the way the textures complemented each other perfectly – he couldn't suppress a soft sigh of pleasure.

"It's so good," he said around his mouthful, abandoning any pretense of polite eating in favor of genuine appreciation. The food filled him with more than physical satisfaction; it warmed something deep in his chest, the part of him that had been hungry for this kind of care and attention without even realizing it.

Nobody had ever been this thoughtful with him before. Nobody had ever put this much effort into something as simple as breakfast, had paid attention to his tastes and preferences well enough to create something he'd genuinely love.

Jeongguk moved around the kitchen with easy familiarity, filling a mug with water and placing it beside Taehyung's plate before taking the seat next to him. The proximity was both thrilling and nerve-wracking – close enough that Taehyung could smell his cologne, could see the individual lashes framing his dark eyes.

"I'm glad you like it," Jeongguk said, his smile soft and satisfied.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Taehyung asked, suddenly conscious of how he was devouring the food while Jeongguk just watched.

"No, I already had breakfast." Jeongguk gestured to the spread covering the table. "This is all for you."

And then he winked. Actually winked, like something out of a romantic comedy, and Taehyung felt his brain short-circuit completely.

"You didn't have to do all this for me," he stammered, heat flooding his cheeks as awareness of their closeness intensified.

Jeongguk's hand found his thigh, the touch sending electricity shooting through his entire nervous system despite how many times it had happened before. The younger man leaned closer, close enough that Taehyung could see the gold flecks in his dark eyes.

"Hyung, you should know by now that there isn't a single thing I wouldn't do for you," Jeongguk said, his voice low and intense.

Taehyung's heart hammered against his ribs as Jeongguk's gaze dropped to his lips before returning to his eyes. The air between them felt charged, heavy with possibility and want and all the things they couldn't say out loud.

"All I ask in return is that you be honest with me," Jeongguk whispered.

The words hit Taehyung like a physical blow. Honest. Jeongguk wanted honesty, and Taehyung was sitting there carrying the weight of so many secrets he could barely keep them straight. The night he'd ended up in the hospital because Jeongguk hadn't shown up – should he mention that? The connection between Jeongguk and Yoongi that he wasn't supposed to know about – was that his secret to share? The guilt about Seoyun that was eating him alive, the insecurity about never being able to fit into Jeongguk's wealthy world, the feelings that were growing deeper and more desperate every day – how could he possibly be honest about any of it?

His lips parted, the words right there on the tip of his tongue. Maybe he could do it, maybe he could just let everything spill out and trust that Jeongguk would understand, would forgive him for the deception and the complications and the mess he'd made of everything.

But before he could speak, Jeongguk pulled away.

"Sorry, just forget what I said," he said with a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You should eat before the food gets cold."

The moment was broken, the opportunity lost, and Taehyung felt powerless to do anything but nod and continue eating. The food was still delicious, still made with obvious care and skill, but it tasted like disappointment now. Jeongguk was right – he should forget about it, should focus on the meal instead of the impossible conversation they couldn't seem to have.

There was enough food to feed three people, and Taehyung knew he'd end up storing leftovers that Jimin would inevitably discover and devour. His roommate had an uncanny ability to find and consume any food left unattended in their kitchen, a small price to pay for living with someone whose appetite was as legendary as his loyalty.

When he'd eaten as much as he could manage, Taehyung turned to thank Jeongguk again, to express his gratitude for the thoughtfulness and effort. But the words died in his throat when he realized Jeongguk's attention had shifted to something behind him.
Following his gaze, Taehyung saw what had captured his focus – Yoongi's jacket, draped over the kitchen island where Jimin had left it after Taehyung had specifically asked him to return it.

"That jacket..." Jeongguk said, his voice taking on an edge that made the hair on the back of Taehyung's neck stand up.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Gone was the warm, affectionate man who had just been feeding him breakfast and asking for honesty. In his place sat someone guarded and tense, someone whose carefully controlled expression suggested barely contained emotion.

Taehyung's mind raced. Should he tell Jeongguk that he knew about their connection? Should he pretend ignorance? The weight of unspoken knowledge felt suddenly crushing, and he found himself saying the first thing that came to mind.

"Oh, that jacket... it belongs to Yoongi hyung. He gave it to me yesterday at the drive-in when I was cold. He's the owner of the café where I work, and also... Jimin's friend."

The words tumbled out awkwardly, and as soon as he mentioned Jimin, Taehyung realized how suspicious that sounded. Why would he emphasize that connection unless he was trying to hide something else?

Jeongguk's heated gaze shifted to him, studying his face with an intensity that made Taehyung want to squirm. The silence stretched between them, heavy and uncomfortable, until finally Jeongguk looked back at the jacket one last time and stood up.

"Are you all done, hyung?" he asked, his smile returning but failing to reach his eyes.

The fake politeness was somehow worse than outright anger would have been. Taehyung nodded, his appetite completely gone now, replaced by a sick feeling in his stomach that had nothing to do with the food.

"Well, we should probably leave now," Jeongguk continued, glancing at his watch with studied casualness. "Can I use the bathroom first?"

"Sure," Taehyung managed.

After Jeongguk disappeared down the hallway, Taehyung slumped back in his chair and let out a deep sigh. The morning had started so perfectly, filled with thoughtful gestures and delicious food and moments of genuine connection. How had it all gone wrong so quickly?

His eyes drifted back to Yoongi's jacket, and understanding began to dawn.

Why did Jeongguk's mood suddenly change?

He turned and eyed Yoongi's jacket. Then his eyes widened. Was it because of Yoongi? It kind of made sense but it was weird. It was weird seeing Jeongguk act this way.

Seeing him act... jealous?

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I really expect comments, guys! you're not commenting!!! are you guys not enjoying it?? :(

Chapter Text

Whatever awkwardness had settled between them in the kitchen seemed to evaporate the moment they stepped outside. Jeongguk's mood shifted like a switch being flipped, the tension melting away as he guided Taehyung toward his sleek motorcycle with an enthusiasm that was infectious.

"I hope you're ready for an adventure, hyung," Jeongguk said, handing Taehyung a helmet and he nodded his head.

The motorcycle ride through Seoul was exhilarating in a way that made Taehyung forget all his worries. With his arms wrapped around Jeongguk's waist, the city rushing past in a blur of color and sound, he felt more alive than he had in weeks. The younger man was an expert rider, navigating traffic with confidence while still being careful with his precious passenger.

When they finally stopped, Taehyung found himself standing in the heart of Gangnam, surrounded by gleaming skyscrapers and bustling streets that screamed wealth and sophistication. It was like stepping into a different world – the Los Angeles of Korea, people called it, where luxury was the norm and everything seemed to sparkle with prosperity.

Taehyung cannot help but kept on biting his lips subconsciously; they were completely chapped by now. He felt giddy and excited and kept on walking alongside the younger boy.

"Again hyung.... Stop bitting your lips! they will get sore!" Jeongguk complained for the seventh time today. Taehyung Pouted and nodded for the seventh time as well.

Taehyung had found something else that Jeongguk was good at. And that was planning an awesome day to spend together.

"Come on, hyung, you can do better than that, my hyung......" Jeongguk teased as Taehyung failed spectacularly at a shooting game, his aim so poor that he barely hit the screen, let alone any targets.

'My hyung.....?'

And there it was once more. Hyung. Taehyung was torn between being intimidated by the raven-head and being intimidated by the fact that he was younger.

To cover his obvious flaming red cheeks, brunet moved away from the raven-head, slouched toward the board, not facing the younger.

"Y-you never mm-miss an opportunity to make fun of me," he says. Taehyung shuttered and pouted. Perhaps Taehyung had already been acquainted with all things Jeongguk. The taunting, the murmurs, the concern, the sneer, the stuttering, the fact that he is younger, and a slew of other things.

Jeongguk turned taehyung towards himself. Taehyung could feel his breaths fanning once again. He drew his eyes closed, anticipating the younger to break the silence right away.

"I never make fun of you," says the raven-head. "I just love to tease you hyung," said a dangerously low voice fanned across his burning red ears. With that, Jeongguk yanked taehyung a little, his muscular chest resting softly on brunet's warm back, an arm loosely grasping his waist.

Would Jeongguk kiss him? But they are in public-

The younger boy turned Taehyung once again, this time towards the shooting board.

"Here, let me help," Jeongguk said, stepping behind him and placing his hands over Taehyung's on the plastic gun. The position put them incredibly close together, Jeongguk's chest pressed against Taehyung's back, his breath warm against his ear as he murmured instructions.

The intimacy of it made Taehyung's concentration scatter completely, but somehow his aim improved dramatically with Jeongguk's guidance. When he finally hit a target, Jeongguk cheered like he'd won the lottery, and the genuine pride in his voice made Taehyung's heart swell with happiness.

Throughout the day, Jeongguk's hands seemed to find reasons to touch him – a gentle hand on his waist to guide him through crowds, fingers brushing his as they shared snacks, a thumb swiping across his cheek to remove a smudge. Each touch felt deliberate and cherishing, like Taehyung was something precious that needed to be handled with care. Also, Jeongguk stopped at a small local shop to get something in between.

When Taehyung's lips became chapped again from the air, he kept on licking them to keep them moist and also biting them for the eighth time.

Jeongguk returned from the shop and stood before the brunet. He then moved his right hands towards the brunet's lower lip which was being softly nibbled on by brunet himself. Raven-head pulled out the elder's lips with his thumb, softly caressing the nibbled part.

Brunet was already so flustered at their proximity that he could feel his cheeks turning redder and hotter, if possible. He closed his eyes as the boy who has never left his mind since the day he entered his life was leaning closer and closer-

The elder's eyes shot open when he felt the presence of something alien like an icy finger on his lips and a peachy smell and taste entering his nostrils and mouth.

Taehyung froze, as he realized that the younger was applying lip balm on his lips. A pink dust now littered on the apples of his cheek. He confusedly blinked at the younger with his brown eyes.

'Wait he bought a lipbalm from that store?'

"I realized you won't stop biting your pretty lips, hyung" Deep voice settled down his body as the latter whispered. 'Did he just call my lips pretty? Fuck.'

He continued "As much as I love this disobedient side of yours, I don't want your pretty lips to get chapped, especially when I am not the one biting them."

"w-what?" The brunet was dumbfounded at what he heard.

"I can't let your lips get chapped Hyung, especially when I am here with you." The raven-head whispered and leaned back, eyes still prolonged at the elder's lip.

Taehyung was indeed lacking in words and expressions. All this caring and intimidating aura was beyond his zone. He didn't know how to react if someone out of care applies lip balm on his lips or calls his lips pretty or leans in to whispers things that would leave brunet all flustered. All these little gestures and moves made by the younger was very new for the elder.

"Thank you, Jeongguk," the elder smiled afterward.

Once the younger was done, his eyes met the brown ones and he deeply chuckled and how innocent yet sexy the older looked with his eyes widened and lips agape and shining due the peachy balm that he just applied on his lips. And then whispered, "Don't thank me hyung... I'm supposed to be taking care of you..."

Thump, thump, thump.

"There," Jeongguk said softly, his thumb tracing the curve of Taehyung's bottom lip. "Better."

With that they started roaming in the market once again. And offcourse Taehyung was a blushing mess. Jeongguk was so. fucking. intimidating. thoughtful. and gorgeous.

For those stolen hours, Taehyung felt like he belonged to someone. Not in a possessive way, but in the way that mattered – like he was wanted, valued, worth someone's time and attention and care. Jeongguk treated him like he was the only person in the world, giving him his complete focus despite the bustling crowds and endless distractions of the city around them.

The vintage bookstore was perhaps the most thoughtful stop of all. Jeongguk led him through narrow aisles lined floor to ceiling with books, their spines worn with age and handling. The smell of old paper and binding glue was intoxicating, and Taehyung found himself running his fingers along the shelves in wonder.

"They have original copies of some incredible classics here," Jeongguk explained, watching Taehyung's face light up as he discovered treasures he'd only seen in digital format before. "I thought you might like to browse."

Taehyung wandered through the store like a child in a candy shop, picking up volumes and reading passages, getting lost in the physical pleasure of holding real books with real weight and history. But as much as he loved being there, he didn't buy anything. His apartment already had a bookshelf full of unread purchases – he was one of those people who bought books faster than he could read them, seduced by the promise of stories he never quite found time to consume.

Jeongguk followed him patiently through every aisle, never rushing him or showing any sign of boredom even when Taehyung spent ten minutes just staring at a first edition of a novel he'd been meaning to read for years. When Taehyung finally admitted he wasn't going to purchase anything, Jeongguk just smiled.

"That's okay, hyung. Sometimes it's enough just to be around books, even if you don't take them home."

The patience he showed, the complete lack of judgment or frustration, added another note to Taehyung's growing mental catalog: Jeongguk was extraordinarily patient, the kind of person who could find joy in someone else's happiness without needing anything in return.

As the afternoon wore on, they found themselves at a trendy ice cream parlor, standing in line behind families and couples enjoying their weekend together. The normalcy of it was almost surreal – they looked like any other pair of young men hanging out, sharing jokes and casual touches that could be interpreted as friendship by anyone watching.

But as they waited, Taehyung found himself spiraling into familiar territory of self-doubt and overthinking. He was about to order for both of them when he realized he had no idea what flavor Jeongguk would want. The simple question felt suddenly loaded with significance.

How could he not know something so basic?

Maybe it wasn't such a big deal to most people, but it bothered him enormously. It felt like evidence of his own selfishness, proof that he was too caught up in his own feelings to really pay attention to the person causing them.

The line moved forward, and there was only one person ahead of them now. Taehyung felt a familiar hand on his shoulder and turned to find Jeongguk watching him with concerned eyes.

"You okay?" Jeongguk asked, letting his hand drop when he didn't get an immediate response.

"Uh huh," Taehyung said, though his voice sounded uncertain even to his own ears. He nodded and turned back toward the front of the line, but he could feel Jeongguk's continued attention on him.

When their turn came, Jeongguk handled the interaction smoothly, ordering a strawberry shake for Taehyung and blackcurrant for himself. After paying, they found a booth by the window where afternoon light streamed in and created patterns on the worn wooden table.

Sitting across from each other, Taehyung found himself watching as Jeongguk enjoyed his shake, his tongue darting out to catch drops on the straw in a way that was unconsciously endearing. He looked so content, so genuinely happy to be there, that Taehyung felt his chest tighten with affection and guilt in equal measure.

He was adorable.

That was the only word for it – the way he savored each sip, the small sounds of satisfaction he made, the completely unselfconscious pleasure he took in simple things.

Maybe this was his chance to start fixing the imbalance, to show that he could be curious about Jeongguk's life too. If he were normal, socially confident, he would just ask whatever questions came to mind. But this was Taehyung, with his anxiety and awkwardness, turning even simple conversations into internal battles.

He didn't realize he'd been staring until Jeongguk noticed, looking up with raised eyebrows and an amused smile.

"What is it?" Jeongguk asked, his voice warm with curiosity rather than annoyance.

"Is blackcurrant your favorite shake?" The words tumbled out before Taehyung could second-guess them, and he immediately felt heat rise in his cheeks.

Jeongguk glanced down at his drink, then back up with a slightly puzzled expression. "Yeah, I guess so." He held the cup out toward Taehyung. "You want some?"

"No, I'm fine," Taehyung said quickly, shaking his head. "It's just... I realized that you know a lot about me, and I don't really know that much about you."

There. He'd said it. The admission hung in the air between them, and Taehyung immediately began catastrophizing about how Jeongguk might react. What if he was offended? What if he thought Taehyung was selfish or uninterested? What if this ruined everything?

Instead, Jeongguk started laughing – deep, genuine laughter that filled the space between them and drew looks from other customers. The sound was so unexpected, so full of delight rather than mockery, that Taehyung looked up in complete confusion.

"Oh gosh, is that why you're upset?" Jeongguk asked, his eyes crinkling with amusement as he smiled adoringly at him. "Hyung, that's the sweetest thing."

Relief flooded through Taehyung so powerfully he felt dizzy. "Well, yeah," he admitted shyly, looking away from the intensity of Jeongguk's fond gaze.

"Hyung," Jeongguk said, reaching across the table to cover Taehyung's hand with his own. "I don't care if you don't know everything about me. It's fine, really."

But the reassurance only made Taehyung feel worse. He stared down at Jeongguk's tattooed hand covering his, at the evidence of careful attention and thought that had gone into every aspect of their day together.

"No, it's not fine," he said firmly, lifting his eyes to meet Jeongguk's gaze. "I want to know everything about you."

The words came out softer than he'd intended, carrying more emotion than he'd meant to reveal. It sounded cheesy even to his own ears, but it was true – he did want to know everything, from favorite foods to childhood memories to the dreams that kept Jeongguk awake at night.

Jeongguk's smile grew even brighter. "Okay, tell you what, let's play twenty questions. That way we can both get to know each other better. How does that sound?"

The suggestion was perfect, exactly what Taehyung needed. His face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning, and he nodded eagerly. "Okay! I'll start." He paused to think. "What's your favorite color?"

"Black," Jeongguk answered without hesitation.

Of course it was black. Taehyung felt foolish for not guessing, Jeongguk wore black constantly, from his leather jacket to his jeans to the turtleneck he had on today. It was such an obvious answer that Taehyung wondered what else he'd been blind to.

"My turn," Jeongguk said. "Favorite movie?"

"Finding Nemo," Taehyung replied immediately, then felt his cheeks heat up. "I know it's childish, but I've probably watched it a hundred times. Jimin says I have a serious problem with that movie."

"Just keep swimming," Jeongguk quoted with a grin, and Taehyung's heart did a little flip at the reference.

"Exactly! Okay, when's your birthday?"

"The first of September," was all the boy said. "Okay, next question, where do you-"

"Wait," Taehyung furrowed his brows, interrupting the younger boy. Didn't Jeongguk want to know when the brunet's birthday was? So that's exactly what he asked. "Don't you want to know when my birthday is?"

Jeongguk chuckled after finally finishing his shake. "I already know when your birthday is."

What? He already knew?

How-

"How?"

"I asked Jimin. While we were playing cards, that day." The raven-head answered. Now Taehyung was feeling beyond guilty. Just the fact that Jeongguk took the time to ask someone regarding something about him. He could feel his heart speed up a little at that small gesture.

Great, now that feeling was back. It was hard to ignore his overwhelming feelings for the younger boy. Even if Taehyung successfully managed to forget, then Jeongguk would do or say something that just reminded the brunet of his enormous crush on him.

So Taehyung, after recovering from that slight shock, stuttered out an, "O-Oh."

At that, the raven-head smiled and continued on with the game, saving Taehyung from his flustered state. "Where do you see yourself in the future?"

This question honestly felt like a huge deal to the brunet because he had actually prepared for an answer if someone were to ever ask him this question. "Well, in the future..." It was hard to fight the smile that made its way to Taehyung's lips as he spoke.

"I'm not sure," Taehyung admitted. "Maybe working in publishing, or at a library. Somewhere around books"

"I'd also get a pet, definitely a dog cause I don't think cats are fond of me..... My aunt's cat once scratched my entire face. When I tried to pat her, she's a bitchy cat...." Taehyung continued talking, not realizing that he was zoning off into his thoughts. "Oh, and I'd probably have to marry someone who loves cooking because I can barely make any dishes and I also get a little paranoid around boiling water, hot oil or fire-" He stopped.

Oh shit.

Like a thief caught in an act, Taehyung froze as his eyes were wide. How long had he been rambling on about his so-called future? Slowly, he dared to meet Jeongguk's gaze, licking his lips nervously.

"S-Sorry, I'm going on and on about-"

"That's a beautiful dream, Hyung." Jeongguk gave Taehyung that look. The one where his eyes were starry and filled with amazement.

Taehyung just sat there, not backing down from staring at the raven-head in front of him. How could someone be so easily amazed at everything he said? For all the brunet knew, most people found him boring and bland. Jimin was always the more interesting one of the duo.

But here Taehyung was, talking to someone who praised him and treated him like he was a fragile gem that could easily break. Jeongguk cared for him; he listened to whatever the brunet talked about even if it was about some lame documentary he'd watched once.

In most situations, when someone puts up with all the boring traits of another person it usually meant that they liked that person; that they were willing to see past all those annoying things just to spend some time with that person.

Now all this left Taehyung to think and wonder:

Did Jeongguk like him too?

______________________

Guys the date is not yet ended. ahem, ahem, ahem, 'stay tuned' okay? also, keep commenting! Love ya!

Also, guys my writing style is not confusing, right? Do you get the inner thoughts part correctly? without confusion?

Chapter Text

As the sky darkened to a dazzling purplish glow, casting the streets of Gangnam in an almost magical light, both boys walked side by side through the increasingly bustling evening crowd. Street vendors were setting up their colorful stalls along the sidewalks, preparing for the nighttime rush with displays of glittering jewelry, traditional sweets that filled the air with sugary aromas, and sizzling Korean street food that made Taehyung's mouth water despite being full from their earlier meal.

The atmosphere was alive with energy and possibility, and Taehyung found himself caught up in the romance of it all, the golden light from the food stalls, the distant sound of music drifting from nearby clubs, the way Jeongguk looked even more handsome in the twilight glow.

They continued their game of twenty questions as they walked, the conversation flowing easily between them now that the initial awkwardness had melted away. It was Taehyung's turn, and he searched his mind for something interesting to ask.

"Do you play a sport?" The question felt lame even as it left his mouth, and he side-glanced at Jeongguk with slight embarrassment.

"I played volleyball! For fun, and I was the ace," Jeongguk replied with that easy smile that made Taehyung's heart skip.

Taehyung could absolutely picture it, Jeongguk in a Volleyball uniform, probably dominating the court with that natural confidence and athletic build. He'd probably been the star player, the one all the other students came to watch, scoring point after point while looking effortlessly cool. The image of a younger Jeongguk, still cute but with that same magnetic presence, made Taehyung's chest warm with affection.

He must have been adorable back then, probably breaking hearts left and right without even trying.

"What about you?" Jeongguk asked, pulling Taehyung out of his daydreaming.

Taehyung chuckled, trying to recall any sport he'd ever been remotely good at. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. It wasn't his fault, really, some people were just naturally athletic, and others were naturally... not.

"No, I didn't really play any sports," he admitted with a self-deprecating smile. Then he remembered something that made him brighten. "But I was the water boy for the football team in high school! I spent a lot of time next to the coach, handing out bottles to exhausted players. It technically isn't a sport, but I got to be in the team picture on picture day."

The memory made him beam with genuine happiness, it had been one of the few times in high school when he'd felt like he belonged somewhere, even if it was just on the sidelines.
Jeongguk stared at him with such an affectionate expression that Taehyung felt his cheeks grow warm. There was something in the younger man's eyes that made it hard to concentrate on anything else, a soft fondness that seemed to see right through to his soul.

"What is it?" Taehyung asked quietly, unconsciously licking his bottom lip in nervousness.

Jeongguk shook his head, his smile growing even more tender. "You're just really cute."

The words hit Taehyung like a bolt of lightning. Did Jeongguk just call him cute? Out loud? In public? His face immediately erupted in the brightest blush of his life as his signature boxy grin spread across his features. He turned his head to face forward, trying to hide his reaction, but he could feel Jeongguk's amused smirk beside him.

Only Jeongguk could reduce him to this kind of flustered mess with just three simple words.

All these questions they'd been trading had made Taehyung feel more connected to the younger man than ever before. Each answer revealed new layers, new reasons to care about him even more deeply. But the growing intimacy also made Taehyung want to tell him everything, about how much he truly liked him, about what had really happened the night Jeongguk forgot to pick him up from work, about that Instagram post of Minchae's anniversary celebration that had been eating at him for days.

He wanted to spill everything that had been bottled up inside him, all his most secretive and fragile thoughts. But something held him back, and that something was fear. These feelings were so precious, so vulnerable, if he shared them and Jeongguk reacted badly, it would leave him completely exposed and transparent.

But this was Jeongguk, after all. Jeongguk was different from everyone else.

Taehyung turned to catch a glimpse of the younger man, watching as his eyes scanned the various shops and stalls lining the street. He was right there, close enough to touch, close enough to whisper secrets to.

Just tell him, a voice in his head urged.

But Taehyung hesitated, then sighed and faced forward again. He decided not to say anything after all. Why did he feel this overwhelming need to speak the truth anyway? What good had telling the truth ever done him?

He could still remember it clearly, a few years ago when he'd first approached his parents about wanting to study literature. Their reaction had been devastatingly negative, completely against his dreams. The house had become a battlefield after that conversation, filled with tension and disappointment that had taken months to heal.

Maybe this situation was completely different from what he was facing now, but the bottom line remained the same: when you told someone something deep and meaningful, there was always a high chance they'd react negatively. And this was Jeongguk, which meant Taehyung had to be extra careful about what he revealed. He didn't know what he'd do if Jeongguk ever got truly angry with him.

So that was it then. He wouldn't tell him. Not tonight.

By now the streets were filled with people enjoying the evening atmosphere. Music played in the distance, creating a backdrop of celebration and life. People walked in all directions, some clearly heading to dinner, others beginning their night out. Taehyung suddenly understood why they called this area a famous party spot, it had an energy that attracted crowds like a magnet.
He was trying his best to navigate through the increasing crowd when someone suddenly bumped into him hard.

Being naturally uncoordinated, Taehyung stumbled backward, his balance completely thrown off. Before he could fall, he felt a strong hand grip his elbow tightly, steadying him with sure strength.

He knew without looking that it was Jeongguk who had caught him, but his attention was diverted to the person who had caused the collision. A clearly intoxicated man was bowing repeatedly beside them, slurring out apologies with the exaggerated politeness of someone who'd had too much to drink.

Before anything else could happen, Taehyung felt Jeongguk pull him away from the situation, guiding him through the crowd with protective determination. But this time, there was something different about the way they moved together.

"Stay close to me," Jeongguk said, and suddenly Taehyung realized that the younger man's hand was holding his tightly.

They were holding hands. For the first time.

Taehyung's heart immediately started racing like it was trying to escape from his chest. The boy he had feelings for was holding his hand in public, their fingers intertwined like it was the most natural thing in the world. He needed to stay calm, he told himself. It was probably just for safety in the crowd. This was normal. People held hands to stay together in crowds all the time.
But the lightning shooting up his arm from where their skin touched suggested this was anything but normal.

They stopped walking near a jewelry stall that was impossible to ignore as they passed by. An elderly woman sat behind the display, carefully arranging silver watches from a cardboard box with the practiced movements of someone who'd been doing this for decades. Her table was covered with all kinds of shimmering accessories, earrings that caught the streetlight, delicate necklaces, ankle bracelets, and rings in every imaginable style.

But only one piece caught Taehyung's attention completely: a bracelet that seemed to call to him from among all the other glittering options. It was silver, formed by an elegant band of interwoven chains that created an intricate pattern. Scattered throughout the chain work were small emerald green gemstones that caught the light beautifully, and hanging from the bracelet was one tiny circular charm with what appeared to be faint engraving on its surface.

"Do you want that?" Jeongguk's deep voice broke through Taehyung's fascinated staring.
Taehyung turned to him quickly, shaking his head with an embarrassed smile. "No, I was just looking," he said, but even as the words left his mouth, he recognized the determined expression that was forming on Jeongguk's face.

"Jeongguk, you don't have to get me—"

But it was too late. Jeongguk was already moving toward the stall, their joined hands pulling Taehyung along with him. He picked up the exact bracelet Taehyung had been admiring, examining it with the careful attention of someone who wanted to make sure it was perfect.

The elderly vendor immediately perked up, launching into her sales pitch about the quality of the silver and the authenticity of the gemstones. But Jeongguk was already reaching for his wallet, clearly having made his decision the moment he saw Taehyung's interest.

"You really don't need to—" Taehyung tried again, but Jeongguk just smiled at him with that soft expression that made all protests die in his throat.

After a brief negotiation in Korean that showed Jeongguk's familiarity with street bargaining, money changed hands and the bracelet was theirs. But instead of simply handing it to Taehyung, Jeongguk held it up to examine the small charm more closely.

"There's something I asked her to make some alterations…," he said, and Taehyung leaned closer to see what he was looking at.

In delicate italic script, almost too small to read, were the letters "JK" etched into the silver surface.

Taehyung's eyes widened in surprise and something that felt dangerously close to hope. The coincidence seemed too perfect, too meaningful to be random. Jeongguk's initials, on a bracelet that had somehow called to him from among dozens of other options.

"It would look so good on you hyung…," Jeongguk said quietly, his voice carrying an emotion that Taehyung couldn't quite identify but that made his chest tight with feeling.

"Here, let me put it on you," Jeongguk continued, and before Taehyung could protest or even process what was happening, gentle fingers were fastening the bracelet around his wrist with careful precision.

The silver felt cool against his skin, but Jeongguk's touch was warm, lingering longer than necessary as he made sure the clasp was secure. When he was finished, he didn't immediately let go, instead running his thumb over the charm with its tiny engraved letters.

"Perfect," he murmured, and Taehyung wasn't sure if he was talking about the fit of the bracelet or something else entirely.

Taehyung stared down at his wrist, at the beautiful piece of jewelry that now bore Jeongguk's initials like some kind of claim. His face was burning with embarrassment and happiness and a dozen other emotions he couldn't name.

"Thank you," he whispered, unable to look up at Jeongguk's face because he was afraid of what he might see there, or what Jeongguk might see in his own expression.

"It looks good on you," Jeongguk said, his voice warm with satisfaction. "Really good."

The evening air had grown warmer as more people filled the streets, and Taehyung suddenly realized he was overheating in his sweater. The combination of the crowd, his emotional state, and the layers he'd put on that morning was making him uncomfortably warm.

"Is it just me, or did it get really hot out here?" he said, tugging at his collar.

"It's the crowd," Jeongguk agreed. "And all the food stalls. Want to head back? We could watch a movie or something."

The suggestion sent a thrill through Taehyung that had nothing to do with the temperature. Going back to his apartment, just the two of them, with Jimin not due back until late... it felt like crossing some kind of line, entering territory that was more intimate than their public adventures.

"That sounds nice," he managed, his voice coming out slightly breathless.

The ride back on Jeongguk's motorcycle felt different this time, more charged, more significant. Taehyung was hyperaware of every point of contact between them, of the way the bracelet caught the passing streetlights, of the promise of privacy waiting for them at his apartment.
When they arrived, Taehyung's hands were shaking slightly as he unlocked the door. "Jimin won't be back until really late," he said, trying to sound casual. "We'll have the place to ourselves."

"Good," Jeongguk replied, and there was something in his tone that made Taehyung's heart skip several beats.

They settled on the couch with a comfortable familiarity, Taehyung scrolling through streaming options while trying to ignore the way his awareness of Jeongguk seemed to fill the entire space.

"How about The Lion King?" he suggested, remembering Jeongguk's earlier comment about childhood favorites.

"Perfect," Jeongguk agreed, but as the opening music began to play, Taehyung found it impossible to focus on the screen.

Soon Taehyung was sitting beside the raven-head, face nuzzling against the younger’s shoulder.Jeongguk had one arm wrapped around him, smoothly stroking the older boy’s arm as they watched the movie progress. It looked so natural, so perfect, as if they do this every fucking tuesday.

At one point, Taehyung felt Jeongguk’s arm dropping from his shoulder to his thighs, bare thighs, yes he had changed them, when they entered the apartment. Taehyung flinched at the sudden contact, before he relaxed into the touch as jeongguk started stroking the warm skin.

Thump, thump, thump.

Taehyung felt moving slowly towards his inner thighs, the grip starting to get stronger. Started rubbing closer and closer… Taehyung started bitting his lower lip, to stop himself from letting out a whimper. This was torture. He was sure, Jeongguk knew what he was doing, even though his eyes where fixed on television screen, as if he was not groping the older boy.

The stroking kept on getting rougher and rougher. ‘Fuck- I can’t anymore!’

“J-jeongguk…” Finally a strangled whimper left his mouth. His body completely trembled against the younger boy’s frame at the not so subtle touch.

‘Jeongguk would pay attention to him now, right? He always takes care of me, he is the most considerate person for me-’

“Be quiet hyung, I’m trying to watch the movie.”

Wait, what?

The older boy immediately fell quiet. Wasn’t he the hyung here? Yet, the younger boy was so intimidating. He bit his lower lip harshly, to stop any sound. If Jeongguk wanted him to keep quiet, was the fuck was he groping so roughly? But Taehyung tried. He really tried his hardest to keep his eyes on the television, and not on the beautiful, hot, veiny hands groping his inner thighs.
‘His hands are so beautiful…’

A sudden hard grip on his inner thighs, touching his crotch area, flinched Taehyung out of his thoughts. His breath hitched, but he tried to keep quiet. But everyone has their limit. He was sure by now, that if he kept on biting his lips, for more than a few seconds, it would start to bleed. That was the amount of force he was needing to stop himself from letting out any sound.

‘I can’t, i can’t, I’m so hard-’

Taehyung let out a stifled moan, wanting to moan more, but a large hand clasped onto his mouth. His eyes widened, why was jeongguk doing this? What happened to the boy, tongue darting out to catch drops on the straw, so that they don’t fall? He glanced at Jeongguk, whose hands were blocking him, “Didn’t I tell you to be quiet?”

Taehyung wanted to protest, to fight back, because this was so unfair. It was so hard to not let out a whimper. He felt so overwhelmed in that moment that his eyes started tearing up a little, he kept on biting his lips but that was not so effective at the moment.

Finally his body gave in, and with every strength that he had left, he got himself away from the hold and ran towards the washroom, standing before the mirror, he was so hot, chest moving up and down with heavy breathing, eyes glistening with tears, a painful member visible through his shorts, standing straight.

Not realizing he has not locked the door.
____________________

Ahem, what is going to happen guys, what do you think! ahem ahem-

Chapter Text

The door to the washroom swung open, and Taehyung's heart leapt into his throat. He was so caught up in his heated state, lost in the mirror's reflection, that he hadn't even heard Jeongguk approaching.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither spoke. Taehyung's breath came in ragged gasps, his chest heaving with each inhale. Jeongguk's gaze traveled from Taehyung's flushed face to the evident arousal straining against his shorts.

Jungkook's piercing glare made Taehyung's whole body shiver.Taehyung felt his whole body temperature rising because of the glare.

Jungkook slowly took stride towards the older.In this moment, where he was aware that the other was mad at him for not being able to ‘keep quiet’, he found him hot. Very hot to be precise.

Jungkook had kept his hands in his pocket, as he moved forward.

On the other hand, Taehyung had subconsciously started taking little steps backwards. In an instant the younger one stook some long strides towards the other and kept both his hands on the side of Taehyung's neck, stopping him from his little steps.

Taehyung got alarmed by the raven-head's move. His breath got heavy and fast. The sides of his neck felt so hot as if they would explode in a few seconds. And throughout this slows strides, gawking at the younger one, the outsmarting move of his, Taehyung's eyes never left Jungkook's eyes, and vice versa.

Now Taehyung was caught up by the other. He had no choice but to wait for the next step of the younger one. Taehyung eyes were glued to the younger ones as the latter eyes fell on his forehead, then eyes, then nose, then lips and stayed there for some time, then his collar bones as they moved in rhythm with his heavy and deep breath, and then his chest.

'Chest?'

Taehyung's eyes followed where the younger one's eyes were on. And then he realised that the other was looking at his nipples. Fucking hardened nipples. Taehyung's face turned crimson red in embarrassment. 'Why did my nipples have to get hard!'

After a deep lingering look, jungkook's eyes met Taehyung, and he leaned his forehead on the other's. Both of them closed their eyes as their breath mingled due to their proximity. Sighing the raven-head rasp,"Bad hyung."

Taehyung's knees trembled at the adjective he was subjected to. And why in heaven was he finding it very hot? The older boy's chest was falling up and down in haste because of the nervousness. And whenever he's nervous, what does anyone do? Obviously, the biting of his lips was back.

"I told you to keep quiet, I was watching the movie. And I have fucking asked you many times before to stop bitting your lips, but you still fucking do it!" Jungkook raised his voice, making the other tremble more.

Their foreheads were still connected, in fear Taehyung stopped bitting his lips and opened his eyes slightly only to find the other staring at him with darkened eyes. And Taehyung would he lying if he said it didn't scared the brunet.

There was a long pause in their conversation-oh, well the scolding, which Taehyung thought is an opportunity to give justification from his side. "I t-tried, but your h-hands--"

"Did I fucking ask that hyung!"

Taehyung's knees felt weak upon hearing that respective call from Jungkook. Honestly it was better when Jeongguk called him by his name. Who in the universe would believe that the younger one of them had every way with the older one.

"You're a bad hyung... Very bad.. And bad hyungs need to make things right, right? " A raspy voice sounded into his ear, making him moan.

"J-jungkook... "

The brunet felt his heart drop. What? How?

"Did you not hear me asking something Hyung?" The dark-haired boy's voice suddenly became dark as he pressed his fingers deeper on his neck. Taehyung whimpered at the dominance radiating from the younger boy.

"S-sorry, I m-mean y-yes, yes." Taehyung blushed looking down.

"Yea?" Jeongguk's voice was low and husky, laced with a hint of amusement. Without waiting for a response, he closed the distance between them and claimed Taehyung's lips in a searing kiss.

Taehyung's moan was muffled against Jeongguk's mouth, but the younger boy's hands still instinctively flew to cover his mouth. However, Jeongguk merely deepened the kiss, his tongue darting past Taehyung's parted lips to stroke against his own.

Taehyung's breath hitched, his body responding instinctively even as his mind raced with embarrassment and arousal.

Taehyung melted into the kiss, his initial shock giving way to eager submission. His arms wrapped around Jeongguk's neck, holding him close as he deepened the kiss. Jeongguk's other hand roamed over Taehyung's back, gripping possessively before sliding down to cup his ass through his shorts.

Breaking the kiss, Jeongguk lifted Taehyung effortlessly, his legs instinctively wrapping around the younger boy's waist. Taehyung's hard length pressed against Jeongguk's groin as he held on tight, his breathing growing ragged.

“J-jeongguk..”

Desperate for friction, Taehyung started to rock against Jeongguk, grinding their hips together. Jeongguk responded in kind, his own hardness straining against his pants as he began to move them in tandem.

Taehyung was a whimpering and moaning mess as he continued rolling his hips for some friction. He watched the raven head titling his head in amusement as he played along with the rocking. His forehead was damp in sweat, hair sticking on his forehead.

It felt like everything was moving in slow motion. With every pant that left Taehyung's mouth, his eyes focused on the boy in front of him. Through his hazy gaze, the brunet caught Jeongguk licking his lips as he continued to thrust his thigh onto the older boy's clothed cock.

Taehyung was feeling on edge, head ducked, with his hands still in a tight grip behind him, there was nothing he could do to relieve himself. It was that thing- that feeling that came after the arousing pleasure.

The release.

He fucking needed the release!

“J-jeongguk please….”

“You’re so polite hyung, but you better shut your mouth!” Jeongguk growled.

Taehyung whimpered… his hands gripping the younger boy’s waist as the other pulled away. Rolling his hips slightly to tease the older boy, before putting him down. Just when Taehyung thought he might lose control, Jeongguk abruptly stopped, setting him down on shaky legs.

The heat between them built to a fever pitch, his moans and heavy panting filling the small bathroom.

"Didn't I ask you to be quiet?" Jeongguk's voice was stern, but there was a hint of amusement in his tone.

Jeongguk poked his tongue to the side of his inner cheek, “Tsk Hyung… fine, You want to make noise right? I’ll help you with that.”

With a sudden movement, Jeongguk turned Taehyung to face the mirror, his strong hands gripping the older boy's hips. "I was watching the movie, but your eyes..." He paused, his raspy voice sending shivers down Taehyung's spine. "They were stuck on my hands, my fingers... You really like them, huh?"

A thrill of anticipation ran through Taehyung as Jeongguk continued, "Should I show you how good it can make you feel?" He reached for the waistband of Taehyung's pants but stopped.

Taehyung raised his head to see the raven-head now staring down at his crotch area.

The color red painted the older boy's face as he realized that there was a visible 'stain' on his dark pants. How embarrassing! He shut his eyes but then opened them again when he felt Jeongguk release his hands from behind him.

It looked like Jeongguk was about to say something but almost immediately, the brunet turned around facing the sink. He was afraid, honestly. Afraid of someone else seeing him like this. And he knew that this was Jeongguk with him, after all. The raven-head would never do anything to hurt him but still, Taehyung couldn't ignore the fear buzzing within him like an annoying fly.

He suddenly felt a warm body pressed against his back. He lifted his head to the mirror that hung above the sink and saw Jeongguk staring right back at him. Jeongguk looked ethereal with his dark shining eyes hidden beneath his bangs. The younger boy's tattooed hands came around the brunet's waist.

"You don't have to hide anything from me."

‘YES! This is my Jeongguk!, considerate one!’

Taehyung licked his dry lips. With all the courage he had in him he spoke out, "I-I'm scared." It came out as a whisper but the raven-head still heard it.

Jeongguk planted one kiss to the side of Taehyung's neck. "You don't have to be. I'll never let you get hurt."

Just those words alone made the older boy's knees weak. How could someone make him feel so safe like this?

Their eyes met again in the mirror. The younger boy gave a reassuring smile to Taehyung. "We can stop here if you want. I won't do anything if you're feeling uncomfor-"

The brunet felt his heart drop. What? All this was going to stop?

He didn't want it to stop.

"No!" He said a little too loudly. He lowered his voice, staring at the raven-head through the mirror. "I-I don't want you to stop."

He blushed looking down.

Oh god. That sounded so weak...

Another kiss was planted to the side of his neck. He leaned his head back onto Jeongguk's shoulder feeling in-trance from the atmosphere of this moment. He turned his head to the side and looked at the raven-head.

Jeongguk bumped their noses together. "Baby... are you sure?"

Baby?!

Again!

Taehyung nodded quickly. He really couldn't wait any longer. With the last bit of confidence he had within him, while still staring at the raven-head, Taehyung took one of Jeongguk's hands and brought it over his crotch.

"Please..." He begged. "It hurts."

"Fuck..." Jeongguk breathed out, his own heart beating faster at the sight before him. Taehyung looked like he was willing to submit to anything the raven-head asked him.

Wasting no more time, the younger boy cupped to bulge over Taehyung's pants, squeezing it. That made the older boy moan but almost instantly, Jeongguk crashed his lips against Taehyung's muffling the boy's heavenly moans.

With their lips moving against each other, Jeongguk worked his hands to undo the button and zip on the brunet's pants. Taehyung gasped into the kiss when he felt his pants, along with his boxers, being pulled down. They pooled around his ankles on the bathroom floor.

He shut his eyes tighter just focusing on the kiss.

Stay cool!

A strong hand wrapped itself around the brunet's flushed cock. There was no time to spare as Jeongguk immediately started to pump the boy's cock.

Oh my god...

It was indescribable. So fucking good! Taehyung felt this feeling in the pit of his gut building up. They broke away from the kiss leaving the sound of heavy pants to fill the air in the bathroom.

"Is this good, baby?" A raspy voice sounded into his ear making him moan.

"Jeongguk..."

The brunet felt the warm hand move to his wet slit. The pre-cum was already leaking from his cock. Jeongguk's fingers massaged the place around the tip, making the older boy lose balance and lean back onto the younger boy's chest behind him.

"I asked you a question..." The dark-haired boy's voice suddenly became dark as he started to pump faster again. Taehyung whimpered at the dominance radiating from the younger boy.

"S-Sorry. It feels good. So good..." Each stroke up and down, left a different feeling to hit the brunet. This was the greatest feeling in the world, he thought. The boy's hand was doing wonders to him. And just the fact that it was Jeongguk doing this to him only made every second more special.

He could feel himself about to cum. The moment was here. "I-I'm going to..." Taehyung sucked a sharp breath. "J-Jeongguk?"

Why wasn't Jeongguk saying anything? The brunet was reaching his climax but there was something stopping him. Those words were missing... The tips of Taehyung's ears were on fire realizing what he was asking for.

He wanted Jeongguk to tell him to do it. To tell him to cum. That he was allowed to. "Jeongguk... can I..."

The raven-head's pumps slowed down as he stared at Taehyung with starry eyes. He couldn't believe the words coming from the older boy. It just made Jeongguk feel even more horny. "F-Fuck... baby. You're asking for my permission to cum?"

The brunet nodded. Waiting.

Jeongguk leaned in for a hasty kiss. "You can."

And then finally, after everything Taehyung rode out his orgasm, not bothering to hide his moan. White strings of the cum shot out of his cock, some even getting on Jeongguk's hand. They both panted in the silence.

The younger boy nuzzled his face into the crook of Taehyung's neck hugging him from behind. Taehyung was feeling weak and tired as he let the other boy's embrace consume him.

"You did so good." The raven-head whispered.

Taehyung stayed quiet letting the moment settle down within him. Jeongguk just gave him a fucking hand job!

However...

He realized something and that was he wasn't as scared as he thought he'd be.

Yeah, I did it...

The older boy reached his hand out and found Jeongguk's, entangling their fingers together. He felt warmness surge through him when the raven-head tightened their fingers together.

A realization washed over him.

He will break-up with Seoyun for sure.
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ahem ahem! Did you enjoy?

Chapter Text

Various thoughts floated through Taehyung's mind as he lay in bed the next morning, the silver bracelet still wrapped around his wrist like a tangible reminder of the night before. He had never really pondered upon the word "love" before, it had always seemed like something distant and theoretical, something that happened to other people in movies and books.

But now, with the memory of Jeongguk's gentle touch still tingling on his skin, with the way his heart had raced every time their eyes met, with the careful way Jeongguk had fastened the bracelet around his wrist like he was handling something precious, the handjob, fucking handjob... this might be what love felt like.

The realization should have terrified him, but instead, it filled him with a giddiness that made him want to laugh out loud and bury his face in his pillow at the same time. This fluttery, all-consuming feeling that made everything else fade into background noise – this desperate want to be near someone, to know everything about them, to be the person they thought about first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

He rolled over and stared at the bracelet in the early morning light, watching how the tiny emerald stones caught the sunbeam streaming through his window. The "JK" engraved on the small charm seemed to wink at him, a secret message that made his chest tight with emotion.

Taehyung was sure he needed to breakup. Not just because of a certain younger boy, but also because they were clearly not into each other.

He had to end things with her. He knew that now with crystal clarity. But Jimin's dance competition was only a week away, and Seoyun had been so excited about going to support him. She'd bought a new dress specifically for the occasion, had been talking about it for weeks. Taehyung couldn't bring himself to ruin that for her, couldn't take away her joy and anticipation just because he'd finally figured out his own heart.

One more week. He could manage one more week of pretending, and then he'd tell her the truth. It would be difficult and painful, but it would be honest, and both of them deserved that much.

The sound of raised voices from the living room pulled him out of his contemplation. Jimin and Seoyun were clearly having some kind of argument, their voices carrying through the thin walls of the apartment with increasing intensity.

Taehyung groaned and reluctantly dragged himself out of bed. He'd become so accustomed to their bickering that it barely registered anymore, they seemed to find something to disagree about every time they were in the same room for more than five minutes. Usually it was something trivial, and usually it blew over within an hour.

He shuffled to the kitchen, still wearing his pajamas and squinting against the morning light. Seoyun and Jimin were indeed arguing, standing on opposite sides of the living room with what appeared to be a newspaper spread between them on the coffee table.

"Morning," Taehyung mumbled, heading straight for the cabinet where they kept the cereal. He pointedly ignored whatever they were fighting about, having learned long ago that getting involved only prolonged the drama.

"This is completely ridiculous!" Seoyun was saying, her voice sharp with frustration. "You're being unreasonable about something that doesn't even concern you!"

"It concerns everyone who has to live in this city," Jimin shot back. "Just because you don't care about local politics doesn't mean the rest of us should ignore them too!"

Taehyung poured milk into his bowl of cereal and leaned against the counter, eating methodically while the argument continued to rage around him. There was something almost amusing about eating breakfast so calmly while two grown adults fought like children over what appeared to be a newspaper editorial.

The argument escalated as they continued, their voices growing louder and more heated. At one point, Seoyun called out to him desperately.

"Taehyung! Tell him he's being ridiculous!"

"What are you, a kid who needs to call for backup?" Jimin scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain.

The comment must have been the last straw for Seoyun, because the next thing Taehyung knew, she had picked up a throw pillow from the couch and hurled it directly at Jimin's head.

"Hey!" Jimin protested, ducking and grabbing a magazine from the coffee table to throw back at her.

"Really mature, both of you," Taehyung called out from the kitchen, still focused on his cereal. "Very adult way to handle disagreement."

Their fight went on the background as Taehyung sat at the dining table, ignoring them, a bowl of half-eaten cereal sat in front of him. All his attention was diverted onto the bracelet on his left wrist.

It was hard to take his eyes off it. Just the fact that Jeongguk bought it for him sent butterflies tickling his stomach in a giddy way. His thumb smoothed over the letters 'JK' that was carved on the metal charm. He smiled.

Another wave of giddiness surged through him. In a way, he felt like he was wearing something that made him belong to Jeongguk. Then it hit him. Oh yeah, he did mean something to the raven-head.

He was Jeongguk's secret, after all.

But they weren't listening. The throwing had escalated now, with both of them grabbing whatever was within reach – magazines, empty food containers, a banana peel that had been sitting on the counter, and launching them at each other with the enthusiasm of toddlers having a tantrum.

"Jimin!" Seoyun shouted when he managed to hit her shoulder with a rolled-up newspaper.

"You started it!" he yelled back, dodging another pillow.

Taehyung shook his head and finished the last of his cereal. Between mouthfuls, he finally addressed Seoyun's presence in their apartment. "What are you doing here anyway? It's pretty early."

"I wanted to borrow your laptop," she replied, pausing her assault on Jimin long enough to answer. "But this idiot won't stop fighting with me over some stupid newspaper article about development permits!"

"It's not stupid!" Jimin protested. "These permits affect the entire neighborhood!"

"I don't care about permits!" Seoyun screamed back, and their fight resumed with renewed vigor.

Taehyung stood up to put his empty bowl in the sink, still marveling at how two people could have so much energy for arguing this early in the morning. As he walked toward the sink, his mind was partially on his plans for the day, he had an important history test that afternoon that he'd been putting off studying for.

What he didn't see was the banana peel that had landed near the kitchen table during their impromptu food fight. His foot hit it at exactly the wrong angle, and suddenly the world was tilting sideways as his legs went out from under him.

The fall seemed to happen in slow motion and fast-forward simultaneously. One moment he was upright, the next he was crashing to the floor with his ankle twisted at an angle that definitely wasn't natural.

"Fuck!" The pain hit him immediately, sharp and intense, radiating from his ankle up through his entire leg. A distinct cracking sound had accompanied his fall, and he could already feel the joint beginning to swell.

"Oh fuck!" he gasped again, his left hand flying to cover his face as he tried to process what had just happened. He'd slipped on that stupid banana peel and sprained his ankle, possibly worse.

"Tae, what was—" Jimin started, but both he and Seoyun immediately stopped their argument when they saw Taehyung on the floor, his face contorted with pain.

They rushed to his side simultaneously, their fight completely forgotten in the face of his obvious injury.

"Oh my god, Taehyung, I'm so sorry," Seoyun said, carefully crouching down to examine his foot. "This is all our fault for being so stupid."

Taehyung hissed when she tried to lift his foot to get a better look at the damage. The movement sent fresh waves of agony through the injured joint.

"Sorry, sorry," she said quickly, her voice full of sympathy and guilt. "Does it hurt that much?"

Taehyung nodded, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain. All he could think about was the terrible timing of this injury. He had that history test today that he absolutely could not miss, it was worth a significant portion of his grade, and he'd already used up his allowed absences for the semester.

"Dude, how can you be so clumsy?" Jimin said, clicking his tongue and shaking his head as he looked down at Taehyung from where he stood.

If he hadn't been in excruciating pain, Taehyung would have smacked his roommate for that comment. Instead, he just glared and tried to figure out what he was going to do. There was really only one option, he'd have to suck it up and somehow make it through the day. The test was too important to miss, no matter how much his ankle was throbbing.

Damn it. Why did this have to happen today of all days?

With help from both Jimin and Seoyun, Taehyung managed to get back on his feet, though putting any weight on his left ankle sent shooting pains up his leg. He hobbled toward the bathroom, muttering curses under his breath with every step.

The shower was an ordeal of epic proportions, requiring him to balance on one foot while trying to wash himself without slipping again on the wet tiles. He found himself letting loose with a steady stream of "fucks" and "shits" that would have made his mother wash his mouth out with soap.

But he kept reminding himself that after the test, he'd be free for the rest of the day. No work shift at the café, no homework due the next morning. Just the test, and then he could come home and elevate his ankle and possibly text Jeongguk about his pathetic morning.

The thought of telling Jeongguk about his accident made him feel slightly better. He could already imagine the younger man's reaction, probably a mixture of concern and amusement, followed by offers to bring him food or keep him company while he recovered.

After the shower ordeal, Taehyung somehow managed to drag himself to his bedroom and get dressed, though putting on socks and shoes with his swollen ankle proved to be another challenge entirely. By the time he limped back to the living room, he was exhausted and the day had barely begun.

Seoyun had apparently raided their medicine cabinet and first aid supplies while he was getting ready. She appeared from down the hallway with a roll of bandage and some ointment, looking genuinely concerned.

"You're lucky we had some first-aid supplies here," she said, kneeling down beside the couch where he'd collapsed. "Let me take care of that ankle."

"I'm fine," Taehyung insisted, though they all knew it was a lie. "It's not that bad."

"Shut up and let me dress your injury," Seoyun said firmly, and there was something in her tone that brooked no argument.

As she began gently applying ointment to his swollen ankle, Taehyung couldn't help but feel a fresh wave of guilt wash over him. Here she was, taking care of him with such genuine concern and tenderness, and he was planning to break up with her in a week.
She was being such a good person, such a caring friend, and he was repaying her kindness by living a lie.

But that was exactly the problem, wasn't it? She was a good person, a wonderful friend. She deserved someone who could love her the way she deserved to be loved, not someone whose heart belonged entirely to someone else.

The brown-haired boy felt incredibly lucky to have met her and to have her in his life, but he would never be able to see her as more than a friend. The realization was both liberating and heartbreaking, liberating because it meant he finally understood his own feelings clearly, and heartbreaking because it meant hurting someone he genuinely cared about.

Soon, he promised himself. Just not now. He had to be prepared first, had to figure out exactly what he was going to say and how he was going to explain everything. Maybe he could tell her after Jimin's dance competition. The performance was nearly a week away now, one more week of pretending, and then he could finally be honest.

Seoyun had already wrapped the bandage tightly around his ankle with professional-looking skill, and she even went so far as to help him put his sock and shoe on the injured foot.

"You don't have to do that," Taehyung protested, reaching forward to stop her. "I can wear it myself."

"It's okay, I'll do it," she replied with a gentle smile, carefully slipping his foot into his black Converse.

Just then, Jimin finished his phone call with Yoongi. "Okay, Yoongi's on his way to give us a ride to the university," he announced, then stopped and started laughing when he saw the scene in front of him. "Dude, are you Cinderella or something?"

His laughter was infectious, causing his eyes to crinkle into the crescent moons that were his signature expression. Even Taehyung managed a small smile despite his pain.

But Seoyun was not amused by the comparison.

"Oh, shut up, Jimin," she said, rolling her eyes as she stood up from her kneeling position. "It's your fault this happened to Taehyung in the first place."

Jimin's face immediately transformed into an expression of complete disbelief. "What?" he said dramatically, looking back and forth between Taehyung and Seoyun several times. "How the hell is this my fault?!"

Taehyung sighed deeply from his position on the couch. This was bad. These two were clearly gearing up for another argument, and he was literally trapped – unable to escape to his room or leave the apartment with his injured ankle.

He exhaled slowly, watching as they began to spit insults at each other with renewed energy. The banana peel incident was apparently just fuel for their ongoing conflict, giving them fresh ammunition for their verbal warfare.

This was going to be a long day.
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My heart is filled with pride and joy every time I see that each new story of mine reaches more readers and earns more love than the last. It truly shows me that I’m growing and improving as a writer. I’m so genuinely thankful to all of you for the support—stay tuned, there’s more to come! 💜

Chapter Text

The History test had been absolutely brutal. Taehyung's brain felt like it had been put through a blender, and his ankle was throbbing with renewed intensity after sitting in an uncomfortable lecture hall chair for two hours. But at least it was over now, and he could finally go home to elevate his foot and try to forget about medieval trade routes and feudal systems.

The problem was actually getting home. Jimin had dance practice followed by several other classes, which meant Taehyung was on his own for transportation. He limped through the university's main hallway that led to the front parking lot, each step sending jolts of pain up his leg.

His first thought was to take the bus he'd recently gotten a new bus pass and it would be the cheapest option. But then he groaned as he remembered that the nearest bus stop was quite a distance from campus. With his injured ankle, that walk would be torture.

Great. Just perfect.

As he made his slow, painful way toward the front entrance of the building, his mind drifted to Yoongi. His boss had been kind enough to drop him and Jimin off earlier that morning, driving them in his expensive BMW while Taehyung sat quietly in the backseat. Maybe he could call and ask for another ride?

But no, that was ridiculous. Yoongi needed to manage the café alone during the day he couldn't be driving Taehyung around like a personal chauffeur. Plus, it would probably be weird without Jimin there as a buffer. During the morning ride, Jimin had done all the talking while Taehyung occasionally made eye contact with Yoongi through the rearview mirror before quickly looking away, suddenly shy under that intense gaze.

They hadn't really talked, except for when Taehyung thanked him for the ride. He still wasn't sure if he and Yoongi could be considered actual friends yet, or if he was still just "Jimin's friend" in Yoongi's mind. The older man was still somewhat intimidating, probably because of his all-black wardrobe and sharp features. Maybe Yoongi should consider wearing bright colors for once, Taehyung thought absently. It might make him seem more approachable-

Taehyung suddenly stopped in his tracks, his scattered thoughts coming to an abrupt halt.

There, standing near the front entrance like he'd been waiting, was a familiar figure that made Taehyung's heart immediately start racing.

Jeongguk.

The same person he'd spent the previous evening with, getting lost in conversation and gentle touches. The person who had given him the silver bracelet that was currently hidden under his sleeve, with those meaningful initials carved into the charm. The person who had made him feel things he'd never experienced before, who had awakened feelings so intense they scared him.

Taehyung's breathing became shallow and rapid. He wasn't ready for this encounter, wasn't prepared to face Jeongguk after the intimacy they'd shared. What if the younger man wanted to talk about what had happened between them? How had he even known to find Taehyung here?

Judging by the worried expression on Jeongguk's face, something had definitely prompted this unexpected appearance.

"Hey," Taehyung managed to stutter out when Jeongguk reached him, forcing what he hoped was a casual smile.

But Jeongguk immediately took one of Taehyung's hands in his, providing gentle support as his dark eyes moved down to examine the older man's injured foot with obvious concern.

"Are you okay? How did you fall? Does it hurt a lot?" The questions came rapid-fire, filled with genuine worry that made Taehyung's chest tighten with emotion.

Taehyung just stared at him, his brain struggling to process all the questions at once. But mainly, he was focused on one crucial detail.

"How do you know I fell?" he asked, confusion evident in his voice.

Jeongguk was still examining his foot as he answered matter-of-factly, "I heard it from Minchae. Seoyun told her about your accident."

"Oh." Taehyung's eyebrows furrowed as he processed this information. So Seoyun really did tell Minchae everything they must have one of those friendships where no detail was too small to share. But more importantly, Jeongguk had come here immediately after hearing about Taehyung's injury.

How could someone be this thoughtful, this caring? Did Jeongguk really care about him that much?

The realization made Taehyung feel both grateful and guilty. He almost felt like he didn't deserve to be treated with such consideration and kindness. He was truly lucky to have met someone like this beautiful, caring person.

"Let me give you a ride home," Jeongguk said, removing his hand from Taehyung's and instead sliding his arm around the back of the older man's waist in a gesture of support. "You shouldn't be walking too much with that injury."

The contact sent electricity through Taehyung's entire nervous system. Jeongguk's strong, tattooed arm was wrapped securely around his lower back, and they were standing in the middle of the university hallway. In public. In the most dangerous possible location for this kind of intimate contact.

"Oh no, it's fine," Taehyung protested, acutely aware that they were in the one place on earth where rumors spread like wildfire and could completely destroy your reputation. "I'll take the bus."

He turned his head to face Jeongguk, only to realize their faces were incredibly close to each other. Close enough that he could see the gold flecks in those dark eyes, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from his skin. Taehyung gulped, his gaze locked with Jeongguk's intense stare.

"No, I'll drive you home," Jeongguk said in that deep, husky voice that always made Taehyung's knees weak. The hallway was practically empty, but anyone could walk by at any moment professors, classmates, people who knew them. "You're hurt."

Taehyung knew there was no point in arguing. When Jeongguk made up his mind about something, he was immovable. With a resigned sigh, he nodded. "Okay." The sooner they got out of there, the better.

Jeongguk helped him walk toward the front entrance, his tattooed hand maintaining its protective hold on Taehyung's side as they moved slowly through the building. It was definitely easier to walk with that support, but Taehyung felt deeply conflicted about the whole situation.

Part of him wanted to feel purely grateful that Jeongguk was there, wanted to bask in the care and attention being lavished on him. But he couldn't achieve that simple, honest feeling anymore. Every kind gesture from Jeongguk came with a shadow now, a persistent voice in his head that whispered the same painful truth over and over again.

He doesn't belong to you.

That single, unavoidable fact loomed over everything good between them, casting darkness on even the most beautiful moments. And yes, it was selfish – Taehyung should just accept what he had and appreciate it instead of wanting more. But it was getting harder and harder to ignore that what they had wasn't enough anymore.

It would never be enough.

As they reached the entrance, Jeongguk pushed open one of the heavy wooden doors and they stepped out onto the front steps of the building together. The sun was hiding behind thick clouds, making the campus seem dim and subdued. Only a few students were scattered around the parking lot, most of them focused on their own concerns.

"Be careful," Jeongguk said gently, helping Taehyung navigate the steps with extra caution.

Once they were standing on level ground, Jeongguk turned to look at him without bothering to remove his arm from around Taehyung's lower back. The possessive nature of the gesture made Taehyung's pulse quicken.

"How's your foot now?" Jeongguk asked, glancing down at the injured ankle before returning his attention to Taehyung's face, waiting for an answer with that focused attention that always made him feel like the center of the universe.

Taehyung managed what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "It's fine. Thanks for helping me."

He expected Jeongguk to smile back and say something like "you're welcome" or "of course," but instead the younger man looked away momentarily before sighing heavily. The reaction made Taehyung's anxiety spike immediately.

Had he said something wrong? Done something to upset him?

Then Jeongguk met his eyes again, and there was something intense and almost frustrated in his expression. "You...." He let out another heavy breath. "You don't have to thank me for these little things."

Taehyung stared at him with narrowed, confused eyes. He didn't understand what Jeongguk meant. Why shouldn't he express gratitude for kindness? What was wrong with acknowledging when someone went out of their way to help?

Before he could ask for clarification, Jeongguk brought his face closer, close enough that Taehyung could feel his breath. Panic fluttered in his chest as he looked around quickly to see if anyone was watching them. Fortunately, the other students seemed absorbed in their own activities, but it still felt incredibly risky.

"Jeongguk, people might see-"

"I like to think that we're at a place where we can be comfortable around each other," Jeongguk interrupted, his eyes boring into Taehyung's with an intensity that made everything else fade away. For a moment, it felt like they existed in their own private bubble, the rest of the world disappearing completely. "But you're just so... formal around me."

The observation hit Taehyung like a physical blow. He felt heat flood his face as he struggled to find a response. Jeongguk was right, and the accuracy of it was overwhelming. The younger man was always so eloquent, so skilled with words, so intimidating in his directness.

Just as Taehyung opened his mouth to try to say something soothing, something that might bridge the gap between them, a voice cut through the moment like a knife.

"Jeongguk!"

They both turned to see Minchae approaching, her silver hair catching what little light filtered through the clouds. She looked perfectly put-together as always, but there was something sharp in her expression as her eyes moved from Jeongguk to Taehyung, then down to the arm that was still wrapped around his waist.

Jeongguk moved slightly away from Taehyung but didn't completely remove his arm, and Taehyung felt his breathing become labored under Minchae's stare. It felt like being caught stealing, like he was taking something that rightfully belonged to her.

It should have been her in Jeongguk's arms, not him.

"What are you doing here?" Jeongguk asked, frowning in confusion at his girlfriend's unexpected appearance.

"We're supposed to visit that new café that opened near the college," Minchae replied, her tone carrying a note of irritation. "I made a reservation for this evening, remember?"

Jeongguk's frown deepened. "We can go another time. Right now I need to take hyung home."

"He can go on his own," Minchae said dismissively, her eyes flicking to Taehyung with barely concealed annoyance. "I can't get another reservation for at least a week. It's impossible to get into that place."

Taehyung immediately felt like a burden, like his presence was causing problems between them. He tried to interject, to defuse the tension. "It's okay, I can take the bus-"

"See?" Minchae said, jumping on his offer. "Problem solved."

But Jeongguk looked increasingly frustrated, his jaw tightening as he shook his head. "He's injured. I can't let him take the bus in his condition." His voice carried an edge that suggested he was losing patience with the entire situation.

Minchae's own frustration was becoming more apparent. "Why is this so difficult? So what if he's injured? People take the bus with minor injuries all the time."

The casual dismissal of his pain stung, but Taehyung tried to keep his expression neutral. This was exactly the kind of situation he'd been trying to avoid being caught between Jeongguk and his real life, his real relationship.

"Fine," Minchae said with obvious irritation, "just book him a cab then. That should work, right?"

By this point, Taehyung felt like he wanted to disappear entirely, to somehow escape this increasingly uncomfortable situation. His ankle was throbbing, his head was spinning from the tension, and the weight of being the cause of their argument was crushing.

The worst part was realizing that Jeongguk was being forced to choose between his girlfriend and him. It scared him because, of course, Jeongguk should choose Minchae, she was his actual partner, the person he was supposed to prioritize. But at the same time, Taehyung desperately didn't want to watch him walk away.

That's why he wanted to be the one to leave, to remove himself from the equation rather than watch Jeongguk choose someone else.

As if the universe had heard his silent plea for escape, a familiar voice called out across the parking lot.

"Taehyung."

They all turned to see Yoongi approaching, having just gotten out of his BMW. He walked toward them with that characteristic measured pace, his dark eyes taking in the scene with sharp intelligence.

Taehyung felt a wave of relief so intense it was almost dizzying. "Yoongi hyung," he said, his voice filled with genuine gratitude. "What are you doing here?"

"Jimin called me," Yoongi explained simply. "Said you might need a ride home after your test." His gaze moved to Jeongguk's arm, still partially around Taehyung's waist, then to Minchae's obviously frustrated expression. "Looks like I came at the right time."

Taehyung gave him a small, grateful smile before carefully extracting himself from Jeongguk's hold. The loss of that warmth and support felt symbolic somehow, like he was physically stepping away from something he could never truly have.

"I'll go with Yoongi hyung," he said to Jeongguk, keeping his voice gentle but firm. "Please don't ruin your date."

The hurt that flashed across Jeongguk's face was immediate and devastating. He still tried to protest, his voice taking on an almost desperate edge. "It's not important, hyung. The café is the least important thing. I should be the one taking you home-"

But Minchae's glare was sharp enough to cut glass, her eyes boring into Taehyung with obvious resentment. The message was clear: she wanted him to disappear, to stop interfering with her relationship.

Taehyung understood. At the end of the day, he was the secret, the hidden part of Jeongguk's life that couldn't exist in the daylight. Minchae was the visible one, the legitimate one, the person who had every right to demand Jeongguk's attention and presence.

Without saying another word, Taehyung simply lowered his head and turned toward Yoongi's car. He couldn't bring himself to look back at Jeongguk, couldn't bear to see the expression of sadness, frustration, and what might have been jealousy that he knew would be painted across those beautiful features.

Maybe it was time to accept that he would always remain a secret.

__________________
Kudos and comment!!

Chapter Text

Yoongi guided Taehyung into the passenger seat with quiet care, almost as if handling something fragile. He closed the door smoothly, his movements unhurried and deliberate, before circling around the car. His pace carried a kind of calm assurance, a steady rhythm that contrasted sharply with the turmoil inside Taehyung’s chest. A moment later, the car hummed to life. With a gentle press on the accelerator, they pulled out of the campus lot, leaving behind not just the physical space but also the confrontation and tangled emotions that had unfolded there.

Taehyung sat stiffly, every muscle wound tight, as if bracing against a storm only he could feel. His thoughts were a relentless tide, pulling him under with questions he couldn’t answer. What was Jeongguk going to think? Seeing him climb into Yoongi’s car, being driven away without so much as a backward glance, how would that look? Their exchange earlier had already made it clear that Jeongguk’s emotions regarding Yoongi were anything but simple. That long, weighted look they had shared at the drive-in, the subtle but unmistakable shift in Jeongguk’s mood when he saw Yoongi’s jacket in the apartment—those moments had told Taehyung everything he needed to know. There was history there.

Maybe he should have stopped, turned back, said something to Jeongguk. A word. A goodbye. A reassurance that this wasn’t what it looked like. But then again, what could he have really said? Stay behind and watch Jeongguk pulled between two worlds, Minchae with her rightful claim on his time, and Taehyung, whose presence was nothing but a complication Jeongguk could never admit to? No, he couldn’t have stayed. The very thought made his chest tighten.

With a sigh, Taehyung let his head fall back against the leather headrest. He closed his eyes, hoping darkness would slow the frantic pace of his mind. It didn’t. Thoughts spun faster, like a wheel careening downhill. Everything he had tried so hard to control felt like it was slipping beyond his grasp. His secrets. His fragile bond with Jeongguk. The careful lines he’d drawn between what was allowed and what was forbidden. All of it seemed one revelation away from collapsing entirely.

Jeongguk’s cryptic words replayed again and again: I expected you to do things. What had he meant? Why had he sounded so certain? Taehyung gnawed on the question, restless, frustrated. If Minchae hadn’t arrived, maybe, just maybe, they could have unpacked those words. Maybe they would have reached some clarity. Instead, she had shown up and, as always, walked away victorious. Jeongguk was probably with her now, smiling faintly as he let her lead him into whatever date she had planned. Meanwhile, Taehyung sat nursing both a twisted ankle and an even more twisted heart. Minchae was legitimate, the girlfriend, the person with every right to demand his attention. Taehyung was nothing but a secret.

And yet, as much as it stung, he couldn’t help but feel a sliver of relief that Yoongi had appeared when he did. If Jeongguk had been pushed to make a clear choice in that moment, the fallout would have been unbearable. Still, Taehyung knew one thing with painful certainty: Jeongguk had always chosen him in his own quiet way. Even when it was inconvenient. Even when it complicated everything else. That was Jeongguk, steady, attentive, gentle.

Then the realization hit, sudden and sharp: Jeongguk hadn’t changed. Taehyung had. Jeongguk had remained the same constant, kind, reliable, unflinching in the way he treated him. But Taehyung? Somewhere along the way, his perspective had shifted. His feelings had grown heavier, his expectations larger, until they no longer fit inside the fragile, undefined shape of their relationship. He had crossed his own boundaries, even if he hadn’t admitted it out loud.

The car slowed to a stop at a red light, jolting him back to the present. He turned his head slightly, finally aware he wasn’t alone in his storm of thoughts. Yoongi sat relaxed in the driver’s seat, one hand steady on the wheel, the other digging casually into his jeans pocket. Taehyung’s eyes followed the motion, curiosity breaking through his haze, until he saw the small box Yoongi pulled free. A cigarette pack.

His stomach lurched. He watched as Yoongi slid one slim white stick between his lips, flicked a lighter open with practiced ease, and tilted the flame toward it. Just then, Yoongi’s gaze flicked to him, dark eyes locking with Taehyung’s.

The sight stirred an immediate reaction. Disgust prickled across Taehyung’s face before he could stop it. Smoke. He hated smoke. The thought of it filling the enclosed car, clinging to his clothes, suffocating the air, it made his chest tighten. Memories crashed over him: his father’s heavy smoking, the way the acrid stench had invaded their home, sinking into curtains and clothes until escape meant stepping outside. He had learned young to flee the moment a cigarette appeared. But here, trapped in the car, with traffic rushing past, he had nowhere to run.

Too late, he realized his expression had betrayed him. Heat rose in his cheeks. He snapped his gaze to the window, ashamed. What if Yoongi thought he was being self-righteous? What if this ruined the fragile friendliness that had begun to form between them?

Then Yoongi’s voice came, quiet and unexpected. “You can tell me if you hate it.”

Taehyung blinked and looked at him, startled. The cigarette remained unlit, the flame hovering paused. Yoongi was waiting.

“I… I don’t like it,” Taehyung whispered, almost apologetic.

Without the faintest hesitation, Yoongi plucked the cigarette from his lips and flicked it into the backseat. The lighter snapped closed. He chuckled softly, as though it were nothing.

Taehyung stared, stunned. Had Yoongi really just done that—for him?

“Why do you look so shocked?” Yoongi asked, amusement curling his words as he guided the car forward when the light turned green.

“I just… didn’t think you’d throw it away so easily,” Taehyung admitted, his voice quiet.

“It’s only a cigarette,” Yoongi said with a shrug, as if it were obvious. “Not worth making you uncomfortable.”

Warmth bloomed in Taehyung’s chest, displacing some of the heaviness he’d carried from earlier. Such effortless consideration, it felt foreign, almost disarming. To cover his flustered reaction, he murmured, “Shouldn’t you be at the café right now? I’m sorry for troubling you like this.”

“Don’t apologize,” Yoongi replied with his usual calm. “The café doesn’t open until later today. And with your ankle, you can’t work anyway. Besides, Jimin asked me to check on you.”

The mention of Jimin tugged at him, though relief softened the edges of his guilt. Once again, Yoongi was proving himself to be quietly dependable, the man who had given him his jacket without being asked, who had stayed by his side when he collapsed, who had stepped in today without hesitation.

Wanting to bridge the silence, Taehyung asked, “So, hyung… are you from Seoul?”

“Daegu,” Yoongi answered simply. “Born and raised there before I came here for university.”

Taehyung’s eyes widened. “Really? I’m from Daegu too!”

Yoongi’s mouth quirked in a small smile. “Small world. Do you get back there often?”

“Not as much as I should,” Taehyung admitted. “But I’m planning to visit after Jimin’s dance competition next week. My parents have been asking.”

“Then I’ll drive you,” Yoongi offered smoothly, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. “I need to head there around that time anyway.”

Taehyung blinked. “You’d do that?”

“Of course. Easier than the bus or train, especially with your ankle.”

The simple kindness left Taehyung quietly touched. “Thank you, hyung. That’s… really kind of you.”

They drove in companionable silence until Yoongi asked, “How did you and Jimin become such good friends?”

Taehyung gave a small, sheepish shrug. “We just… fit. He’s been my person ever since we met.”

Yoongi’s lips curved knowingly. “You want to ask about me and him, don’t you?”

Taehyung flushed. “Was I that obvious?”

“Pretty much,” Yoongi said lightly. “But that’s fine. You’re his best friend—you’re bound to be curious.”

Then, without ceremony, he added, “We’re dating. Or something close to it. Still figuring it out.”

The words stunned Taehyung into silence. His best friend—dating Yoongi? Jimin had never mentioned it, not once. Shock mingled with a faint sting of hurt. But then again, wasn’t he hiding things from Jimin too? Secrets he hadn’t dared share?

As if sensing the conflict swirling inside him, Yoongi said gently, “Give him time. Talking about this kind of thing isn’t easy, not even to your closest friend.”

Taehyung nodded, voice soft. “Yeah. I get it. Everyone has things they keep to themselves.”

“Even you?” Yoongi asked, his tone carrying a weight Taehyung couldn’t quite read.

“Even me,” Taehyung murmured, and let the matter drop.

The rest of the drive unfolded more easily. They swapped stories of Daegu, laughing over old restaurants, marveling at how much had changed. The conversation flowed with surprising ease, smoothing away the earlier awkwardness.

By the time Yoongi pulled up at Taehyung’s building, the heaviness in his chest had lifted just a little. Yoongi helped him out carefully, steadying him all the way to the door. For the first time, Taehyung didn’t see him as just his boss or as Jimin’s secret relationship. He saw him as something simpler, something rarer. A friend. And in the chaos of everything else, that felt like something worth holding onto.

________________
guys, you are not commenting for the updates! are you losing interest?? :(

Chapter Text

For the next three days, Taehyung drifted in a strange rhythm of half-avoidance and forced distraction. He told himself he wasn’t really dodging Jeongguk—that circumstances simply kept them apart—but deep down, he knew the truth. Whenever he caught a glimpse of that familiar raven hair, there was always Minchae glued to his side. And that alone was enough to make Taehyung’s stomach twist with a bitterness he didn’t want to name.

So he kept himself busy. Afternoons belonged to Jimin and his endless dance rehearsals, while the rest of his energy was swallowed by preparations for the university’s coding competition. It was easier to drown himself in other people’s chaos than deal with his own.

But every stolen glance, every fleeting moment of eye contact with Jeongguk, carved something deeper inside him. Taehyung would look away instantly, forcing his features blank, because the last thing he wanted was Minchae noticing. It left him restless, unsettled, like his chest was a locked box rattling with secrets he couldn’t let slip.

Everything between them felt ruined now. He remembered how it had been at first—new, reckless, exciting, almost addictive. And now? Everything was sour, ugly.

“Taehyung, scissors?”

Namjoon’s voice snapped him back. He blinked, realizing where he was—the campus yard, alive with chatter and energy. Dozens of stalls lined the field, rows of laptops glowing under makeshift canopies. Students bustled around, competitive and determined, some still handing out pamphlets for late sign-ups.

“Here,” Taehyung said shortly, passing the scissors.

Namjoon, calm and efficient as always, bent over the pamphlets, trimming the edges with practiced ease. “Now this,” he said with a grin, flashing dimples, “this is what I call perfection—” He trailed off, frowning when he noticed Taehyung staring blankly past him, lost in thought.

“Taehyung?” Namjoon’s hand settled firmly on his shoulder, grounding him. “You okay?”

Taehyung startled, forcing a weak smile. “Yeah. Fine. You’ve already finished cutting the pamphlets, so… what’s next?”

Namjoon studied him longer than was comfortable, but finally turned and led the way down an aisle. The yard buzzed around them—cheering, laughter, the hum of excitement—but Taehyung couldn’t tune into any of it. His body was there, but his mind… his mind kept circling the one face he couldn’t escape.

“It’s Jeongguk, isn’t it?” Namjoon’s voice was quiet but sharp, like a knife sliding between armor.

Taehyung sighed. Of course Namjoon would see right through him. “Yeah,” he admitted softly. His lips felt dry under the harsh sun, and he dragged his tongue over them just to distract himself.

“Want to talk about it?”

“What’s there to say?” His laugh came out hollow. “You were right. I should’ve ended things. But I didn’t. And now I think I’m—” He choked on the word before it left his mouth. Falling. He couldn’t say it, not even to Namjoon.

Namjoon spared him the agony, nodding with quiet understanding.

Taehyung hated how grateful he felt in that moment. He had expected a lecture, some scolding about ignoring advice, but instead Namjoon just offered comfort.

“You’re good, Taehyung,” Namjoon said gently. “But good people face storms too—it’s normal. What matters is how you weather them. And I know you. You’re stronger than you think. You’ll get through this.”

The words weren’t magic, but they settled inside him, warm and steady. He managed a small smile. Maybe not healed, not fixed, but less alone.

For the next twenty minutes, they wandered through the event, helping wherever they could. For once, Taehyung let the motions carry him, pretending he was fine.

Until he saw them.

Jeongguk and Minchae.

Taehyung froze, eyes narrowing. Minchae was radiant with her phone held high, snapping selfies at every angle, her laughter shrill and careless. But Jeongguk—his Jeongguk—looked like he was crumbling. His eyes were ringed with shadows, his mouth downturned, his entire posture screaming exhaustion. One hand carried bulging bags of candy, the other trapped in Minchae’s clinging grasp.

The sight made Taehyung’s blood boil. How could she smile like that while Jeongguk stood hollow beside her? How could she not see?

The brunet furrowed his brows.

How the fuck could that silver head bitch be so happy when Jeongguk was like that next to her?

Was she stupid or... just really stupid?

Then Jeongguk’s eyes lifted. Their gazes locked.

For an instant, it was like time stopped—the tired widening of Jeongguk’s eyes, the sharp intake of Taehyung’s breath. And then he looked away, spinning toward Namjoon mid-conversation, pretending he hadn’t felt that jolt of recognition burn through him.

He needed air. Desperately.

“Bathroom,” he muttered, and without waiting, he hurried off toward the science block.

The hallway was silent, the bathroom colder than he expected. Taehyung went straight to the sinks, letting icy water pool into his hands before splashing it over his face. The shock grounded him for a moment, his reflection blurring and then sharpening again in the mirror.

Everything will be fine. Just survive the day. Home will be safe.

He turned off the faucet, inhaling deeply, straightening his posture as if that alone could hold him together. Then he stepped back into the deserted corridor—

—and felt a sudden grip on his wrist.

“What—” He spun, eyes widening. “Jeongguk?”

The younger boy’s face was tight, unreadable, but his hand was unyielding. Without a word, he dragged Taehyung down the hall and into an empty lab, shutting the door behind them with a firm click.

The silence was heavy. Jeongguk let go, raking both hands through his hair with a frustrated groan. Taehyung’s heart clenched. The dark circles, the restless energy, the way his shoulders hunched—it was the same as that day in the advertisement room. The same brokenness.

Taehyung’s voice came out careful. “What are you doing?”

Jeongguk looked at the floor as if words were too heavy to lift. When he finally spoke, they cracked. “Hyung… you said you wouldn’t leave me. But now—you’re ignoring me. Please, don’t do that.”

The desperation in his tone ripped through Taehyung. His first instinct was to argue, to deny, but the sight of Jeongguk’s raw exhaustion silenced him. He could see it, plain as day—the unraveling, the way his foundation was crumbling. And a sick thought pressed against him: maybe he was the cause.

“Jeongguk, calm down,” Taehyung tried, though his own chest was shaking. “I’m not ignoring you. I’ve just been buried in the event, and… you were with—” He stopped, his throat closing around the girl’s name. He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Jeongguk’s eyes lifted, glassy with something unspoken. “Then why does it feel like you’re pushing me away on purpose? Like you don’t want me anymore?”

The words lodged like splinters. Taehyung wanted to deny it, to tell him it wasn’t true—but the truth tangled with his fear, with his pride, and the lie tasted bitter even before it left his mouth. “…It’s not like that,” he whispered, but even he didn’t believe himself.

“You should rest,” he said quickly, retreating into practicality. “We’ll talk later, okay?”

But Jeongguk shook his head, stepping forward, and suddenly his arms were around him, pulling him close, grounding him in a way nothing else had in days. His voice was muffled against Taehyung’s shoulder, but it trembled, breaking him. “No. I don’t want to wait. I want to be with you—please, hyung.”

Taehyung’s breath hitched. His mind screamed with reasons to step back, to untangle himself, but his heart betrayed him, tightening at the way Jeongguk clung. He remembered Namjoon’s words about storms, about strength. He remembered Jimin’s rehearsals, how his apartment would be empty, quiet. Safe.

Slowly, he pulled back enough to see Jeongguk’s face, pale and weary, eyes pleading. Something inside him gave way. “…Do you want to come to my place?” His voice was soft, almost a secret. “You can rest there.”

For the first time all day, Jeongguk nodded.

And Taehyung’s heart clenched, because he knew—whatever storm this was, he was already standing in the center of it.

Chapter Text

After what happened in the empty laboratory at the university, both the boys headed back to Taehyung's apartment. Jimin wasn't home, just as Taehyung expected.

How convenient actually...

Taehyung closed the door behind them after they entered. "Do you want anything to drink?" He asked as he tossed his keys into the bowl by the door.

Jeongguk was in the midst of taking off his jacket as he stood in the living room. "I'm fine with anything you have." He smiled and plopped down on the couch tiredly.

From where the older boy stood, he could only see the back of Jeongguk's head but he noticed the way the raven-head was sitting. He had his arms stretched out over the back of the couch and his head was tilted up, eyes probably closed.

Why was Jeongguk so tired?

The brunet walked into the kitchen and decided to make some hot tea for the younger boy. He leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over his chest as he waited for the electric kettle to boil the water. His eyes were locked onto the back of Jeongguk's head.

Honestly, Taehyung was doing his best not to freak out. Jeongguk was in his apartment now. They were alone and this wasn't like the other day because the raven-head seemed different. Also, alone reminded him of that night when after their outing at Gangnam- 'I should not be thinking that!' One obvious reason was what happened just an hour ago.

Fuck, Taehyung shut his eyes momentarily. The mere images of how Jeongguk looked when he was crying earlier swirled around in the brunet's head.

He just couldn't get over it.

How much pain he put the younger boy in.

The water had then boiled and Taehyung wasted no time in pouring it into a mug that already had a teabag in it. He picked up the mug and carefully walked towards where Jeongguk was sitting.

Soon, Taehyung stood there looking down at the other boy. Yes, the raven-head's eyes were closed. With a soft sigh, the brunet set the mug down on the coffee table near them and cautiously took a seat next to the younger boy. Jeongguk barely moved which led Taehyung to believe he was asleep.

The brunet pulled his legs up the couch and sat crossed-legged, facing Jeongguk. His eyes narrowed as he observed the boy before him. How peaceful the raven-head looked the way his red lips parted a little and the little, almost inaudible snores that left him.

How adorable, really... The brunet didn't realize that he was smiling now and how the younger boy had slowly peeled his eyes open and looked at Taehyung with a smirk.

"Are you checking me out?"

What- Oh god.

The brunet was a blushing mess, looking away from the younger boy's heated gaze. But still, despite Jeongguk's little joke, the exhaustion still lingered in his voice.

"Jeongguk," Taehyung moved closer to the younger boy, his crossed legs touching the side of the raven-head's muscular thigh. "Jeongguk why do you look so tired..." He asked worriedly, eyes focusing on the boy's face.

The raven-head sighed in response. "It's nothing really," He tried to manage a smile and placed his tattooed hand over the older boy's thigh.

This only raised the curiosity and concern burning within the older boy. "Do you want to tell me about it?" He asked again carefully, not wanting to pressure the younger boy but Jeongguk would definitely feel a lot better if he did talk about it.

And luckily, the younger boy did want to talk. "I think you're trying to stay away from me hyung... and that hurts me...." Jeongguk said quietly as his eyes were glued to his hand that was moving up and down the brunet's thigh.

Jeongguk raised his tired eyes to look at Taehyung. He then brought his gaze back to his hand like before. "Hyung, it's driving me crazy... I can't sleep at night...."

There were a few seconds of silence before Taehyung spoke up. "Did I say that i want to stay away from you?"

"No."

The brunet placed his hand over Jeongguk's that was on his thigh. "Then you don't have to feel bad. Stop thinking too much."

"But what if-"

"No. Jeongguk, don't think like that," Taehyung smiled assuredly. "I am being honest with you jeongguk, I was really caught up with the competition, i would never try to stay away from you 'intentionally'." He stared at the younger boy, feeling something tug at his heart.

See, it was not basically a lie because he was caught up in the coding competition for the moment right? And also, accompanying Jimin to his dance practice, Also Minchae was always beside-

Okay, maybe he was lying a little. To brighten up his mood!

With all the problems that he'd caused Jeongguk, the raven-head was going through sleep deprivation because of him.

I'm such a dumb ass.

That's why Jeongguk said he needed Taehyung earlier. He needed the brunet to be there for him.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a hand run through his hair. He looked up to the younger boy next to him. Jeongguk had a cute smile on his face. "Look at you," His hand moved down to the back of Taehyung's neck. "All concerned for me." He smirked.

Damn it, that smirk...

The ends of Taehyung's ears were probably red just by the way Jeongguk was looking at him right now.

"U-Uh," The brunet looked around nervously, unable to stand the raven-head's gaze that bored into him. "Here, have some of this tea." He reached over to the mug of tea from where he sat, letting Jeongguk's hand drop from the back of his neck.

Taehyung carefully guided the mug to the younger boy's lips. This made Jeongguk sit up a bit straighter as he placed one of his tattooed hands over the mug. He took one sip and then as the brunet stared at Jeongguk, he realized the boy must be really tired. An idea suddenly popped into his head.

He cleared his throat, taking the mug in his hands after Jeongguk was done with it. "You look really tired. Do you maybe want to take a nap here?"

Okay, the question was out and as Jeongguk stared back at Taehyung, the brunet was feeling a little nervous.

Was that a weird thing to suggest?

Oh no, maybe I shouldn't have-

"Sure." The younger boy said simply.

With that, Taehyung placed the mug of tea back onto the coffee table and stood up. He held out his hand for Jeongguk to take. The younger boy took it, all the while keeping his gaze locked onto the older boy. And so the brunet guided the raven-head into his bedroom, silently praying none of his 'laundry' would be littered around the room.

Luckily, the room was spotless as they entered; even the bed was made. The older boy motioned for Jeongguk to get on the bed as he looked around for some extra blankets. Meanwhile, the raven-head was busy looking around, checking out Taehyung's room.

"You have a nice room." The younger boy said when the brunet approached him with a olive blanket in his hands.

Taehyung smiled. "Thanks. Now you should rest." He spread out the blanket and made a move to walk out the room.

Certainly, Taehyung wouldn't just leave Jeongguk like that. He was planning to stay by the younger boy's side until he fell asleep. He just wanted to retrieve the mug of tea from the living room outside. But upon seeing Taehyung about to leave, Jeongguk straight away grabbed a hold of the older boy's hand, pulling him back lightly.

"You're leaving?" He looked up at Taehyung, from where he laid on the bed. It was honestly just the cutest thing ever which made the older boy chuckle. This was one of those rare times when Jeongguk actually acted younger than Taehyung.

"No, I was just going to get your tea."

Jeongguk's face was serious for a moment before he relaxed letting out an, "Oh".

Taehyung only smiled back at the younger boy's act and then turned to leave but again, there was a tug on his hand. But this time it was intentionally harder and it made him fall back onto the bed, beside Jeongguk. After the brunet felt the soft mattress against his back, he slowly peeked his eyes open to find a beautiful boy hovering over him.

With a smirk.

The older boy's heart started it's hammering in his chest, thinking of what was about to happen. And then he got a good look of Jeongguk's face; mainly his eyes that were a shade darker than usual as he stared down at him.

For a moment, Taehyung couldn't seem to take his eyes off Jeongguk's dark ones. And then the reality of the situation hit him. They were on a bed, alone, together.

So the brunet tried to get up. "Jeongguk, you have to get some sleep," he said only to be pushed back down onto the bed.

Thump, thump.

He could feel everything in his body jolting with excitement, laced with a little fear. After all, this was all still new to him.

"But I'm not sleepy." The younger boy whined as he scanned every inch of Taehyung's face. One of his hands reached up and his knuckles grazed the side of the older boy's face, starting at his bright red cheek.

Meanwhile, the brunet was trying to control his rapid breaths at what the boy above him was doing. "Y-Yes, you are, Jeongguk. You look really tired." He tried saying, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach when the raven-head lowered his head closer to his.

Their eyes bored into each other and Jeongguk stopped, his face inches above Taehyung's. The brunet just couldn't stand it. He wanted to know what was going through the other boy's head. Lastly, Jeongguk finally settled his gaze on the older boy's lips.

Just as Taehyung was prepared for the raven-head to kiss him, instead, Jeongguk dove down further past the older boy's head so that their heads were next to each other. A hot breath fanned against the side of Taehyung's neck and on his ear.

"How can I fall asleep now when you're under me, and looking at me like that?"

Maybe it was because they hadn't kissed or touched each other in days; maybe it was the way Jeongguk's other hand was trailing up Taehyung's bare stomach under his shirt; or maybe it was just the deep, sexy voice of Jeongguk that husked into the older boy's ear, but at that moment, the brunet knew he had reached his limit.

He wanted Jeongguk's lips on him, right now!

So with every ounce of bravery put into a single action, Taehyung placed both his hands on either side of Jeongguk's head, making the younger boy face him and crashed his lips against the raven-head's red ones.

With their eyes shut, they made out on the bed like that. Taehyung's hands that were on Jeongguk's cheeks trailed up to his hair as his fingers got tangled in between the younger boy's thick raven locks. They were pressed up against each other, not wanting to leave any space between them.

Jeongguk then bit down on the older boy's lower lip, seeking entrance into his mouth. The brunet gladly gave him the access and when their tongues met it was an intoxicating, wonderful wave of pleasure that coursed through the both of them.

"Jeongguk- ah..." Taehyung let out in a muffled way during the kiss.

And when that moan reached the younger boy's ears, he started sucking on the other's tongue, making Taehyung tug hard on the raven-head's hair. Another few moans escaped his mouth here and there.

Honestly, Taehyung didn't know where to focus on. They had their tongues in each other's mouth, yes. But in other news, the brunet's buttoned shirt was really becoming lose. Wait, why was-

Oh, Jeongguk was unbuttoning them with one hand.

They broke apart for a breath of air, both panting like crazy. Taehyung let his head fall back against the mattress but Jeongguk straight away dove into the crook of the brunet's neck. He left wet kisses on the older boy's skin, occasionally sucking on certain spots that had Taehyung's toes curling in delight.

The raven-head moved lower and lower. From Taehyung's neck to his collarbone to his now exposed chest and then down to his stomach area. The tickles and nice sensations from that action just turned the brunet into a moaning mess.

"Jeongguk..." He let out, bringing one of his hands to run through his hair. At one point, he peeked open his eyes and through a hazy gaze, he could see Jeongguk leaving hickeys over one side of his ribs.

How the heck did Jeongguk go from being sleepy to being like this in a matter of minutes?

And another thing Taehyung realized was that Jeongguk was now on his knees as his hands worked their way to undoing the older boy's belt. One of the raven-head's knees rested in between the brunet's thighs, caging him, in a way.

Thump, thump.

Fuck, this is really happening.

No matter how the brunet tried to calm himself, he couldn't stop his body from trembling. He was scared. Very! But at that moment, a part of his body was also curious as to what the raven-head was going to do next. That and his lower region was kind of feeling suffocated in that tight pants.

So instead of saying anything, the brunet just shut his eyes and waited. He felt his pants being pulled down to his knees.

He was only left in his boxers now.

Oh gosh...

Thump, thump.

Then he felt a warm hand smoothing over his bare thigh and then... nothing happened.

Though Taehyung refused to open his eyes. He didn't know if he was disappointed or relieved Jeongguk stopped. Suddenly the same warm hand cupped the side of his face.

"Hyung?" A deep voice sounded from above him.

As Taehyung slowly peeled his eyes open, Jeongguk was once again hovering above him with a serious look. The raven-head was making the brunet's insides scream just by that look he had on his devilishly handsome face. All the older boy could do was hum in response.

With a deep breath, the younger boy started, "Why didn't you let me drive you home the other day?"

Fuck.

Taehyung was scrambling through his head for an answer. Then Jeongguk started running his nose along the brunet's cheek in a painfully slow manner, making it harder for the brown-haired boy to reply something. Wait, why was Jeongguk even bringing this up now?

"Do you know how it felt to see you walk away from me like that?" The raven-head questioned as he slowly left tiny kisses down Taehyung's neck.

Damn! It was so confusing. So was Jeongguk mad or not? The boy's kisses only made it harder for Taehyung to decide. Before the older boy could think anything else...

"I don't want you to walk away from me ever again."

Straight away, the brain cells in Taehyung's head finally worked to come to one answer. And it was:

"I won't."

As Taehyung had decided earlier, he was done running away from Jeongguk. So it wasn't hard for him to assure the younger boy again with a long, lingering kiss to the lips. When they broke apart, the brunet stared up at the raven-head adoringly. "I won't walk away from you again." He said in a serious tone.

As soon as those words left the older boy, Jeongguk was left frozen for a split second. His dark eyebrows narrowed as he gazed into the boy below him. It looked like he was deep in thought over something. And then he lifted his hand to push Taehyung's curly bangs back, giving a perfect view of the boy's face.

The younger boy was left in awe. "You're so beautiful." He whispered, tone very serious like he was trying to express a bigger point.

Then Taehyung felt the raven-head's hand ran over his face; over his forehead to his closed eyes, down the slope of his nose and finally over his lips. And then his hand stayed there.
____________
Tbc👀🌚

Are you excited for the next part?? 🌚🔥🔥🔥

Chapter Text

Thump, thump, thump.

Jeongguk’s lips once again crashed against Taehyung’s in a kiss that was both rough and desperate, his tongue demanding entry as his hands tightened on the bed.

Taehyung gasped, his body arching slightly as he melted into the touch, his innocence evident in the way he clung to Jeongguk’s shoulders. The kiss was fierce, a storm of need and desire, and when Jam finally pulled back, Taehyung’s lips were swollen, his breath ragged.

The younger boy’s eyes searched his, dark and probing, before he spoke in a low, husky voice, “Do you trust me?”

Taehyung’s heart skipped a beat.

Trust?

The question hung in the air, heavy with implication, and he swallowed hard before nodding his head in a yes.

"Words, hyung!." The raven head asked, moving away from the older boy's body a little, as he waited from Taehyung to answer. The brunet whimpered, closing his eyes as he started panting heavily due to oversensitivity.

Jeongguk waited for a few seconds but seeing that Taehyung was not answering him, he pulled his body completely away from the older boy and moved in an attempt to get away. "Clear, audible, syllable. Use your words or we'll stop now."

Stop? No way!

Taehyung whined, opening his eyes as he reached his arms out, grabbing the younger boy by his own hand in an attempt to pull him back on top of him.

Jeongguk has always looked amazing, breathtaking and hoy, but seeing him on top of him, was beyond any parameter.

"No.. no.. I mean- y-yes.... I trust you..."

Of course he trusted Jeongguk, despite the uncertainty of the moment.

Smiling, jeongguk bent down, kissing Taehyung softly. " So fucking polite, hyung."

Jeongguk’s lips curved into a small, knowing smile, and before Taehyung could process what was happening, the younger boy's fingers were pressing against his lips, gently but firmly, parting them. Taehyung’s eyes widened as the raven-head slid his fingers into his mouth, the touch foreign yet strangely intimate.

Suck,”  Jeongguk commanded, his voice a low growl that sent a shiver down Taehyung’s spine. 

For someone who has never been involved in such intimacy before, a simple word 'suck' could mean anything.

He contemplated asking what exactly was he supposed to suck, and how? But then, what if that kills the mood? So, mumbling a small 'fuck it, if I'm wrong he'll tell me.' He started sucking on the fingers, tounge swirling around them.

And the little bit of finger's taste- the musky and tinch of salty, going down his throat along with his spit, made him pant heavier.

Fuck, he felt so hot.

All his initiall confusion warring with his desire to please the younger boy.

He wanted to do it perfectly. So in between he started, sucking them just he licks and clean cola popsicle.

And this was working! The younger boy's fingers was getting slick with his saliva.

Slowly, jeongguk withdrew them, his gaze never leaving Taehyung’s as he leaned in to kiss him again, this time softer, more deliberate.

Taehyung moaned into the kiss, his body trembling as Jeongguk ’s hands moved down, sliding beneath his shirt to trace the contours of his torso.

Raven-head’s touch was firm yet gentle, his fingers mapping every curve and plane of Taehyung’s body as if committing it to memory. With a swift motion, he pulled Taehyung’s already opened shirt over his head, tossing it aside before moving lower, his lips trailing kisses along Taehyung’s neck, his collarbone, his chest.

Taehyung’s breath hitched with each touch, his skin tingling under Jeongguk’s mouth.

Jeongguk ’s hands moved to Taehyung’s pants, his fingers deftly unbuttoning them before sliding the zipper down. Taehyung’s eyes fluttered closed as the younger boy’s lips brushed against his ear, his breath hot against his skin.

“Look at me,” Jeongguk murmured, and Taehyung obeyed, his gaze locking with the younger boy’s as he slowly lowered Taehyung’s pants and boxers, baring him completely.

Taehyung’s cheeks flushed, his vulnerability laid bare, but Jeongguk ’s steady gaze reassured him, anchoring him in the moment.

Jeongguk leaned in, kissing Taehyung deeply, his tongue tangling with his as his hands roamed lower, tracing the lines of his hips, his thighs. Taehyung’s body trembled, his anticipation building as Jeongguk ’s fingers brushed against his entrance, teasing, probing. 

“Relax,” Jeongguk whispered against his lips, his voice a soothing balm. Taehyung nodded, his breath shallow as Jeongguk ’s fingers circled his hole, teasing the sensitive skin before slowly pressing inside.

And instantly, Jeongguk leaned in to kiss Taehyung, tounge entering his mouth, as Taehyung felt something entering his hole. He felt some kind of pain, but the intense kissing distracted him.

In between the kiss he realised, Jeongguk kissed him to distract him.

Fuck, why was Jeongguk so considerate, even at times like this!

And slowly, very slowly Jeongguk started moving one finger inside him. Damn, the sensation was buring his insides, he was squirming.

"Fuck baby, you're so tight...." Jeongguk rasped, as he increased his pace.

"J-jeongguk... J-jeongguk...." Taehyung moaned, this new feeling was blissful.

Soon, Taehyung felt Jeongguk stopping the rhythm. Wait- why?

Taehyung whimpered at the loss of momentum. With eyes full of lust he stared at the younger boy.

"I'm adding another finger okay?" Jeongguk asked.

Taehyung nodded instantly, but then remembered, Jeongguk would want a 'clear, audible, syllable' therefore he let out a desperate, " yes!"

Jeongguk chuckled at the desperation as he entered second finger in him.

Fuck. Taehyung started feeling full. Which was very comical as well, because if only two fingers can make him see heaven, what else Jeongguk's hand, or Jeongguk himself can do. The thought was exhilarating.

Taehyung did noy flinch at the second finger, instead he started enjoying the rhythm, fingers moving in and out, amazing.

He was still in awe, when he felt intrusion of something else at the rim-

'What's that- wait, i only sucked two fingers-'

And third finger, which was not even coated in slick with his saliva, entered the rim. Damn.

"Surprised?" Jeongguk smirked, as Taehyung clenched around him more, flinching a little. His rim was burning with sensation. Taehyung let out a small whimper and nodded. Because, indeed he was surprised.

Jeongguk's finger stretched Taehyung open, his movement deliberate and unhurried. He gave Taehyung time to settle in with the fact that 3 slim, long and tattooed finger were shoved down his ass.

"Ah.. J-jeongguk .....,"Taehyung moaned his head falling back as pleasure coiled tight in his belly, his body responding to Jeongguk’s touch with a hunger he hadn’t known he possessed.

Why had ne never thought of fingering himself before? This was the best feeling!

Jeongguk ’s fingers moved in and out, his thumb brushing against Taehyung’s perineum, driving him wild. Taehyung’s breath came in short, desperate gasps, his body clenching around Jeongguk’s fingers as the pleasure built, overwhelming in its intensity. 

“J-jeongguk... ah.. ah... I'm going to....,” he whispered, his voice hoarse, his body on the brink. Jeongguk ’s lips curved into a smirk as he increased the pace, his movements relentless, pushing Taehyung over the edge.

Taehyung cried out, his body convulsing as he climaxed, his release spilling over his stomach as Jeongguk ’s fingers worked him through it. The younger boy watched, his expression unreadable, before slowly withdrawing his fingers, wiping them clean on a tissue he’d placed nearby.

Taehyung lay panting, his body limp, his mind reeling from the intensity of what had just transpired. He turned to Jeongguk, his eyes shining with a mix of gratitude and desire, and reached out to touch his arm.

“Jeongguk.... you didn't-?” Taehyung stopped, cheeks turning more crimson red at what he intended to ask, his voice soft, his innocence shining through. Jeongguk ’s expression softened, but he shook his head, his voice firm. 

“That is okay, baby...” he said, his tone brooking no argument. Taehyung’s lips parted in protest, but Jeongguk silenced him with a kiss, his fingers tangling in Taehyung’s hair as he held him close.

Taehyung’s heart ached with the need to give back, to show Jeongguk the same care and attention he’d just received. He persisted, his hands roaming over Jeongguk ’s chest, his shoulders, his desperation evident.

The younger boy hesitated, his gaze searching Taehyung’s before he relented with a sigh. “Lie down,” he instructed, his voice gentle yet commanding. Taehyung obeyed, his body trembling with anticipation as the raven-head positioned himself above him, their eyes locked.

Jeongguk ’s lips brushed against Taehyung’s, his breath warm as he began to move, his body rocking against Taehyung’s in a rhythm that was both tender and urgent.

Taehyung moaned, his hands clutching at Jeongguk ’s back, his body responding to the friction with a hunger that surprised even him. Jeongguk ’s movements were deliberate, his body moving in sync with Taehyung’s, their breaths intertwining as the tension built.

'Fuck, I'm hard again!'

The room was filled with the sounds of their labored breathing, the soft creak of the bed, and the occasional moan that escaped Taehyung’s lips.

Jeongguk ’s eyes never left Taehyung’s, his expression intense as he watched him, gauging his every reaction. Taehyung’s body trembled, his pleasure building once more, the sensation overwhelming in its intensity. Jeongguk ’s lips brushed against his ear, his breath hot as he whispered, “Let go.”

And that was all he needed to cum again.

Taehyung cried out, his body arching off the bed as he climaxed again, his release spilling between them as Jam’s body moved in time with his.

Jeongguk followed soon after, his breath ragged as he collapsed onto Taehyung, their bodies still trembling from the force of their release. For a moment, they lay there, their hearts pounding in unison, their breaths slowly syncing.

And yes! Jeongguk was still in his pants, as he cummed.

Jeongguk lifted his head, his gaze meeting Taehyung’s before he rested his forehead against his, their noses brushing as they caught their breath. The moment was heavy with unspoken emotions, the air thick with the intimacy they’d just shared.

Taehyung’s heart swelled, his trust in Jeongguk deepening as he realized the vulnerability they’d both laid bare.

“That was amazing....,” Taehyung whispered, his voice hoarse, his fingers tracing the lines of Jeongguk ’s face. Jam’s lips curved into a small smile, his thumb brushing against Taehyung’s cheek. “You’re amazing...” he murmured, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down Taehyung’s spine.

They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, their foreheads pressed together, their breaths mingling as the weight of the moment settled over them.

Taehyung’s mind raced, reflecting on the intensity of what had just transpired, the trust he’d placed in Jeongguk, the vulnerability he’d exposed. It was a moment that would linger in his memory, a testament to the bond they shared, the connection that went beyond words.

As they finally pulled apart, Taehyung’s gaze remained locked on Jeongguk’s, his heart full, his body still buzzing with the aftermath of their passion.

Jeongguk's expression was unreadable, his eyes dark and probing as he studied Taehyung, as if searching for something only he could see. Taehyung’s cheeks flushed under the scrutiny, but he held Jeongguk ’s gaze, his trust unwavering.

The room was quiet, the only sound their breathing as they lay entwined, their bodies still warm from their exertions. 

Taehyung was sure of two things now. One, of course the breakup with Seoyun. Second, he needed to confront Jeongguk. About his 'feelings.'

_________

Do you not trust your author? 🥺 Of course Taehyung will confront Jungkook — it’s always been meant to happen. But the Taehyung I’ve written is someone who avoids confrontation, someone who gives in to what others want, even at the cost of himself. I can’t just erase that part of him so suddenly — it wouldn’t feel real.

This story… I’ve poured so much time, effort, and heart into it because I want every step to feel alive, to feel true to who these characters are. We’re almost there. Jimin’s dance competition, the breakup with Seoyun, the talk with the parents — everything has its place, and it’s coming together piece by piece.

All I ask is for your trust. Walk with me through this moment. All the earlier ff that I've read, characters confront so easily and i did not want that. All of it is intentional. Guys, have faith in me!

Chapter Text

There were three days left until Jimin's dance competition.

Also, this Taehyung had his exams soons for the session and also marking the end of the last semester for the year. Which meant that Taehyung was finally going to get his degree.

This was a good thing. Studying your favourite for the last six semesters had been amazing. Initially, his classes were the only thing he woke up for. Then he met jimin, and surprisingly they clicked in just one meet. And then he met Seoyun, she was funny in her own way. May not be the humorous one, but she had that charm, which people would stop and notice.

His college life has been a bundle of emotion, from fighting for it to living it was blissful. Of course there were ups and downs, but Taehyung had something to look forward to each day. And when he joined the University publishing yearbook committee… Not just joined, he got selected from a pull of ‘nerds’ it was one of the most memorising day for him.

But today, as he sat at the conference table of the room, he felt deflated. With his laptop opened up in front of him, the brunet sighed.
Another rejection.

Throughout this year, Taehyung had been trying to get a job at a publishing firm. There wasn't much to do honestly. It wasn't like he could just walk into the publishing firm and ask for a job there. It wasn't that simple. All he could do was apply for a job through the firm's website and hope they could offer him a simple job.

He really didn't expect much. Even a job as an intern would do. But to no avail, most of the firms didn't bother to reply the brunet and all the firms that did email Taehyung back only rejected him.
It was hopeless.

Taehyung was starting to rethink this whole 'becoming a writer' thing. Well, anyone could write, really. It's just that some people make it their profession. It was a risky thing to do from the beginning. As most people, including his parents had advised him over and over again, the brunet should have made a backup plan. Something to fall back on in case his first dream didn't work out.

At that time, of course, being the stubborn headed boy he was, the brunet didn't bother listen to any of their words. Now everything was just turning into a mess before it even became anything in the first place.

And oh no! What was his parents going to say when they see him next week? He was going to get an earful. Both his father and mother were going to give him a long lecture about them being right and how he should have listened to them in the first place.
Ugh, fuck.

Subconsciously, his hand went to the bracelet hanging on his thin wrist. He wished Jeongguk was here with him.

Yesterday, after the 'afternoon' they had together and after they woke up from their long nap, the raven-head had told Taehyung that Jin hyung’s father had open a dinner place nearby, and Jin had ask him to stop by the dinner, and the younger boy wanted him to accompany.

So later today, he was going to go there with Jeongguk. Taehyung grazed his thumb over the letters 'JK' and sighed. He was feeling really depressed right now. The brunet didn't want to show up to lunch later with a bad mood.
Should I just cancel?

But what about Jeongguk? The younger boy looked so happy when Taehyung had agreed to it yesterday. He couldn't forget the raven-head's dimpled smile. And they had just made up, Taehyung didn't want to unnecessarily cause any misunderstandings between them.

Damn, everything was just going against Taehyung right now.

As the boy laid his head in his arms on the table in front of him, the door to the club room swung open. Taehyung didn't bother to see who it was. He was in the midst of drowning in his sorrow at the moment.

He heard the chair near him scraped back. "Bad day?"

It was Namjoon. Well, of course it was him. Who else would come in here?

The younger boy still hadn't faced Namjoon. To the older boy's question, Taehyung was sure he replied something along the lines of "Yeah, I'm fine. Just watching my dreams crash before my very eyes" in a sarcastic manner but it came out muffled with his head laid in his arms like that.

Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, tell me."

So with a sigh, the brunet lifted his heavy head and nodded towards the laptop screen in front of him, gesturing for Namjoon to read the email displayed on it. The older boy's eyes narrowed into thin lines as he read over the words.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He said after finally understanding why Taehyung was upset.

The younger boy groaned and slumped back in his seat. "I think I made a mistake, Hyung." He turned to look at Namjoon. "By the looks of it, I don't think I'm gonna get to work in a publishing firm after all."

"Why?" The taller boy asked a serious look on his face.

Taehyung was slightly startled at the boy's question. Why was Namjoon asking him that. Wasn't the reason obvious? He suddenly felt annoyed. "Why? You're asking me why. Isn't it obvious? I'm not wanted in any of these-" The brunet started ranting on until the boy next to him raised a hand, telling him to stop.

"I mean, why does it have to be a publishing firm?" Namjoon asked clearly.

"What-" The younger boy started to think about it as he leaned back in his seat again. "That's because I took literature for the love of it! I imagined myself writing and publishing articles since I was in elementary school, Hyung." He answered quietly.

He heard Namjoon sigh. "A lot of dreams don't work out, Taehyung. Do you think I wanted to study to be psychologist?"

Taehyung was still for a moment before he faced the older boy next to him. "What- what did you originally wanted to be, then?"

This made Namjoon smile, showcasing his dimples. "A gym trainor."

"What?!" Taehyung just started laughing like crazy. "Oh my-" He wiped away his non-existent tears with a finger. "I'm so sorry. I just can't imagine that."

Namjoon rolled his eyes in a playful way watching the younger boy. "Are you done?"

Taehyung quickly stopped his laughter and tried his best to give a serious look. Though he was still laughing on the inside. "Okay. Sorry, sorry. I'm done." He said in a firm voice.

With narrowed eyes, Namjoon slowly began. "The point is, nothing goes your way sometimes and that's okay. It's just a minor set back."

"So what do I do now?" Taehyung sat up straight, taking a deep breath.

The older boy thought for a while before his eyes widened. "Do you have any other subjects you major in, besides English Literature."

"Well..." Taehyung made a thinking face. "I have completed my language course in French, I’ve the certificate or degree of French language."

"You do?" Namjoon raised a brow.

The younger boy nodded. "Yeah, in my first year here, I had to take a compulsory certificate so I opted to learn a language."

"You never told me that."

"You didn't ask."

Namjoon shook his head and moved closer to Taehyung. "Well there you go. This is your second chance."

"What?"

"Translator."

Translator?

"Hyung, I don't know about this."

"Taehyung, this is a good opportunity. You just said you weren't getting any closer to working at a publishing firm. So why not try this?"

The brunet looked down, feeling something wrong with the idea of suddenly switching his occupation. "It's just..." He trailed off.

Would this mean that Taehyung lost? That he gave up his dream? He hated quitting something. It made him feel like a failure, a coward for not trying hard enough to get something he wanted. But years of studying looked like it had gotten him nowhere. Should he keep trying or just do as what Namjoon said?

"Taehyung?"

The said boy lifted his head up to see Namjoon with a concerned look. "Yeah?" He answered quietly.

"I know it's hard to let go-"

"No Hyung, it isn't that. I just..." He sighed. "... if I gave up on being a writer I'd feel like... I'd feel like a failure."

"You know you're not. It's just a delay."

Delay? Taehyung didn't really think of it that way.

"But Hyung, I'm switching into a different occupation."

"It really isn't that different. I mean, you still get to be in touch with the literature, you can be an interpreter, typing and understanding words…” The older boy reasoned.

However, Taehyung still didn't seem convinced. "I don't know..."

Namjoon then cleared his throat, hesitating whether or not he should say what he was about to say. But then the brunet next to him just looked too demotivated and lost so he said it anyways. "I'll tell you what, I have this friend that works in a publishing firm around here. I'll try to ask him about any job openings."

What?!

Straight away, the brunet sat up straight in his seat, eyeing his hyung with sparkling eyes. "Really?!" He beamed.

"Yes, but," Namjoon gave a strict look like it was a warning. "Promise me that if you don't get this job, you'll move on from it and at least think about being a translator-"

The older gasped at suddenly being hugged by Taehyung. "Thank you! Thank you so much, Hyung."

"You're- you're welcome." He patted the boy's back.

Taehyung was feeling happy again as he pulled away from Namjoon and sat in his seat. He was deep in thought now. Okay, everything wasn't over yet. He still had one chance left. All he could do was pray and hope he got this job.

"Taehyung." Namjoon suddenly called making the younger boy turn to the side.

"Yeah?"

"Remember the promise."

The brunet hesitantly nodded.

"I will."

Chapter Text

Later in the evening, Taehyung sat in the newly opened shop that belonged to Jin’s family, his eyes widening at the sight of the food displayed before them. The store wasn’t open to customers yet, so it was only the three of them seated around a wide polished wooden table. Jeongguk sat right next to him, while Jin, in a casual beige apron and rolled-up sleeves, sat across with a satisfied grin, clearly proud of what he had prepared.

The table was a piece of art itself, filled with Japanese dishes that were still steaming, their aromas filling the air.

Right in front of each of them was a lacquered black bowl of donburi—fluffy white rice topped with glistening slices of teriyaki chicken, perfectly seared with a golden-brown glaze, sprinkled lightly with sesame seeds and spring onions. Along the side, a soft-boiled egg rested, yolk glowing a vibrant orange.

At the center of the table, there was a plate of tempura—crisp shrimp, zucchini, pumpkin, and sweet potato fried to a delicate golden shell. The batter looked impossibly light, as though it would shatter with the slightest touch of chopsticks.

Beside it sat a platter of sushi rolls: salmon, tuna, cucumber, and avocado, each neatly wrapped in gleaming nori. The colors of the fish were bright and fresh, contrasting with the whiteness of the rice. Small bowls of soy sauce and wasabi accompanied them.

To the far side was a steaming bowl of miso soup with tofu cubes and seaweed drifting lazily in the broth.

And lastly, there was yakisoba—stir-fried noodles tangled with cabbage, pork strips, and carrots that shone in the light glaze of soy and oyster sauce.

Taehyung’s jaw nearly dropped. How had Jin made all of this? Well, duh, he was clearly passionate about cooking. But still, the spread looked like something out of a high-end Tokyo restaurant.

“Alright, gentlemen, dig in,” Jin announced cheerfully, clapping his hands once before picking up his chopsticks. His voice carried both pride and warmth, like he was hosting them in his home.

Taehyung blinked, shaking himself out of the trance, and hesitantly lifted his chopsticks too. His mind wandered briefly, Jeongguk was also good at cooking, he had seen that the other day at the apartment. Why was it that he, Taehyung, seemed to be the only one hopeless in the kitchen?

Glancing sideways, he caught Jeongguk lifting a piece of tempura to his lips, his cheek puffing adorably as he chewed. Cute, Taehyung thought before hurriedly lowering his gaze and shoving some rice into his own mouth. The teriyaki chicken was tender, the glaze rich yet perfectly balanced.

For a while, they all ate in silence, chopsticks clicking against bowls, the only sound filling the room. Finally, Jin leaned forward with an expectant smile.

“So, Taehyung, how’s the food?”

The brunet was mid-bite and nearly choked. He chewed quickly, swallowed, and lifted his hand to cover his mouth. “E-Everything’s amazing, Jin-hyung,” he said earnestly, cheeks flushing.

Jin beamed, obviously pleased. Then his sharp gaze turned to Jeongguk. “And you? What do you think?”

Taehyung expected the younger to praise the food outright, but instead Jeongguk set his chopsticks down with deliberate slowness and tilted his head, pretending to think. “Hmm… I mean, it’s not bad. The noodles could use a touch more seasoning. And the tempura-” he lifted another piece, “-was slightly oily this time, hyung.”

Jin narrowed his eyes in mock offense. “Oh really? Mr. Food Critic thinks he’s Gordon Ramsay now?”

“Not Gordon Ramsay,” Jeongguk replied with a smirk. “Just someone with better taste buds than you.”

Taehyung’s brows shot up. He looked between them, unsure if an actual fight was about to break out, but Jin’s annoyed face soon broke into a grin. “Keep talking like that, Jeon Jeongguk, and next time I’ll serve you raw carrots instead of sushi.”

“Go ahead. I’ll still eat it better than you can cook it,” Jeongguk shot back smugly before sipping his miso soup.

The banter had a sibling-like energy, one that filled the quiet shop with laughter and warmth. Taehyung found himself smiling softly at how natural it all felt.

Halfway through his donburi, though, he started picking through the ingredients and discreetly pushed aside the bright orange carrot slices from the yakisoba.

Yes, he couldn’t stand carrots.

Of course, Jeongguk noticed. The younger boy’s hand slipped onto Taehyung’s thigh, the familiar gentle pressure making his heart skip. “Hyung,” he murmured, tilting his head toward Taehyung’s bowl. “Do you not like carrots?”

Caught red-handed, Taehyung shook his head sheepishly. Without hesitation, Jeongguk scooped up all the little orange pieces and dropped them into his own bowl. “There you go,” he said with a grin, returning to his food as though nothing unusual had happened.

Taehyung froze for a moment, staring at him. His chest swelled—how thoughtful. How quietly attentive. He quickly looked down to hide the warmth rising in his cheeks.

Meanwhile, the brunet still had his eyes on the boy next to him. Did Jeongguk really just do that? Taehyung felt his heart swell. How thoughtful of him. Caught up in the moment, neither boys noticed Jin in front of them, watching everything.

Jin leaned back, folding his arms. “Well, well. I didn’t know you guys were this close,” he remarked slyly. “I mean, I only know Taehyung because of Jimin. Didn’t realize there was… something more.”

Taehyung’s head snapped up, his cheeks blazing, but Jeongguk was faster. He smirked, turned slightly toward Taehyung, and said casually, “Of course we’re close. Right, hyung?” His voice dipped into something playful, almost daring.

This boy!!

Taehyung nearly choked on his water. He fumbled with his chopsticks, stuttering, “Y-Yeah… I-I guess so…” His ears were red now, and Jin laughed heartily.

“Interesting,” Jin hummed knowingly before moving on to sip his soup.

Trying to change the subject, Taehyung asked, “So why’s the shop closed today? It’s not the weekend.”

“Oh, that,” Jin said, gesturing vaguely around. “We’re still finishing some construction work. The flooring in the back kitchen needs adjustments, and a few shelves aren’t fitted yet. Can’t properly open until everything’s done.”

Taehyung nodded, admiring Jin’s dedication. “That’s a good idea, hyung. Better to start fresh.”

“Exactly.” Jin smiled warmly. “But you should come when it does open fully. I’m planning a special ramen night. You’ll love it.”

Taehyung was about to reply, but Jeongguk leaned in slightly, cutting him off. “He might not be around. He’s going back to Daegu soon.”

“Oh? You’re from Daegu?” Jin perked up in surprise, only to suddenly leap out of his seat, eyes widening. “Oh no- the mochi!”

Without further explanation, he bolted toward the kitchen, apron fluttering behind him. “Be right back!” he shouted, disappearing through the doors in a rush.

The shop grew quiet again after Jin disappeared behind the swinging doors. Taehyung’s lips quirked in a small smile as he took a sip of water. Jin was so chaotic, but somehow his energy made the room feel warmer.

He set the glass down…… only to freeze when he felt the faintest brush of warm breath against his neck.

“You look really good today.”

The words were low, husky, spoken right into his ear. Taehyung’s spine stiffened, his hand tightening around his chopsticks before carefully setting them aside. He turned, and there was Jeongguk, leaned in close, dark eyes framed by his bangs, every bit of his attention fixed on him.

“J-Jeongguk…” Taehyung’s voice cracked. His heart thudded so loudly he was sure the younger boy could hear it.

Jeongguk’s lips tilted into the barest smirk, and his hand slid with deliberate slowness along Taehyung’s thigh. Not quick or playful, just a steady, claiming touch that made his breath catch. The warmth seeped through the fabric of his pants, and before he knew it, Jeongguk’s fingers were inching closer to his inner thigh.

Taehyung swallowed hard. His mouth was dry. He wanted to push the hand away, but his body… refused. His pulse thrummed under his skin, his chest rising and falling faster.

“I… I thought you’d be tired of me by now,” he whispered shakily, eyes darting to the kitchen door as if Jin would burst out any moment.

“I miss you,” Jeongguk murmured instead, his eyes unblinking, soft yet piercing. “More than I should.”

The honesty in his tone made Taehyung’s stomach twist. His lips parted to respond, but no words came.

Instead, silence filled the gap between them, thick, heavy, electric.

Jeongguk tilted his head, studying him like he was memorizing every detail. “When we were together yesterday…” His voice trailed, teasing, waiting.

Taehyung’s face flamed. He snapped his gaze down, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve. “D-Don’t… don’t say it out loud,” he stammered.

Jeongguk’s smirk deepened, but he didn’t push. Instead, he leaned closer, their noses brushing. The world seemed to narrow to the point of contact, the heat of his skin, the faint scent of his cologne, the thrum of something dangerous and sweet in the air.

“Alright I won’t……,” Jeongguk whispered. His hand rose to cradle the back of Taehyung’s neck, thumb brushing gently along the edge of his jaw. His breath ghosted against Taehyung’s lips. “ …but I want kiss now.”

"Jeongguk, he's in the kitchen. He could be back any second."

The raven-head shook his head, moving his head closer to the older boy so that the tip of their noses were touching. His other hand lifted and came to cup the back of Taehyung's neck, holding him in place. "Jin hyung will take at least five more minutes in there," He whispered. "And what could we do in five minutes?" He pretended to think.

Fuck, Jeongguk was such a tease. And what made it worse was that Taehyung liked this side of the raven-headed boy. With the boy's tattooed hand still on his thigh and his red inviting lips right there, Taehyung found himself giving in.

And Taehyung… gave in.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, he leaned forward, closing the distance with a shaky exhale. Their lips met, not crashing, but brushing first, testing, tentative. Jeongguk’s lips were warm, patient, waiting.

The first kiss was gentle. The second, when Taehyung tilted his head, hands trembling as they slid into Jeongguk’s dark hair, was deeper, hungrier, as if he couldn’t hold back anymore.

Jeongguk kissed him like he’d been waiting for this exact moment. He nipped lightly at his lower lip, and when Taehyung gasped, Jeongguk took the opportunity to deepen it, tongue brushing against his.

Taehyung melted, his body slack against the chair, every nerve alight. His hands curled tighter in Jeongguk’s hair, pulling him closer as if afraid the moment would vanish.

“Baby,” Jeongguk whispered against his lips, voice rough with restraint, “you’ve gotta be quiet.”

Taehyung’s chest shuddered with a breath. His eyes fluttered shut as Jeongguk’s lips began trailing lower, to his jawline, to the sensitive curve of his neck. Each press was slow, unhurried, deliberate. A tiny nip, then a soothing kiss over the same spot.

Taehyung’s body tensed, then relaxed into it. His lips parted with a soft, shaky sound he tried to bite back. He didn’t care if Jeongguk left marks anymore. He didn’t care about anything, except the dizzying way his skin burned wherever Jeongguk touched him.

Then….. clattering. Noise from the kitchen.

Both of them froze, hearts hammering. They pulled apart in a rush, Taehyung’s chest heaving, lips swollen, Jeongguk’s hand still resting against his thigh as if reluctant to let go.

The spell broke just as Jin came back out, cheerful and oblivious, with a tray of mochi.

Jin emerged with a tray piled high with fresh mochi. “Luckily I saved them in time!” he beamed, setting the tray down. “Try one!”

Taehyung hurriedly grabbed a piece, his face still flushed, praying Jin wouldn’t notice. The mochi was soft, chewy, filled with sweet red bean paste that melted on his tongue.

“You okay, Taehyung? You’re really red,” Jin asked curiously.

What?!

“Oh….. it’s nothing! Just, uh, hot in here.” Taehyung stammered.

Oh, great answer.

Jin blinked, glancing at the air conditioner humming above. “Strange. Feels pretty cool to me.”

Across the table, Jeongguk was quietly chewing on mochi, barely hiding his laughter at Taehyung’s flustered excuse. His eyes gleamed with amusement, and Taehyung could only groan internally.

Damn, he was enjoying this.

This boy would be the death of him.

__________
Reader’s Note:
Just a small reminder—everything that’s happening right now is within the span of just three days before the dance competition. That’s why some chapters may feel a little shorter, since I’m breaking the timeline into parts. The scene with Namjoon took place in the morning, and this current scene is set in the evening. This timeline is important… because, well… ahem, things are about to change very soon.

Chapter Text

The night sky stretched above them like an infinite canvas of darkness, studded with countless stars that sparkled with cold, distant light. Their footsteps created a gentle rhythm as they walked side by side through the park, the same secluded place they'd visited before, where the world seemed to shrink until it contained only the two of them.

As always, the park was empty at this hour, offering them the privacy that their relationship required. Jeongguk's hand was wrapped around Taehyung's, their fingers intertwined as the younger man led them deeper into the quiet space. Taehyung allowed himself to be guided, savoring the cool night breeze that occasionally swept past them, carrying the scent of grass and lake water and something that felt like possibility.

When they reached their destination, a spot directly facing the lake that reflected moonlight like scattered diamonds Jeongguk finally released his hand. Taehyung watched as he produced a picnic blanket from seemingly nowhere and spread it carefully across the soft grass. Had he been carrying that the entire time? And when had he acquired the cup holder with two steaming beverages that he was now placing on the blanket with such careful attention?

Taehyung had been beside him through the entire motorcycle ride here, yet somehow Jeongguk had managed to prepare all of this without him noticing. The thoughtfulness of it made his chest feel tight with emotion he couldn't quite name.

"Are you just going to stand there, hyung?" Jeongguk called from where he'd settled on the blanket, his legs stretched out in front of him, his smile warm and inviting in the moonlight.

"When did you plan all this?" Taehyung asked, his eyebrows raised in genuine wonder.

Jeongguk rolled his eyes with playful exasperation and reached up to grab Taehyung's hand, tugging him down with surprising strength. Taehyung found himself settled between the younger man's long legs, his back pressed against Jeongguk's solid chest, surrounded by warmth and the subtle scent of his cologne.

"For you, I'd always plan something," Jeongguk whispered directly into his ear, his breath hot against sensitive skin.

Strong arms wrapped around Taehyung from behind, and in that moment, he wished desperately that he could freeze time. The two of them sitting exactly like this, alone under the vast night sky, facing the lake that captured and reflected the moon's glow, it felt like one of those rare, magical moments when everything aligned perfectly and the universe held its breath.

"It's so beautiful," Taehyung murmured, his eyes fixed on the scenery before them.

"Yeah, it is," Jeongguk hummed, and Taehyung could feel the vibration against his back. What he didn't know was that Jeongguk's eyes weren't on the lake at all, but on him.

Jeongguk's arms unwrapped from around him to retrieve the cups. "Here," he said, handing one to Taehyung. "Hot chocolate. Figured you'd want something warm."

"Thanks." Taehyung accepted the cup with a genuine smile, immediately feeling the heat seep through the paper and into his cold palms. It was perfect for a night like this.

They sat in comfortable silence for several minutes, simply existing together in the peaceful darkness. Jeongguk took a few sips of his drink before setting it aside and leaning back on his hands, his body creating a solid, warm support for Taehyung to rest against.

"So what time are you leaving on Sunday for Daegu?" Jeongguk asked, breaking the quiet with casual curiosity.

Taehyung took a small sip of the rich chocolate drink before answering. "I'm not entirely sure yet."

The truth was more complicated than that simple response suggested. He and Jimin were still debating their travel plans. Yoongi was also heading to Daegu, but on Monday instead of Sunday, and he'd offered to drive them. Jimin was obviously thrilled by the prospect of spending hours in a car with his boyfriend, but accepting would mean missing a day of classes – they'd need special permission from the university administration.

And there was another complication: Taehyung definitely wasn't planning to mention any of this to Jeongguk. It wasn't lying if you were protecting someone from unnecessary anger, right? He'd seen how Jeongguk reacted to anything involving Yoongi, the tension that immediately appeared, the barely concealed jealousy. There was no reason to create conflict over something so simple as a car ride.

Still, the omission made him uncomfortable. Each small deception felt like another brick in a wall that was slowly building between them.

"I'm really going to miss you," Jeongguk said quietly, his voice carrying a weight that suggested he meant more than just a brief trip.

Taehyung set down his cup and twisted around to look at him. "But I'm only going for a day. I'll be back the next morning."

Jeongguk shook his head, his expression melancholic in the moonlight. "I'm talking about when the semester ends. You're going to graduate, get your degree, and move on with your life." His dark eyes found Taehyung's. "I'm happy for you, truly. But it also means we might not see each other anymore."

The words hit Taehyung like a physical blow. "Oh."

He couldn't let this moment turn sad, couldn't bear the thought of Jeongguk sitting here drowning in future anxieties. Turning more fully to face him, Taehyung reached up to cup his face, his thumb automatically stroking across the younger man's cheekbone.

"Don't think about that now," he said with forced optimism. "After this semester ends, there's going to be a break. We could spend time together then, as much as you want."

Jeongguk stared at him for a long moment before shaking his head again. "It's not the same, hyung. What about next year when classes start again? You'll already be working somewhere, doing what you love, building your career. And I'll still be stuck here, finishing my degree that I don't even want." He sighed heavily. "It feels like you're leaving me behind."

Taehyung's heart clenched painfully. He continued his gentle caress of Jeongguk's face. "I'm not leaving you. I promised, remember? I promised I'd stay."

At this, Jeongguk managed a small smile and nodded, though he didn't look entirely convinced. The doubt in his eyes was clear despite his acceptance of the words.

Acting on pure instinct, Taehyung leaned forward and pressed a quick, soft kiss against Jeongguk's lips before their eyes met briefly. Then he turned back around to resume his previous position, leaning against the younger man's chest, his heart pounding at his own boldness.

Oh god. He couldn't believe he'd just done that so spontaneously. Heat flooded his cheeks, and he was grateful for the darkness that hid his blush from view.

Suddenly, he felt the warm chest behind him press more firmly against his back. Jeongguk's arms secured themselves around his body with possessive tenderness, and the younger man rested his chin on Taehyung's right shoulder so their faces were aligned, cheek to cheek.

"I could stay here forever with you," Jeongguk sighed contentedly.

Taehyung forced a light laugh, trying to pretend those words didn't affect him as profoundly as they did. But they did affect him – deeply, intensely, in ways that scared him with their magnitude.

He couldn't help but start thinking about their future, about the impossible situation they'd created. What they had... it wasn't friendship, not anymore. It had evolved into something far more intimate and complicated. But it also wasn't a real relationship, because they both had other people waiting for them, people who had legitimate claims on their time and affection.

It was a mess, fundamentally unsustainable, and Taehyung had already given his word to stay by Jeongguk's side, but the truth was—

He was overthinking again. He could feel himself spiraling into anxiety and uncertainty.

Taehyung exhaled slowly, closing his eyes and trying to quiet his racing mind.

"Do you always wear this?" Jeongguk's voice pulled him back to the present as his fingers traced the bracelet around Taehyung's wrist, circling the silver band with gentle reverence.

Taehyung opened his eyes and looked down at the jewelry that had become such a part of him. He turned his head to meet Jeongguk's gaze and smiled. "Yeah. I never take it off."

Something shifted in Jeongguk's expression – his eyes darkened with an intensity that made Taehyung's breath catch. It was that look he sometimes got, the one that made him seem unpredictable and dangerous and completely focused on Taehyung to the exclusion of everything else.

Before Taehyung could ask what he was thinking, Jeongguk turned him around with firm but gentle hands until they were facing each other properly. Then he closed the distance between them and captured Taehyung's lips in a kiss that was nothing like the quick, innocent peck from moments before.

This kiss was deep, demanding, full of everything they couldn't say out loud. Jeongguk's hand came up to cradle the back of Taehyung's head, fingers threading through his hair as he angled the kiss deeper. His other hand gripped Taehyung's waist, pulling him impossibly closer.

Taehyung melted into it completely, his hands finding purchase on Jeongguk's shoulders as he kissed back with equal desperation. Their mouths moved together with practiced familiarity now, having learned each other's rhythms and preferences through countless stolen moments. Jeongguk's tongue traced the seam of his lips and Taehyung opened for him without hesitation, the kiss turning heated and intense.

When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, Jeongguk rested his forehead against Taehyung's. Neither of them spoke for several moments, just existed in that space of shared breath and racing heartbeats.

"Tell me something about you," Taehyung whispered, his voice slightly hoarse. "Something I don't know yet."

Jeongguk pulled back just enough to meet his eyes, a small smile playing at his kiss-swollen lips. "What do you want to know?"

"Anything. Everything." Taehyung's hand found Jeongguk's and held it between them. "Tell me what makes you happy when everything else is difficult."

Jeongguk was quiet for a moment, considering the question seriously. "Food," he finally said. "I know that sounds simple, but it's true. When I'm cooking, when I'm creating something from scratch and watching it come together... it's the only time I feel like I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing."

"That's why you're so good at it," Taehyung said softly.

"My father says it's a waste of time, that chefs are just servants with fancier titles." There was bitterness in Jeongguk's voice. "But when I cook for you, when I see your face light up tasting something I made... it feels important. It feels real."

Taehyung squeezed his hand tighter. "It is real. Your talent is real, and anyone who can't see that is blind."

"And art," Jeongguk continued, as if the confession had opened a floodgate. "Drawing, painting, creating something that didn't exist before. When I'm sketching, the world gets quiet. All the pressure and expectations fade away, and it's just me and the paper and whatever wants to come through my hands."

"I wish to see your finished art...," Taehyung said, meaning it with his whole heart. "I bet it's beautiful."

"Maybe someday I'll show you." Jeongguk's smile was sad.

They settled back into their previous position, Taehyung leaning against Jeongguk's chest with the younger man's arms wrapped protectively around him. But now the silence felt different – richer, deeper, weighted with the vulnerability they'd just shared.

Taehyung stared out at the moonlit lake, his mind turning over everything Jeongguk had revealed. Each new piece of information made him feel more connected, more invested, more hopelessly entangled in something that had no clear path forward.

And in that moment of perfect stillness, with Jeongguk's heartbeat steady against his back and the cool night air kissing his skin, Taehyung finally acknowledged the truth he'd been dancing around for weeks.

This wasn't a crush. It wasn't mere attraction or physical desire or even deep friendship. This consuming feeling that made everything else feel secondary, this desperate need to be near Jeongguk and know his thoughts and ease his pain – this was love.

He was in love with Jeon Jeongguk.

The realization should have terrified him, should have sent him running in the opposite direction. Instead, it settled over him with an almost peaceful certainty, like finally admitting something his heart had known long before his mind caught up.

He loved this complicated, talented, trapped boy who cooked him elaborate meals and bought him jewelry and held him like he was something precious. He loved his passion for art and food, his gentleness mixed with intensity, the way he made Taehyung feel seen and valued and important.

And that love was going to destroy him, because there was no future where this ended well. Jeongguk belonged to a world Taehyung could never truly be part of, had obligations and expectations that would always come before whatever they had together. This beautiful, impossible thing between them was temporary by definition, destined to end when reality could no longer be ignored.

But for now, in this moment under the stars with Jeongguk's arms around him, Taehyung allowed himself to feel it fully. To love without restraint, without thinking about consequences or impossibilities.

"What are you thinking about?" Jeongguk asked softly, his chin still resting on Taehyung's shoulder.

Taehyung closed his eyes, memorizing the feeling of this moment. "Just... how perfect this is. Being here with you."

"It is perfect," Jeongguk agreed, his arms tightening slightly. "I wish I could keep you here forever, just like this."

"Me too," Taehyung whispered, and meant it with a desperation that scared him.

Because he knew, with painful certainty, that forever was exactly what they couldn't have. They could have tonight, and maybe tomorrow, and whatever stolen moments they could carve out before reality intervened. But forever belonged to people who could exist in the daylight, who didn't have to hide and lie and pretend.

Still, for now, he had this. And maybe, Taehyung thought as he felt Jeongguk press a gentle kiss to his temple, maybe this was enough. Maybe loving someone, even when you knew it was temporary, was its own kind of forever.

Even if that forever only lasted until the sun came up.

Chapter Text

It was around 2 in the morning as Taehyung's head was flowing with thoughts. It felt strange.......this thing called love. People always described it as warm, sweet, a little like dreaming. Like floating above reality on a bed of clouds, smiling at nothing, protected from everything.

For Taehyung, it wasn’t like that at all.

It was torture.

The brunet lay on the couch, blanket kicked to the floor, sweat dampening his skin. His wide eyes stared at the ceiling, the silence pressing down on him harder than any weight. He couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t even breathe right.

Because somehow, against all reason, he had fallen in love with Jeongguk.

This wasn’t a crush. Not a fleeting fondness. Not even an infatuation he could laugh off later. No. This was real. Painfully, terrifyingly real. And it ruined everything.

Jeongguk wasn’t his. He could never be his. And that truth carved a hole in Taehyung’s chest so deep he wondered how he was still breathing.

“Why me?” he whispered to the darkness. His own voice sounded broken.

Just then, the front door opened and shut. Taehyung bolted upright, heart stuttering until he saw who it was, Jimin, his silver-haired roommate, slipping his keys into the bowl by the door. The dancer looked exhausted, his shoulders drooping as he collapsed onto the armchair.

“You’re still awake?” Jimin asked, stifling a yawn.

Taehyung hugged his knees to his chest, trying to hide how shaken he felt. “Where were you? It’s almost three in the morning.”

“I got back earlier. I was just sitting in a car outside.” Jimin’s tone was casual, but it made Taehyung’s stomach flip.

A car. Outside. Half an hour ago. That was when Jeongguk had dropped him off. Shit. Did Jimin… see?

“Whose car?” Taehyung asked carefully, his voice tighter than he intended.

“Yoongi’s.” Jimin replied, nonchalant.

Of course. Taehyung’s eyes narrowed. “And what exactly were you doing at this hour?”

Jimin stretched his legs, shrugging. “Clubbing. Afterwards, Yoongi wanted a smoke, so we stayed in his car. That’s all.”

He said it smoothly. Too smoothly. Jimin was hiding something, but before Taehyung could press, Jimin’s words cut straight through him.

“Tae, I saw you with Jeongguk.”

Taehyung froze, breath lodged in his throat.

Jimin tilted his head, watching him with a knowing smile. “So? Anything you’d like to tell me?”

For a split second, Taehyung panicked. But then he remembered.......... Jimin wasn’t exactly innocent either. The brunet lifted his chin, voice steady though his heart pounded. “I don’t know. Anything you’d like to tell me?”

The room fell silent, tension thick enough to choke on. Finally, Jimin sighed. His expression softened.

“Look… when we first moved here, three years ago, we only had each other. Maybe we’ve drifted a little since then, but you’re still my best friend, Tae. And best friends don’t keep secrets. Especially not big ones.”

Taehyung exhaled shakily, realizing Jimin wasn’t going to let him slip away this time. The dancer wanted honesty, but he also wanted to be honest himself.

“Not here,” Taehyung muttered, glancing toward Seoyun’s closed bedroom door. “Let’s go outside.”

The fluorescent lights of the Seven Eleven buzzed faintly behind them as they sat at a small plastic table outside. Between them: banana milk, chips, green Skittles, cookies-and-cream Pepero, and a can of cola that Jimin hadn’t even touched.

The night air was cool, but Taehyung’s palms were sweaty. He fiddled with the Pepero box while Jimin sipped his drink, waiting.

“Alright,” Taehyung finally breathed, ripping off the band-aid. “I cheated on Seoyun.”

Jimin blinked once. Then twice. His brows didn’t even twitch.

“That’s it?”

Taehyung gawked. “What do you mean, that’s it? You’re not surprised?”

Jimin rolled his eyes. “Tae, come on. Anyone with eyes can see you and Seoyun don’t actually like each other. Honestly? I’m shocked it took you this long.” He leaned forward, his smirk slow and deliberate. “What I do want to know is… who you cheated with.”

Taehyung’s heart thundered. His throat dried. He could feel Jimin watching, waiting, savoring every second of his torment.

“It’s…” he swallowed hard, “…Jeongguk.”

Silence. Jimin’s jaw dropped. His wide eyes looked comically huge, and for a moment he was frozen. Then—

“WHAT THE FUCK?!”

Taehyung jumped so hard he dropped his Pepero. “Keep your voice down!” he hissed, glaring.

But Jimin was losing it. “Jeongguk? Jeon fucking Jeongguk? Are you serious right now?!” He slapped the table, laughing like he’d just heard the best joke of the year.

Taehyung rubbed his temples. “I thought you said you saw us?”

“I saw him drop you off! That’s it! I thought you two went to smoke weed or something. I didn’t know you were... holy shit... hooking up!”

Taehyung groaned, dragging his hands down his face. “This is a mistake. I shouldn’t have told you.”

“No, no—this is gold.” Jimin leaned in eagerly, silver hair falling into his eyes. “Tell me everything. When did it start? Who kissed first? How many times? And don’t you dare skip the details.”

By the time Taehyung finished his rushed, stumbling explanation, art room, cafe, Jin’s shop, kisses, late-night meetings—he was breathless. Jimin, on the other hand, looked delighted.

“Kim Taehyung,” Jimin grinned like a cat. “I never thought you had it in you. Mr. Good Boy, sneaking around with the hottest guy on campus.”

“Don’t make it sound like that,” Taehyung muttered, guilt rising in his chest.

Taehyung groaned. “Why am I even telling you this?”

“Because I’m your best friend,” Jimin said sweetly. Then, with a sly grin: “Speaking of secrets… isn’t there something I should tell you?”

Taehyung arched a brow. He knew exactly what was coming. “Go on.”

Jimin groaned dramatically. “Fine. Yoongi and I are dating.”

Tae leaned back, pretending to be shocked, gasping way too theatrically. “YOU and YOONGI?!”

Jimin narrowed his eyes. “You already knew.”

Tae grinned sheepishly. “Yoongi told me. Said you’d need time.”

The silver-haired boy sighed. “Figures.” Then his expression softened. “I just didn’t know how you’d take it. But… thanks, Tae. For always being on my side.”

“Always,” Tae promised with a smile.

There was a beat of comfortable silence. Then Jimin smirked again, leaning across the table.

“So… when are you breaking up with Seoyun?”

The question landed like a punch. Taehyung stared at the table, fingers twisting around the edge of his drink. He wanted to say soon. He wanted to say now. But instead...

“After your dance competition,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to mess up your focus. Once it’s over… I’ll end things with Seoyun.”

Jimin studied him for a long moment before nodding, satisfied. Then that mischievous smile returned, sharp and wicked.

“So…” he dragged the word out, leaning forward, “have you and Jeongguk done it yet?”

“Jimin.”

“Don’t Jimin me. Answer the question.”

“No,” Taehyung muttered, ears burning. “We haven’t.”

Jimin smirked, snapping a Pepero stick in half with his teeth. “Not yet, huh?”

“Shut up.”

The silver-haired boy grinned wider. “God, you’re so in love with him. Look at your face.... you’re blushing just thinking about it. Do you doodle his name in your notebook too?”

“Jimin-”

“Or maybe you sigh dramatically into your pillow at night? ‘Oh Jeongguk, my star, my sky, my eternal pain-’”

“PARK JIMIN!”

The dancer burst into laughter, nearly falling out of his chair. Taehyung threw a chip at him, but even as embarrassment burned through him, he couldn’t help the smallest smile tugging at his lips.

Because maybe, just maybe, having someone know didn’t feel so terrible after all.

_____________
Its fun connecting things, yk

Chapter Text

The following evening, there was a deep frown etched across Taehyung's face, so pronounced that anyone looking at him could tell he was having a miserable time.

Several factors contributed to his foul mood, each one layering onto the others until he felt suffocated by his own circumstances.

One: Minchae and that insufferable, high-pitched voice of hers that seemed designed to grate on every nerve he possessed. Two: the fact that they were about to watch some action movie that apparently involved excessive violence and killing – not exactly his idea of entertainment. And three: the uncomfortable knowledge that he'd been avoiding for weeks, the decision he kept putting off that hung over him like a guillotine.

He needed to end things with Seoyun. Soon.

An almost inaudible groan escaped Taehyung as he sat across from the two girls at a table in the café adjacent to the movie theater. There were still about fifteen minutes before the film started, so the four of them had decided to grab drinks first – a decision Taehyung was rapidly regretting.

"...and can you believe that bitch actually tried to copy my entire outfit?" Minchae said dramatically, her silver hair catching the café lights as she gestured with exaggerated outrage. "I mean, how pathetic can you get? It's like she has zero originality."

Seoyun, sitting beside her, listened with what appeared to be genuine sympathy. "That's awful, Minchae. Some people just can't handle seeing others look better than them."

For a brief moment, Taehyung thought Seoyun might be speaking sarcastically, but no – her voice carried nothing but earnest agreement. Why was someone as genuinely kind as Seoyun even friends with Minchae? Seoyun deserved so much better than to be this girl's constant audience.

Taehyung sighed heavily and turned his attention to the empty seat beside him. Jeongguk was outside parking the car, and now Taehyung deeply regretted walking in with the girls when Jeongguk had suggested he wait. He should have insisted on accompanying the younger man – anything would have been preferable to listening to Minchae's endless stream of dramatic, self-centered stories.

Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe he was hating Minchae without a completely solid reason. After all, he was the one fooling around with her boyfriend, so logically, she should be the one hating him. But it was genuinely difficult not to resent her. Every time he saw her with Jeongguk, he felt invisible, like he was watching his own heart being crushed from a distance while everyone pretended everything was normal.

He'd tried stepping back, had attempted to create distance between himself and Jeongguk. But that hadn't worked at all.

And then Jeongguk kept doing thoughtful, caring things that made Taehyung fall deeper and deeper in love with him, until there was no climbing back out.

One way or another, it felt like the universe itself was conspiring to tangle him up in this impossible situation, pushing him toward Jeongguk no matter how hard he tried to resist.

The bell above the café door chimed, and Taehyung's eyes immediately snapped away from Minchae toward the entrance. Jeongguk walked in, dressed entirely in black – black jeans, black shirt, black leather jacket – and wearing one of those rare occasions where he had his black baseball cap pulled low over his head, shadowing his already dark and mesmerizing eyes.

Damn. He looked devastatingly hot.

Both girls were still engrossed in their heated conversation about some other woman who had apparently worn a skirt similar to one Minchae owned. But Taehyung didn't bother silently judging the silver-haired girl anymore. He had something far better to occupy his attention now.

A content sigh escaped his lips as he rested his chin on his palm, elbow propped against the table. Not even attempting to be discreet, Taehyung shamelessly watched Jeongguk approach, his eyes tracing the confident way he moved, the subtle flex of muscles beneath his clothes.

Jeongguk, as attentive as ever, caught him staring and smirked back with that knowing look that always made Taehyung's stomach flip. When their eyes met and that smirk appeared, Taehyung knew it was time to look away before he completely gave himself away. Which he did, heat flooding his cheeks.

Seconds later, Jeongguk casually took his seat beside Taehyung, who was still facing away, his face burning red. Taehyung nearly jumped when he felt a warm hand settle on his thigh, but Jeongguk didn't even glance at him – he knew exactly what effect he had on the older man. Meanwhile, the two girls finally stopped their gossip session and acknowledged his arrival.

"Baby, finally you're here. I missed you so much," Minchae said with an exaggerated pout, her voice taking on that syrupy-sweet tone that made Taehyung want to gag.

The word hit Taehyung like a slap. Baby. She called him baby.

He rolled his eyes without being noticed and continued resting his chin on his palm, deliberately facing away as he pretended to squint at the beverage menu displayed above the counter in large, easy-to-read fonts. He absolutely did not want to witness Minchae's lovey-dovey performance with Jeongguk.

Baby. The word echoed in his mind, bitter and sharp.

"Ahem," Minchae's voice pressed with obvious irritation. "I said I missed you, baby."

This time, Jeongguk responded quickly, though his tone was flat. "Yeah. You too."

The response clearly didn't satisfy Minchae, who was practically glaring at her boyfriend for his complete disregard of her affectionate words. The tension at the table became thick enough to cut.

Seoyun, ever the peacemaker, quickly cleared her throat. "Let's order some drinks, shall we?" She clapped her hands with forced enthusiasm, which seemed to improve Minchae's mood slightly. The two girls went on to discuss what they wanted to order.

With Taehyung still determinedly looking away, Jeongguk couldn't help but keep his eyes fixed on the older man – just as he had the entire time Minchae was desperately trying to get his attention. That's precisely why he hadn't responded the first time she spoke. All his focus had been on Taehyung, wondering: Why won't he look at me?

Jeongguk squeezed Taehyung's thigh once to get his attention. He was about to lean in and whisper something when Minchae's voice cut through again.

"Baby, I want an iced peach tea. Will you get it for me? Please?" She deployed that cutesy voice again, the one that set Taehyung's teeth on edge.

Baby. There it was again. That word that felt like nails on a chalkboard now.

Jeongguk swallowed hard, glancing between his girlfriend and the man beside him who refused to look his way. The awkwardness intensified with each passing second.

Why wasn't he saying anything? Taehyung remained quiet, still facing to the side, completely oblivious to – or deliberately ignoring – the terrible atmosphere settling over their table.

Seoyun laughed nervously in another attempt to ease the tension. "Why don't I go get the orders for everyone?"

Immediately, Minchae shook her head. "No, it's fine. My baby will get them for us, right?" She looked at Jeongguk expectantly.

Baby. Baby. Baby. The word was everywhere, claiming Jeongguk in a way that Taehyung never could.

Jeongguk was left with no choice but to nod and force a smile. "Yeah, sure." Because despite all his attempts to catch Taehyung's attention, the older man still refused to acknowledge him, seeming completely distracted by something else.

And he was distracted. Taehyung's brows were furrowed as one thought consumed his mind, growing louder and more bitter with each repetition.

Minchae called Jeongguk "baby." She'd said it countless times since Jeongguk walked into the café, claiming that word, using it so casually, so naturally, like it belonged to her.

Did Jeongguk call her that too? The thought made Taehyung's stomach churn.

But Jeongguk called him "baby" sometimes – in those intimate moments when it was just the two of them, when the word felt sacred and special and like it meant something.

All couples used pet names, he knew that logically. But somehow, hearing Minchae use that specific word for Jeongguk created a sick, twisted feeling in his gut. It felt like they were sharing him, like Taehyung was part of some arrangement he'd never agreed to, and that word – that one simple word – connected them all in a way that made him want to scream.

His eyes widened as the full weight of the realization hit him.

They were sharing Jeongguk. That's exactly what this was.

Fuck. That thought was too much, too real, too painful to sit with.

Before he could stop himself, Taehyung's chair scraped back abruptly as he stood up, his breathing coming faster than normal. If he'd pushed any harder, the chair would have toppled backward. The sound was loud enough to draw attention from other patrons, and definitely loud enough to make his three companions stare at him in confused concern.

Seoyun spoke first. "Taehyung, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

While still standing there, frozen, Taehyung asked himself the same question. What was wrong? His eyes landed on Minchae for a brief moment, and suddenly he understood with perfect clarity: he couldn't do this. He couldn't sit there and watch his heart shatter piece by piece as this girl casually used the same pet name Jeongguk whispered to him in private.

Baby.

That one word was enough to completely unravel him. He'd promised to stay by Jeongguk's side, yes. But that didn't mean he had to sit there and pretend Minchae's words didn't strike directly at the most vulnerable part of him.

"Hyung?" Jeongguk's deep voice called from beside him, looking up with a worried gaze peeking out from under his cap.

"I—" Taehyung licked his lips nervously. "Restroom." The single word was all he could manage before he turned toward where he assumed the bathroom would be, desperate for escape.

He pushed through the restroom door, panting for reasons he couldn't fully explain. Damn it, he'd just caused a scene. Why couldn't he just control his reactions?

Why couldn't he accept that this was it – that stolen moments and secret touches were the closest he'd ever get to truly being with Jeongguk? He gripped his hair in frustration, tugging at the strands as if physical pain might override emotional agony.

Nothing more, a voice echoed cruelly in his head.

His eyes squeezed shut as he gritted his teeth against the pain.

You two can never be more than this. Secret. Hidden. Always second.

"Fuck!" Taehyung shouted, not caring if anyone was occupying the stalls. After several seconds of silence confirmed he was alone, he exhaled shakily. Good. He needed solitude right now.

He approached the sink, not wanting to see his reflection but unable to avoid catching sight of himself in the dusty mirror hanging above it. His eyes looked wild, desperate, pathetic.

"Why?" he asked his reflection, biting his lower lip hard. "Why can't you just be normal and accept it?" He was exhausted from asking himself the same questions on an endless loop. But then again...

That's what love does to you.

It drives you to the edge of sanity when you can't be with the person you love.

You get devastated by even the smallest things that highlight the distance between you.

That's why letting go feels impossible.

Taehyung splashed cold water over his face from the sink, the shock of it grounding him slightly. He exhaled slowly, wishing desperately that he was home with Jimin, where they'd probably be watching some mindless show and somehow end up in a silly argument over nothing important.

He glanced toward the door. Logically, he knew he should walk out right now and rejoin them at the table. But he didn't want to. Every fiber of his being rebelled against the thought of sitting across from Minchae again, hearing her call Jeongguk "baby" one more time.

He felt utterly alone in this moment – like all the bravery and courage he'd been desperately clinging to had been drained from him, leaving him hollow.

The brunet walked to one side of the restroom and leaned against the wall in exhaustion. This would be the perfect time for some magical escape route to appear and transport him anywhere else.

A small, lifeless laugh escaped his lips. "How ridiculous..." He shook his head, facing the ground.

The restroom door creaked open, pulling his attention upward. He found himself staring into dark eyes he'd memorized long ago – eyes that haunted his dreams and waking thoughts alike.

Taehyung wasn't surprised to see Jeongguk standing there. He didn't move from his position against the wall as he watched the younger man step fully into the restroom, monitoring his every movement with tired resignation.

Then a loud click echoed through the small space – the sound of the door lock engaging.

Taehyung's heart immediately started racing. Jeongguk moved closer with deliberate steps until they were face to face, close enough for Taehyung to see the concern and confusion warring in his expression.

Thump, thump.

Taehyung gulped, his eyes darting from Jeongguk's intense gaze to the locked door behind him.

They were completely alone. And judging by the determination in Jeongguk's eyes, they were about to have a conversation Taehyung absolutely did not want to have.
_____________________
Dear readers, you're still there with me, right?

Chapter Text

With his fists clenched tightly by his sides, Taehyung kept his gaze fixed on the floor, refusing to meet Jeongguk's eyes. He heard the younger man sigh heavily.

"Are you seriously going to ignore me?"

Taehyung knew perfectly well that Jeongguk hated when he avoided eye contact during conversations. Which was precisely why he remained determined to stare at the dingy tile floor. What could he possibly say? 'I'm upset because your girlfriend is acting like your girlfriend?' That would be completely absurd.

Several seconds of tense silence passed before Jeongguk had enough. He reached up and grasped Taehyung's chin, forcing him to look up. Taehyung's eyes went wide at the contact, locking onto Jeongguk's face and finding anger there.

"Tell me," Jeongguk said, his hand still gripping Taehyung's chin firmly. "What was that all about out there?"

"Nothing."

A short, sarcastic laugh escaped from Jeongguk before his expression turned serious again. "I'm not stupid, hyung. Something's clearly on your mind. Now tell me what it is."

Taehyung knew he would eventually cave – he always did with Jeongguk – but he still felt compelled to maintain some facade of strength. "I already told you," he said, silently proud when his voice didn't waver. "It's nothing."

Jeongguk stared at him for a long moment, brows furrowed, before nodding slowly. "Okay."

For one brief second, Taehyung thought he'd actually won this standoff. But his victory was immediately shattered as Jeongguk closed the remaining distance between them, bringing his lips mere millimeters from Taehyung's ear.

"Do you know what I hate most?" he murmured, his voice dropping to that low, husky register that always sent shivers cascading down Taehyung's spine.

Taehyung shook his head, unable to form words as he felt Jeongguk's hands slide beneath his loose long-sleeved shirt, each touch leaving him breathless and overwhelmed.

"When you lie to me."

Jeongguk nuzzled his face into the crook of Taehyung's neck, giving him time to process those words. 'When you lie to me.' Was that really true? Because if it was, then Taehyung was in serious trouble. All the lies he'd told, all the things he'd kept hidden, came crashing down on him with crushing weight. He'd been about to confess everything that day in the laboratory during the coding competition, but had lost his nerve.

He couldn't imagine Jeongguk's reaction to learning about all the deceptions. If he was this worked up over one small lie, what would happen when the full truth came out?

Jeongguk's hands traveled upward, finding Taehyung's already hardened nipples through the thin fabric of his shirt. He hummed appreciatively, leaving small kisses along Taehyung's jaw. "Should I teach you not to lie to me anymore?"

A half-moan nearly escaped when Jeongguk's fingers began rolling his sensitive nipples between them with deliberate pressure.

Jeongguk pulled back to look at Taehyung's face, a dangerous smirk playing at his lips. "Your nipples are hard."

What was anyone supposed to say to that? Taehyung just stared back through a hazy gaze, everything getting heated and overwhelming as he felt himself wanting more of Jeongguk's touch, craving it like oxygen.

And he got exactly what he craved – "Ahh..." A genuine moan escaped his mouth when Jeongguk squeezed his oversensitive nipples harder, making his head fall back against the cold tiled wall.

Jeongguk's lips made contact with Taehyung's exposed neck. "Are you going to tell me the truth now?"

Taehyung was too lost in the sensations to form a coherent response. His lack of answer provoked Jeongguk further, and suddenly a muscular thigh pressed between his legs, rubbing against exactly the right spot.

"J-Jeongguk... fuck," Taehyung whimpered, his head still tilted back, eyes squeezed shut.

Jeongguk removed his hands from under the shirt only to bring them down to grip Taehyung's hips firmly, then lower to squeeze his ass through his jeans. His lips continued their assault down to Taehyung's collarbone.

"I think I need to show you the consequences of lying to me."

Consequences?

If this was the aftermath of lying to Jeongguk, then maybe Taehyung should do it more often. The thought was ridiculous, but the information was definitely noted for future reference.

When Jeongguk added more pressure to his crotch, Taehyung's hands – which had been clenched uselessly at his sides – flew up to tangle in Jeongguk's hair. Instead, they met the fabric of his baseball cap.

Without hesitation, Taehyung tore the cap off and tossed it aside, one hand immediately diving into the thick locks of Jeongguk's hair while holding the cap in the other.

By this point, even Jeongguk had forgotten what started this entire encounter. A deep growl rumbled from his chest when Taehyung tugged on his hair with just the right amount of force.

"Fuck, baby..."

The word hit Taehyung like ice water. His eyes shot open and he used every ounce of remaining willpower to push Jeongguk backward. It wasn't much force – the younger man only moved a few inches – but it was enough for Taehyung to bring his hands up to cover his face, the black cap dangling from his fingers as he shielded his eyes.

Jeongguk was probably furious now. Or hurt. Maybe both.

Taehyung sniffled once, fighting against the tears that threatened. He wasn't going to cry. It was just one of those overwhelming moments where everything felt wrong and frustrating and completely beyond his control.

"Hyung, what— okay, you really need to tell me what's going on now."

Taehyung realized he was making everything exponentially harder for both of them. But he couldn't say it. Because if he started talking, Jeongguk would ask more questions, and those questions would lead to more questions, and eventually everything would unravel.

A warm hand covered Taehyung's trembling ones, gently pulling them away from his face. "Hey," Jeongguk said softly, his expression transforming into something comforting. "It's okay. You can tell me anything, you know that."

Except it was the opposite of that. Taehyung couldn't tell Jeongguk everything – there were too many secrets, too many lies, too many truths that would destroy whatever fragile thing they had. Jeongguk moved closer again, cupping his face with both hands.

"Baby, tell me—"

"Don't!" Taehyung spun around, pressing his face against the wall and turning his back to Jeongguk.

Jeongguk's eyebrows drew together in confusion at his behavior. He raised his tattooed hand toward Taehyung's back but stopped himself, his hand hovering inches away before dropping uselessly to his side. It would be a lie to say he wasn't hurt by Taehyung avoiding his touch like this.

"Don't what?" he asked, his voice carrying unmistakable pain.

Taehyung sniffled several more times before speaking in a shaky voice. "D-Don't call me that."

"What?" Jeongguk dared to rest his hand on the older man's shoulder. Fortunately, Taehyung didn't pull away when he gently turned him around.

Jeongguk gasped when he saw the tear-stained cheeks, the red-rimmed eyes, the devastation written across Taehyung's features. Taehyung licked his lips nervously, breathing quickly as he finally forced out the words: "Baby." He sucked in a deep breath, feeling completely exposed under Jeongguk's intense gaze. "Don't call me that word anymore."

Taehyung braced himself for the inevitable barrage of questions, for the downward spiral of having to explain himself. But it never came. Instead, he caught the look Jeongguk was giving him.

It wasn't anger.

It wasn't hurt.

It was understanding.

Before he could process what was happening, he was pulled into a tight embrace. Jeongguk's strong arms wrapped securely around his frame, holding him like he was something precious and breakable. After recovering from his initial shock, Taehyung hugged him back, breathing in his familiar scent as his face nestled into the crook of Jeongguk's neck.

"Okay," Jeongguk said simply. "I won't ever call you that again. I promise."

While those words were enough to quiet Taehyung's restless thoughts, Jeongguk's mind was now wide awake – wondering why the older man suddenly couldn't bear to be called that particular word, what had triggered such a strong reaction.

Jeongguk knew Taehyung well enough by now. He could always tell when the older man was overthinking, spiraling into anxiety. The best way to help wasn't to demand explanations, but to provide reassurance and the comfort he needed.

Still, the burning curiosity wouldn't disappear easily. One way or another, he would find out what made Taehyung react this way. But for now...

Jeongguk tightened his hold. "Whatever you need, I'm here for you, hyung."

...for now, all he needed to do was comfort the troubled person in his arms and hope that eventually, Taehyung would trust him enough to share what was really hurting him.
_______
Tbc

Chapter Text

The movie was mercifully approaching its conclusion – only about fifteen minutes remained of what had been two hours of pure torture for Taehyung. He sat slumped in his seat, his posture screaming disinterest as he picked absently at a loose thread on his jeans. His mind was everywhere except on the explosive action sequences playing out on screen.

How could he possibly focus on fictional drama when his own life had become an incomprehensible mess? The bathroom incident from earlier kept replaying in his mind – the way he'd broken down over a single word, the way Jeongguk had held him without demanding explanations, the promises that felt both comforting and suffocating.

The seating arrangement only amplified his misery. He and Jeongguk occupied opposite ends of their row, with Minchae and Seoyun positioned between them like human barriers. Every so often, he could hear Minchae's high-pitched whisper as she made comments to Jeongguk, probably about the movie, probably trying to engage him in couple-like interactions that Taehyung desperately didn't want to witness even in his peripheral vision.

He shifted in his seat for what felt like the hundredth time, crossing and uncrossing his legs, adjusting his position, doing anything to combat the restless energy that made sitting still feel impossible. A few people in the rows behind them had already shushed him twice for his fidgeting.

His phone suddenly vibrated in his front pocket, the buzzing startlingly loud in the quiet theater. Several heads turned his direction as the screen's light reflected off his movement to retrieve it. Taehyung fumbled to pull out the device, nearly dropping it in his haste.

Namjoon was calling.

Before he could even consider answering, the people immediately next to him started making annoyed noises – the phone's screen was too bright in the darkened theater, disrupting their viewing experience.

"Sorry, sorry," Taehyung whispered urgently, standing up from his seat as quickly as possible.

His movement triggered another wave of complaints from the people sitting directly behind him – now he was blocking their view of the screen. He tried to squeeze past the others in his row as quickly as possible, mumbling apologies as knees and feet reluctantly moved aside to let him through.

When he finally reached the aisle and escaped through the entrance doors, he let out a heavy breath of relief. The lobby's fluorescent lighting felt harsh after the theater's darkness, but at least he could breathe out here.

The phone was still buzzing insistently in his hand.

"Hello?" he answered, perhaps more curtly than necessary.

"Taehyung! Finally. I've been trying to reach you," Namjoon's familiar voice came through. "Sorry to bother you during your movie, but this couldn't wait."

Taehyung walked further down the corridor lined with theater entrance doors, heading toward the main waiting area with its scattered seating and snack bar. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"More than okay, actually. Remember that internship opportunity I mentioned at the publishing house? where my friend works"

"Yeah?" Taehyung found an empty table and sat down, his full attention now on the conversation.

"They moved up their timeline. They want applications by tomorrow morning now instead of next week. I know it's sudden, but I really think you should apply. Can you send me your updated resume tonight? I can forward it to my contact there first thing."

Taehyung's eyes widened. This was actually an incredible opportunity – exactly the kind of position he'd been hoping for after graduation. But tonight? His resume wasn't even current, and after the emotional roller coaster of this evening, putting together professional materials felt overwhelming.

"I... yeah, I can do that," he heard himself saying. "I'll send it to you before midnight."

"Perfect! I really think you have a good shot at this, Taehyung. Just update your recent coursework and that volunteer position you mentioned, and you should be solid. But Taehyung remember the promise."

They talked logistics for another minute before hanging up, and Taehyung sat staring at his phone screen, trying to shift his mental gears from personal drama to professional opportunity. At least this gave him something concrete to focus on, something that belonged entirely to him and his future rather than this tangled web of impossible relationships.

He was so absorbed in mentally cataloging what needed updating on his resume that he didn't notice someone approaching until she was standing directly in front of him.

Minchae.

Her silver hair caught the lobby lights as she stood there with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable but decidedly not friendly. Taehyung's stomach immediately dropped.

"We need to talk," she said simply, her voice carrying none of the cutesy affectation she used around Jeongguk.

For several seconds, Taehyung was frozen, unsure how to respond. What could Minchae possibly want to talk to him about? Unless...

"About what?" he finally managed, though he suspected he already knew the answer.

Minchae glanced around the lobby, then gestured toward the snack bar area. "Come on. I'm thirsty, and this conversation requires something to drink."

It wasn't really a request. Taehyung found himself standing and following her to the snack bar, where a short line had formed. They took their place at the end, and for a moment, neither spoke.

From a distance, they probably looked like two friends waiting to order concessions. Up close, the tension was suffocating.

"So," Minchae said, still not looking at him, "let's cut through the bullshit. You and Jeongguk. How close are you, exactly?"

There it was. Direct and confrontational, no pretense of friendly small talk.

Taehyung's mind raced. How much did she know? Was she fishing for information, or did she have proof? "We're friends," he said carefully. "That's all."

Minchae let out a sharp laugh that held no humor. "Friends. Right. Is that what you call it when someone can't take their eyes off you for two seconds? When they follow you out of rooms like a lost puppy?"

The line moved forward. Taehyung said nothing, his heart pounding so loudly he was sure she could hear it.

"Do you know what's funny?" Minchae continued, her voice taking on a dangerous edge. "I actually find it hilarious how close you two got in such a short time. It's almost impressive, really."

"It's not like that—"

"Don't insult my intelligence." She finally turned to look at him, and the cold fury in her eyes made him take an involuntary step back. "I'm not stupid, Taehyung. I see the way he looks at you. The way he rushed after you earlier at the café like I didn't even exist."

They were second in line now. Taehyung felt trapped, unable to leave without making things worse, unable to defend himself without revealing too much.

"You think I'm the villain here?" Minchae's laugh was bitter. "I'm the victim in this situation. Here I am, trying to have a normal date with my boyfriend, and he's been distracted all night. When you left the theater to take that call, he kept glancing at the entrance like he was worried about you. He was about to follow you again until I excused myself first."

She moved closer, lowering her voice so only he could hear. "So let me make something very clear to you."

Taehyung's throat felt tight, his chest constricting with dread about what was coming next.

"Whatever you think you have with Jeongguk? It's temporary. You're just his little secret, something he plays with in the dark when he needs a distraction from his real life." Each word was delivered like a precisely aimed blow. "You'll never be in the light. You'll never be acknowledged. You'll never meet his family or be part of his actual world."

*She's right*, a traitorous voice whispered in Taehyung's mind. *You've always known this.*

"He'll be with me in the end," Minchae continued relentlessly. "We have history, we have family connections, we have a future that's been planned since we were children. You? You're just entertainment. A phase. Something he'll look back on and barely remember once he's married to me and living the life he was always meant to live."

The words landed like physical blows, each one confirming fears Taehyung had been desperately trying to suppress. His vision blurred slightly at the edges, and he realized with horror that tears were threatening to form.

'Don't cry. Don't give her the satisfaction.'

"So here's my advice," Minchae said, her voice dripping with false sweetness now. "Enjoy whatever time you have left with him. Because it is ending, whether you're ready or not. He's going to choose his real future eventually, and that future includes me, not some scholarship student who can't even afford decent clothes."

The comment about his financial status felt especially cruel, highlighting yet another way he didn't belong in Jeongguk's world.

'She's saying everything you've been thinking', his mind supplied unhelpfully. 'Every fear you've had, she's just confirming.'

"And if you have any decency at all," Minchae added, stepping forward in line as space opened up, "you'll end this yourself before it gets even messier. Because trust me, it will get messy. His family won't stand for this, and neither will I."

Taehyung stood there, paralyzed by the onslaught of verbal attacks that had systematically dismantled every hope he'd been secretly harboring. Each point she'd made was something he'd already worried about in his darkest moments – the temporary nature of their relationship, the impossibility of a real future, the fundamental inequality between their worlds.

'You're just a secret', his mind repeated cruelly. 'A hidden thing he's ashamed of. Why else would everything be sneaking around? If you meant something real, you'd exist in daylight.'

"What can I get you?" the server asked Minchae, who ordered an expensive drink without hesitation, her demeanor shifting back to that of a wealthy girl accustomed to getting what she wanted.

Taehyung mechanically ordered and paid for her drink, his movements automatic while his mind spun in increasingly dark circles. When she took the cup from the counter, she smiled at him – a smile that didn't reach her cold eyes.

"Thanks for the drink. And for the chat." She paused, then added with devastating casualness, "Oh, and Taehyung? If you really care about him at all, you'll let him go before his family finds out and makes both your lives hell. Trust me, you don't want to be on the receiving end of their disapproval."

She walked away, leaving Taehyung standing alone at the snack bar counter, feeling like his entire world had just collapsed.

*She's right about everything*, the voice in his head insisted. *You've been deluding yourself. Playing house with borrowed time. Did you really think someone like Jeon Jeongguk would choose you over his entire life?*

He thought about the bracelet on his wrist, hidden under his sleeve. Thought about all the stolen kisses and whispered promises. Thought about how none of it would matter when reality finally crashed down on them.

*Maybe ending it yourself would be kinder*, his mind suggested. *Less painful than waiting to be discarded.*

But even as he thought it, even as Minchae's words echoed in his head like poison, another part of him – quieter but stubborn – whispered: 'But he held you in the bathroom. He promised. He chose to comfort you over pleasing her.'

Taehyung didn't know which voice to listen to. He only knew that standing here in the bright lobby, surrounded by happy couples and families enjoying their evening, he had never felt more alone or more uncertain about whether love was worth all this pain.

His phone buzzed with a text from Namjoon: "Don't forget that resume! This could be your big break."

Right. The resume. His future. The life he was supposed to be building for himself, independent of impossible relationships and complicated feelings.

Maybe Minchae had done him a favor, he thought bitterly. Maybe he needed this wake-up call to remind him that he had goals and dreams beyond being someone's secret.

But as he walked back toward the theater, his heart felt like it was being crushed in a vice, and he wasn't sure how he was going to sit through the rest of this movie pretending everything was fine.

Chapter Text

Taehyung lay in his bed staring at the ceiling, his mind a chaotic storm of thoughts that refused to settle. Sleep felt impossible when Minchae's words kept playing on repeat like a cruel soundtrack to his spiraling anxiety.

'You're just his little secret. Something he plays with in the dark.'

The words stung because they held truth, didn't they? Not the cruel way she'd framed it, but the underlying reality – he and Jeongguk existed in shadows, in stolen moments, in carefully hidden spaces. When had he last felt certain about anything in this relationship?

But he held you tonight. He promised not to call you that word anymore without asking why.

That voice was quieter, more fragile, clinging to hope like a drowning person to driftwood.

Minchae's assessment had been harsh, yes, but not entirely wrong. He couldn't keep living in this limbo, caught between what he wanted and what was actually possible. His career was on the line – Namjoon's call about the internship had reminded him that he had a future to build, goals that existed independent of his complicated feelings for Jeongguk.

He couldn't afford to dwell any longer on what he could have versus what he couldn't. The luxury of that indecision was something he simply didn't possess.

Taehyung sat up abruptly, his heart racing with sudden urgency. What if Minchae told Seoyun everything? The thought sent panic coursing through him. The two girls were friends – close friends. If Minchae decided to expose his affair with Jeongguk, Seoyun would hear it from her first, and that would be devastating. Humiliating.

No. He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't allow Seoyun to discover the truth from someone else, painted in the worst possible light by someone who had every reason to make him look terrible.

He needed to end things with her. Not tomorrow after Jimin's dance competition, not next week – now. Tonight. Immediately.

His hands shook slightly as he grabbed his phone and typed out a message: "Are you awake? Can we meet? I need to talk to you about something important."

The response came faster than expected: "I'm actually at Moonlight Café near campus. Just finishing some work. Want to meet here?"

Taehyung's fingers flew across the keyboard: "I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

He threw on clothes without much thought to his appearance, grabbed his keys and wallet, and headed for the door. Jimin was still awake, sitting on the couch with his laptop, probably choreography notes spread around him.

"Going somewhere?" Jimin asked, looking up with mild curiosity.

"I'm breaking up with Seoyun," Taehyung said bluntly, not having the energy to sugarcoat it. "Tonight. Now. I can't wait anymore."

Jimin's expression shifted from surprise to understanding. He closed his laptop and stood, walking over to place a supportive hand on Taehyung's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I will be," Taehyung said, though he wasn't entirely sure that was true. "I just... I need to do this. Before things get messier."

Jimin squeezed his shoulder gently. "Do what you need to do. I'll be here when you get back."

The walk to Moonlight Café felt both too short and endless. Taehyung's mind raced with different ways to start the conversation, each one sounding worse than the last in his mental rehearsal.

How do you break up with someone who's been nothing but kind to you? How do you admit you've been emotionally unfaithful without destroying them?

When he arrived, he found Seoyun sitting at a corner table, her laptop open in front of her and a half-empty coffee cup beside it. She looked up as he approached, and something in her expression suggested she already knew why he was there.

"Hey," he said softly, sliding into the seat across from her.

"Hey yourself." She closed her laptop slowly. "So... what did you want to talk about?"

Taehyung took a deep breath, his hands twisting together nervously under the table. "Seoyun... how are you?"

He cringed internally at the stilted opener. He couldn't just blurt out "we're over" – that would be cruel. He needed some kind of lead-in to make this less brutal. Though realistically, which breakup was ever not awkward and painful?

"I'm fine," she replied, her tone neutral but her eyes knowing.

Taehyung sighed, forcing himself to meet her gaze. This was going to come out messily no matter what he did, so he might as well just get it over with. "I, uh... I actually need to— well, you see, it's like this— um, I think we should—"

"You're breaking up with me, right?"

The words hung in the air between them. Taehyung sucked in a shaky breath and nodded, managing a sad smile. "I'm so sorry—"

"I'm not mad, Taehyung," Seoyun interrupted, her own smile surprisingly genuine. She set her phone aside on the table, giving him her full attention.

"You're not?" He couldn't hide his surprise.

She shook her head. "Come on, we both know our relationship wasn't going anywhere. We were more like comfortable roommates who occasionally held hands than an actual couple."

'She knew. She's known all along that something was wrong.'

Taehyung felt relief mixed with guilt. If they both recognized their relationship was failing, why hadn't either of them said anything sooner? "Why didn't you say anything before this?"

Seoyun chuckled, leaning forward with her elbows on the table. "I guess... our relationship felt safe. We didn't pressure each other, didn't have any real expectations. I could focus on my studies without the drama that comes with most relationships." She looked directly into his eyes. "I thought I needed a boyfriend because everyone else was dating, but the truth is, I don't really know how to be someone's girlfriend. I'm not ready for that kind of emotional commitment."

Her honesty was both refreshing and heartbreaking. Taehyung found himself getting up and moving to the chair beside her, their shoulders touching as they both stared ahead, letting comfortable silence settle between them for a moment.

"We might not have been a good couple," Taehyung said finally, "but you've been a great friend to me."

They turned to face each other. "Thanks, Taehyung," Seoyun smiled warmly. "I don't regret dating you at all. It was fun just hanging out together." She leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. "I'm going to miss you."

The finality of it hit Taehyung harder than expected. Letting someone go, even when you both knew it was right, still hurt. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug that felt like both an ending and a beginning. "I'm going to miss you too."

"Okay, okay," Seoyun laughed, pulling back and wiping at her eyes. "You're going to make me cry now."

"Sorry," Taehyung smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head as he stood up.

Seoyun also rose, placing her hands on her hips as she glanced around the café. She sighed. "I guess this is where we officially end our date?"

"Wait, we don't have to leave right away—"

She raised a hand to stop him. "I really think I should. It'll be awkward for both of us if I stay." She began gathering her things. "I'm sure Jimin will be thrilled to hear we broke up."

Taehyung felt a pang of guilt. "He'll definitely miss you. He always liked having you around."

Seoyun rolled her eyes playfully. "That's the biggest lie you've ever told me, and you know it."

"Sorry," Taehyung offered his signature boxy grin, feeling some of the heaviness lift.

"Actually, you go ahead," Seoyun said, settling back into her chair and pulling out her phone. "I just remembered I need to send an urgent email for a class project. I'll leave in a few minutes."

"We can leave together—"

"Just go, Tae!" Seoyun insisted with a shooing motion.

"Okay, okay," he relented, making his way toward the door.

His hand was on the doorknob, pulling it open to step outside, when her voice stopped him one last time.

"Taehyung?"

He turned around, smile still on his face. "Yeah?"

"Are you in love with someone else?"

The smile slowly dropped from his face. Something in Seoyun's tone – the gentle understanding mixed with sadness – made his chest tighten with guilt. He'd been lying to her throughout their entire relationship. Maybe they hadn't been serious about each other, but that didn't excuse the deception.

She deserves honesty. At least this one time, give her the truth.

He thought about Jeongguk – the way his heart raced whenever they were together, the constant ache of missing him, the desperate hope that somehow they could make this work despite everything.

Taehyung replaced the smile on his lips, this one more genuine if tinged with melancholy, and nodded.

"Yeah," he admitted quietly. "I am."

---

At least one thing was handled, Taehyung thought as he made his way back to the apartment. The weight of that particular deception had been lifted, even if others remained.

When he entered, he found Jimin exactly where he'd left him, now watching television with his feet propped up on the coffee table.

Jimin looked up immediately. "How did it go?"

Taehyung managed a weak smile – affirming, but lacking real energy. "It went... fine. Better than I expected, actually. She took it really well."

'But I still feel terrible. Seoyun was such a great person, and I cheated on her. I used her as a shield while my heart belonged to someone else.'

Jimin returned an understanding smile and patted the couch cushion beside him. "Come sit. Let's watch something mindless."

They settled into comfortable silence, some random variety show playing that neither was really watching. Taehyung felt the exhaustion of the entire evening catching up with him – the movie, Minchae's confrontation, the breakup, all of it piling onto his shoulders until he felt like he might collapse under the weight.

After several minutes, Jimin spoke up, his voice careful. "Tae... you look different lately."

Taehyung glanced at his friend. "Different how?"

"I usually say you look happier when Jeongguk's around, and that's still true. But lately..." His eyebrows furrowed together with concern. "This is different. Something's changed."

Taehyung sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "How is it different?" He yawned, unable to suppress it.

"See!" Jimin pointed at him. "That's what I'm talking about. You've been exhausted since night– like really drained. You look worn out in a way that has nothing to do with schoolwork or your job."

"I'm fine, Jimin," Taehyung deflected, his stubborn streak emerging. "Just tired. It's normal."

'It's not normal. You're falling apart and you know it.'

Maybe he was more than a little tired, but when wasn't he tired these days? There was no reason to make such a big deal about it. Days like this were just part of being an adult with responsibilities.

As if reading his thoughts, Jimin shook his head firmly. "No. You're not fine." His voice carried unusual seriousness. "And I'm worried about you."

Taehyung felt something crack open in his chest at those words. Before he could stop himself, the truth tumbled out: "I want to go home."

The words hung heavy in the air. Not back to this apartment – home. Daegu. His parents. The place where things made sense and he didn't have to navigate impossible situations and complicated feelings.

It was the first time in their three years of living together that Taehyung had expressed wanting to leave like this – not for a planned visit, but out of desperate need for escape and comfort.

Jimin didn't say anything. He didn't ask questions or offer platitudes. Instead, he simply pulled Taehyung into a tight hug, one hand coming up to cradle the back of his head.

And that simple gesture of understanding and support was what finally broke through Taehyung's carefully maintained composure. He buried his face in Jimin's shoulder, not crying but allowing himself to just 'feel' everything he'd been holding back – the exhaustion, the confusion, the pain of loving someone he couldn't truly have, the fear that Minchae might be right about everything.

"It's okay," Jimin murmured. "We'll go home for the competition like we planned. You can see your parents, get some space to think. I've got you."

Taehyung nodded against his shoulder, unable to form words but grateful beyond measure for a friend who knew when to push and when to simply be present.

'Maybe going home is exactly what I need. Some distance, some clarity, some reminder of who I am beyond this mess I've made.'

But even as he thought it, part of him knew that distance from Jeongguk would hurt in its own way. There was no winning here, no path forward that didn't involve pain.

For tonight, though, he was too tired to think about it anymore. He just wanted to sit here with his best friend and pretend, for a little while longer, that everything might somehow work out okay.

_____
It was hard writing this, honestly.

Chapter Text

By seven in the evening, Taehyung looked utterly drained. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, his skin had taken on an unhealthy pallor, and his movements were sluggish as he prepared for his shift at the café.

He knew he could call Yoongi and take the evening off – his boss would understand. But the thought of sitting alone with his thoughts, with nothing to occupy his mind except Minchae's cruel words and the weight of his breakup with Seoyun, felt unbearable. Work was a distraction, a way to avoid dealing with everything until tomorrow's dance competition forced him to face reality.

*Just get through tonight. Two days after this you can go home to Daegu and figure things out there.*

He emerged from his room dressed in his work clothes, moving toward the door with mechanical determination.

"You look terrible," Jimin said bluntly from the couch, his expression worried. "You've been exhausted for days now. You look completely drained, Tae."

"I'm fine, Jimin," Taehyung replied with stubborn dismissiveness, not stopping his progress toward the door. He didn't have the energy for this conversation.

*Maybe I am tired. But when am I not tired these days? This is just how things are now. It's not a big deal.*

But even as he thought it, something in his body protested – the heaviness in his limbs, the fog in his mind, the way even small movements required conscious effort.

As if reading his thoughts, Jimin shook his head and scoffed. "No. You're not fine." His voice carried unusual firmness. "Look, I don't have time for this discussion. I need to get to work," Taehyung argued, reaching for his jacket.

"Tell me you're not serious right now." Jimin stood up, following him toward the living room with clear frustration. "How can you even consider going to work in your condition? Do you remember what happened last time you pushed yourself like this?"

The memory hit Taehyung like a physical blow – collapsing outside the café, waking up in the hospital, the diagnosis of dangerously low blood pressure because he hadn't eaten all day. He could already imagine Jeongguk's reaction if it happened again, and the thought made his stomach churn with anxiety.

*But that was different. I hadn't eaten that day. Tonight I'm just tired. That's completely different.*

Still, his stubbornness won out over common sense. He turned to face Jimin directly. "Nothing's going to happen. Look, I only have one shift tonight, and it's the last day of the week. I just want to finish it off, then I can rest."

Jimin sighed heavily, clearly unconvinced but recognizing the futility of arguing further. "Taehyung..." His tone carried a warning, a plea.

"I'll be fine," Taehyung repeated, already heading out the door before Jimin could mount another protest.

---

Rain poured steadily outside, creating a cozy atmosphere inside the café that contrasted sharply with Taehyung's internal turmoil. Steam rose from customers' mugs – coffee, tea, hot chocolate. No one was foolish enough to order anything cold on a night like this.

Taehyung moved back and forth between the kitchen and various tables, serving customers with mechanical politeness. His hands were never empty, always carrying something – plates, cups, books, cleaning supplies. Every few minutes he tilted his head from side to side, trying to work out the persistent ache settling into the back of his neck.

*Just keep moving. Don't think. Just do the next task, and the next one, and the next.*

At one point he got a brief respite, but then a young child needed help reaching a book on the upper shelf. Once he'd retrieved that, more customers flooded in, filling every table.

The universe seemed to have impeccable timing – of course the café would be packed on the one night when he was already running on fumes. When he was already on the ground, fate apparently felt the need to deliver a few more kicks for good measure.

*Luck has never been on my side. Why would tonight be any different?*

"Taehyung, are you alright?" Yoongi appeared beside him while he was organizing bills in the cash register, his boss's voice cutting through his fog of exhaustion.

"I'm fine." The automatic response came without thought. Yoongi was the third person today to ask him that question, and he was growing tired of everyone's concern. He wasn't a child who needed constant monitoring.

*Why can't people just let me work in peace? I know what I'm doing.*

"You just look really tired, that's all," Yoongi said with a gentle smile that held no judgment.

Guilt immediately flooded through Taehyung. Yoongi was being a good friend, showing genuine care, and here he was being defensive and irritable. "I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind." He glanced at the clock – nearly eleven already.

After hours of wiping tables, forcing smiles for strangers, serving countless customers, and handling money with fingers that felt increasingly numb, Taehyung had achieved a whole new level of exhaustion. This was different from the hospital incident – worse, somehow. He was deliberately overworking himself now, using physical depletion as a shield against emotional pain.

He actually found himself considering swallowing raw coffee powder straight from the container just to stay awake.

*That's how desperate this has become. That's how bad I'm letting it get.*

Taehyung was halfway through cleaning a table where a couple had just finished eating. They hadn't made much mess, but some cola had spilled across the surface. He began scrubbing at it with his cloth, not initially realizing how much force he was using until the entire table started shifting under his aggressive motions.

He paused, took a breath, and resumed at a gentler pace.

*This is exactly why you came to work. Distraction. Keep busy. Don't think about Minchae's words or Seoyun's final question or Jeongguk's promises or any of it.*

But slowly, without conscious awareness, he was back to scrubbing roughly against the poor table surface again. He had to vent his built-up emotions somehow, and this innocent piece of fabric in his hand became the unfortunate recipient of all his frustration and fear and confusion.

*What did this cloth ever do to deserve this? Nothing. But here I am, taking everything out on it because I can't face what's really bothering me.*

He was so absorbed in his task, his mind miles away from his physical actions, that he nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand touched his shoulder from behind.

After his heart stopped racing from the surprise, he turned around – and felt it start racing again for an entirely different reason.

"Jeongguk?"

The younger man was the absolute last person Taehyung had expected to see inside the café. In all the months they'd been doing this dance, Jeongguk had always waited outside on his motorcycle, never actually entering the building. And he was early – it wasn't even close to their usual eleven o'clock pickup time.

*Why is he here? Why now? Why inside?*

Taehyung glanced toward the register looking for Yoongi, but the counter was empty – probably bathroom break.

Jeongguk stood there with a small, gentle smile. "I'm driving you home."

"Oh." Taehyung licked his lips nervously, suddenly hyperaware that he was wearing his stained work uniform, that his hair was probably a disaster, that he looked as exhausted as he felt. "But I still have an hour left before my shift ends."

Jeongguk shook his head firmly. "You should've skipped work tonight. You look dead on your feet, hyung."

*Here we go again. Another person telling me I need rest.*

"I'm fine," he said, turning back to the table and resuming his cleaning with renewed vigor.

But of course Jeongguk wasn't going to let it go that easily. He walked around to face Taehyung directly, reaching out to grip his hand with gentle firmness.

"You're exhausted," Jeongguk said, his voice taking on a strict quality that Taehyung rarely heard. "If you keep going like this, you're going to pass out. I'm not letting that happen."

Taehyung had reached his limit with people telling him what he could and couldn't handle, what he did and didn't need. Why couldn't everyone just leave him alone to deal with things his own way? His grip on the cleaning cloth tightened until his knuckles went white with tension.

*I don't need saving. I don't need protecting. I just need to get through tonight without falling apart.*

But then reality penetrated his defensive walls. This wasn't Jimin or Yoongi or some concerned stranger. This was Jeongguk – the person he loved, who had driven all the way here out of worry for him. His hand relaxed, releasing the cloth.

Taehyung turned to face him properly and released a tired sigh that came from somewhere deep in his soul.

*Jeongguk came all this way for you. He's genuinely worried. Maybe everyone's right. Maybe you do need to stop.*

Yoongi materialized from the back room at that moment, making both of them turn. His boss looked between them with understanding in his eyes before smiling at Taehyung.

"Go ahead and leave early. I'll close up soon tonight." There was something in the way Yoongi glanced at Jeongguk – a knowing look, like they'd communicated about this beforehand.

wait- did Jeongguk talked with Yoongi-? The boy he lost friendship with because.... yoongi left their so called group? For him?

"Are you sure?" Taehyung asked, though his body was already sagging with relief at the permission to stop.

"Yeah. Go rest. You need it."

Taehyung looked between Yoongi and Jeongguk, catching another subtle nod exchanged between them. They'd definitely coordinated this somehow.

Of course he did!

"Come on," Jeongguk said softly, his hand finding Taehyung's.

And for the first time that day – after countless people telling him to go home and rest – Taehyung finally listened. Not to Jimin's worried nagging or Yoongi's gentle concern, but to Jeongguk. Because it was always Jeongguk who could break through his defenses.

---

A few minutes later, they were settled in Jeongguk's car, the rain having softened to a gentle shower that created a soothing rhythm against the windows. The interior felt warm and safe, intimate in a way that reminded Taehyung of their earlier encounters – those stolen evenings when they'd drive somewhere private and lose themselves in each other.

Neither had spoken since leaving the café. Jeongguk seemed lost in thought, his jaw working like he was chewing over something difficult, but his hands remained steady and confident as he navigated the rain-slicked streets.

"Are you hungry?" Jeongguk asked suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.

"No," Taehyung replied, a yawn immediately following his words and undermining any pretense that he was fine.

"hyung, i feel like you're keeping things from me... but i won't force you.. You-- but, i want you to be honest with me in the present... we can let go of the past..."

Taehyung was too drowsy for a proper reply, he only hummed a little, feeling better with what just the younger boy said to him. now, he was not obliged for the confrontation.

The car stopped at a red light. Jeongguk turned to look at him, and Taehyung could feel that gaze even through his half-closed eyes. He was slumped in the passenger seat, blinking slowly like someone fighting to stay conscious, his body finally allowing itself to relax now that he'd stopped moving.

*I'm so tired. When did I get this tired? When did everything become so heavy?*

Before he could process what was happening, he felt warmth against his lips – Jeongguk leaning across the console to kiss him softly, the contact lingering and sweet and exactly what he needed without knowing he needed it.

When Jeongguk pulled back, Taehyung kept his eyes closed, savoring the sensation, a lazy smile spreading across his face.

"What was that for?"

He heard Jeongguk's low chuckle. "Nothing. I just couldn't resist."

Heat flooded Taehyung's cheeks, and he was grateful for the darkness hiding his blush. His heart kicked up its pace despite his exhaustion, proving that some responses were beyond conscious control.

*He kissed me just because he wanted to. In the car, where anyone could have seen. Because he couldn't resist.*

The car resumed moving, and Taehyung found himself floating in that pleasant space between sleep and waking, still riding the high of that unexpected kiss.

Meanwhile, Jeongguk's mind was far from peaceful. Yesterday's events kept replaying in his head – Taehyung's strange behavior at the movie theater, the way he'd broken down over being called "baby," the obvious emotional turmoil he was trying so hard to hide. And now this self-destructive overworking...

It was killing Jeongguk, this helpless feeling of watching someone he cared about suffering without being able to fix it. On top of everything else, he was almost certain that Minchae had said something to Taehyung. The timing was too suspicious, and his girlfriend had been wearing that satisfied smirk when she'd returned to the theater after following him to talk to the silver head girl.

He couldn't hold it in anymore. "Hyung, are you sure Minchae didn't say anything when she left after you yesterday—"

Jeongguk turned to look at Taehyung, the question dying on his lips.

The older man was asleep.

His expression immediately softened. Taehyung looked so peaceful, so beautiful with moonlight filtering through the window and highlighting his features. The leather jacket Jeongguk had given him earlier was pulled up like a blanket, and despite the exhaustion evident in the dark circles under his eyes, there was something vulnerable and precious about the sight.

*He's so tired he fell asleep mid-conversation. How long has he been running on empty like this?*

Jeongguk turned back to face the road, his tongue poking the inside of his cheek – a habit when he was thinking hard about something. He continued driving, but his mind was made up, his resolve hardening with each passing mile.

He was going to find out what happened yesterday. What Minchae had said, what had triggered Taehyung's breakdown, what was causing this self-destructive spiral. One way or another, he would get to the truth.

Because watching Taehyung destroy himself slowly while pretending everything was fine? That was something Jeongguk absolutely could not tolerate. Not when he had the power to help, to protect, to take some of that burden off the shoulders of the person who had somehow become the most important thing in his complicated world.

*I'll figure this out, hyung. I promise. Whatever's hurting you, I'll find a way to fix it.*

The rain continued its gentle percussion against the windshield as they drove through the night, one of them sleeping deeply for the first time in days, the other wide awake and planning his next move in a game he was only just beginning to understand the rules of.
_____

Chapter Text

The day of the dance competition had finally arrived.

The sun was setting in a spectacular display, painting the sky in shades of pink and amber that would have been beautiful under different circumstances. But the beauty was lost on Jeongguk as his car tore down the road, engine roaring with barely contained power.

His jaw was clenched so tight it ached. His eyes were narrowed with singular focus. His mind churned with one overwhelming thought that drowned out everything else. Other drivers quickly signaled and changed lanes to get out of his way, recognizing the dangerous speed and determination radiating from his vehicle.

He was supposed to be picking up Minchae right now, heading to the theater together like the perfect couple they were supposed to be. But he couldn't wait that long. He needed to see Taehyung immediately – needed answers, needed truth, needed to understand what the hell had been happening right under his nose.

Because he had found out something. Just as he'd vowed to do after watching Taehyung fall asleep in his car last night, exhausted beyond measure. He'd gone to Minchae this afternoon with every intention of confronting her about what she'd said to Taehyung at the movie theater.

But before he could even ask that question, Minchae had told him something else entirely. Something that had sent ice flooding through his veins and fury burning in his chest. Something that explained so much about Taehyung's recent behavior – the exhaustion, the withdrawal, the secrets.

Taehyung's apartment building came into view and Jeongguk's car screeched to a stop right in front, tires protesting the abrupt halt. Without wasting a second, he yanked out his phone and dialed Taehyung's number with shaking fingers.

---

Inside the apartment, Taehyung was putting finishing touches on his appearance for the evening. He sat on the edge of his bed, dressed and ready, holding the silver bracelet in his palm and studying the small "JK" engraving. A wave of longing washed over him – he missed Jeongguk. Last night he'd fallen asleep before they could really talk, before he could feel that connection that made everything else bearable.

"Tae! Your phone's ringing!" Jimin's voice called from the living room.

Taehyung immediately left his bedroom and hurried toward the sound. On his way, he caught a glimpse of Jimin and Yoongi standing together near the kitchen counter – his boss had arrived to drive them both to the theater as planned.

His phone was vibrating insistently on the coffee table. When he saw Jeongguk's name on the screen, his brows furrowed in confusion. He answered quickly. "Hello?"

"Hyung, I'm outside your building. I'm taking you to the competition." Jeongguk's voice came through rough and strained.

Outside? Taehyung didn't remember making any plans to go together. He'd assumed Jeongguk would be bringing Minchae as his date tonight. "Jeongguk, I didn't know you'd be taking me. I'm already going with—"

"Look, please just come down here. I need to talk to you."

The words sent alarm bells ringing in Taehyung's mind. His eyes widened with sudden panic. Talk? Does he know? Did Minchae tell him what she said to me?

"Okay," he whispered, his voice barely audible even to himself.

"Good. I'll be waiting."

The call ended abruptly, leaving Taehyung standing frozen with the phone still pressed to his ear. Dread settled in his stomach like lead. He was scared now, though he knew overthinking wouldn't help. With a deep breath, he told himself to just face it – this conversation was inevitable. He couldn't have hidden things from Jeongguk forever.

But why today? Why did it have to be today of all days?

He started walking back toward his room to grab his jacket when Jimin's voice stopped him.

"Who was that?" His roommate raised an eyebrow from where he stood next to Yoongi, both of them watching him with curiosity.

"Uh..." Taehyung bit his bottom lip, glancing briefly at Yoongi before meeting Jimin's eyes. "Jeongguk."

Jimin's eyes went wide. "What did he want?"

"He's outside. He's taking me to the competition instead." The words tumbled out quickly as Taehyung practically fled down the hallway to his bedroom, not wanting to see his roommate's reaction.

He was halfway through adjusting his tie when, predictably, his bedroom door burst open with Jimin storming in.

"You didn't tell me you were going with Jeongguk."

Taehyung checked his reflection one last time before turning to face his friend. "I didn't know he was going to show up like this. It wasn't planned."

Jimin shook his head with obvious frustration. "Tae, I swear – if you two are planning to disappear somewhere to have sex, you better get back in time for my performance. I'm not joking."

Taehyung's jaw dropped at the accusation. "Oh my god, no! We're not going to—" He exhaled tiredly. "We're just going to talk." He gathered his phone and wallet, moving past Jimin toward the door.

As he left, Jimin's warning followed him: "Kim Taehyung! I'm serious! If you're even one second late, I will kill you!"

---

The car ride started in oppressive silence.

Taehyung noticed immediately how Jeongguk's hands gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled intensity, how he swerved aggressively past slower vehicles with reckless precision. Every time they passed another car, it looked like they'd collide, but Jeongguk's skill kept them safe by mere inches. Still, was this dangerous speed really necessary?

Taehyung sat rigid in his seat, flinching every time Jeongguk pressed the accelerator harder. His heart pounded with genuine fear at the velocity they were traveling.

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "Jeongguk, why are you driving like this? Please slow down."

The younger man didn't respond, didn't even acknowledge he'd spoken, just kept driving with that same fierce concentration.

Taehyung sighed and rolled his eyes. So Jeongguk was definitely angry with him. Maybe it was time to address this head-on. "I can see you're upset. Can you please slow down so we can at least talk about whatever this is?"

At that, Jeongguk's jaw visibly unclenched. He glanced briefly at Taehyung before exhaling and easing off the accelerator, bringing them to a more reasonable speed.

"Why did you lie to me?" The question came out sharp and direct, no preamble.

Taehyung bit his lower lip nervously, his mind racing through possible explanations for not telling Jeongguk about Minchae's cruel words. He'd dreaded this confrontation – the moment when all his careful omissions would come crashing down and he'd have to defend the indefensible.

"Jeongguk, I'm sorry," he said quietly, staring down at his hands twisting in his lap. But I had good reasons. I was protecting you from knowing how your girlfriend talked about our relationship. You'd be devastated knowing what she said.

As he internally justified his choices, preparing his defense, Jeongguk's next words completely blindsided him.

"That night when I didn't pick you up from the café – when I was supposed to take you to dinner – you told me you'd already eaten. That it wasn't a big deal." Jeongguk's voice was tight with barely controlled emotion. "But you lied."

Taehyung's eyes went wide. How does he know?

"You didn't tell me you fainted because you hadn't eaten anything at all." Jeongguk's grip on the steering wheel tightened dangerously again. "You didn't tell me you collapsed and had to be rushed to the hospital!"

"Jeongguk—"

"No!" He turned to face Taehyung briefly, his expression devastated and furious in equal measure. "I asked you the next day how you were. Multiple times. And you assured me over and over that you were fine, that nothing had happened." He shook his head in disbelief. "When exactly were you planning to tell me you'd been admitted to the hospital? Huh?"

Taehyung had never seen Jeongguk this angry with him before, and it terrified him in a way he couldn't articulate. He'd always struggled with confrontation, never knew how to handle people's anger directed at him. And this wasn't just anyone – this was Jeongguk, whose opinion mattered more than almost anything.

His breathing quickened as he tried to respond. "I'm so—"

"When were you going to tell me the doctor scolded you for not eating? That you could have fainted in the street instead of at the café?" Jeongguk sucked in a deep breath, clearly trying to control his rage. "You could have been seriously hurt, hyung. Do you understand that?"

"But nothing happened! I'm fine!" The words burst out of Taehyung, exhausted by being yelled at when he'd been trying to spare Jeongguk unnecessary guilt.

Then it hit him like a slap. Seoyun must have told Minchae, and Minchae told Jeongguk. That's the only way he could know.

The car stopped at a traffic light. They were close to the theater now. Jeongguk took the opportunity to turn fully toward him. "I asked you directly if anything had happened that night, and you said no, hyung—"

"Why does it even matter now?" Taehyung found himself raising his voice, matching Jeongguk's energy. This wasn't entirely fair – why was he the only one being attacked? "It's in the past!"

"Of course it matters—"

"You said it didn't matter!" Taehyung's voice cracked with emotion. "Yesterday you told me I didn't have to tell you anything I didn't want to. That our past didn't matter!"

Jeongguk scoffed, his expression breaking into something raw and wounded. "Well, I guess I lied too then. I take back what I said."

A bitter laugh escaped Taehyung as he shook his head in disbelief. "You can't do that. You promised I didn't have to share things I wasn't ready to talk about."

"That was before, hyung."

"Before what?"

"Before I found out that I left you without food and you ended up in a fucking hospital because of me!" Jeongguk's yell came out breathless, desperate.

Taehyung's anger immediately deflated as understanding crashed over him. "What? No. Jeongguk, you didn't do anything wrong—"

The light turned green and Jeongguk was forced to look away, back to the road. But Taehyung could see the anguish written across his features, the guilt eating him alive. He's blaming himself. That's what this is really about.

"It is my fault, hyung," Jeongguk said quietly, the fight draining from his voice. "You were waiting for me to pick you up, and I didn't come. Because of me, all of that happened to you."

Taehyung reached out carefully, placing his hand on Jeongguk's shoulder. "No. It's not your fault. I made my own choices that night."

"Every time I close my eyes, all I can see is you in a hospital bed with an IV in your arm." Jeongguk's voice cracked. "I hate myself for letting it happen." He glanced at Taehyung briefly, his eyes swimming with unshed tears. "I'm so sorry, hyung."

The apology broke something in Taehyung's chest. He'd never once blamed Jeongguk for that night – not really. But watching how much it was destroying him, how much guilt he was carrying... Taehyung didn't know what to say that would make it better. So he stayed quiet, just keeping his hand on Jeongguk's shoulder as they drove the remaining distance in heavy silence.

They pulled into the theater parking lot and Jeongguk found a spot quickly. But neither of them moved to get out. They sat there, staring straight ahead, the air thick with everything unsaid.

Finally, Jeongguk broke the silence. "I want to know what else you've been keeping from me."

Taehyung turned to find those dark eyes fixed on him with an intensity that felt like being pinned in place. His expression was strict, unyielding, demanding honesty. The brunet sighed, recognizing with sinking certainty that this fight was far from over.

It was only the beginning.
_____________
readers be honest! did you think i will bring that fainting incident again?? haha. told ya, to have patience... i'm just waiting for the right time.... but honestly are you guys intrigued? please comment.

Chapter Text

Tiny little sparkling lights dusted over the already dark sky. The two boys stood outside in the parking lot next to the younger boy's car. Taehyung was leaning against the passenger's side door while the raven-head stood right in front of him, arms crossed over his chest.

The moment they were in intimidated the fuck out of Taehyung. He felt like everything was against him. Before this, he could always find comfort in knowing that Jeongguk was always by his side but now that wasn't the case.

Literally speaking, the raven-head wasn't by Taehyung's side. No. Jeongguk was in fact standing in front of the brunet. Like a dark vampire at night, standing there with that devilish handsome serious look on his face as he waited for Taehyung to answer his question.

"Hyung, tell me what else have you been keeping from me?"

Taehyung groaned, letting his head fall back before facing the younger boy again. "Jeongguk please, can you just let it go?" The boy pleaded. "Everything happened a long time ago... why are you taking everything seriously now?"

Jeongguk was silently watching the brunet, an unreadable expression on his face. The older boy took one step forward, making their faces inches away from each other. "I get that you feel guilty for what happened that night but it's not your fault. That's the very reason why I didn't tell you," Taehyung raised his hand to cup on side of the raven-head's face. "Because I know that you'd blame yourself."

The dark-haired boy's eyes bored into Taehyung's and for a moment the brunet thought that he had successfully changed Jeongguk's mind. That the raven-head was going to forget all this.

However he was very wrong.

Jeongguk nodded his head with a sigh. "So to protect me from blaming myself, you decide for me? Why do you get to decide what to tell me and what to keep from me? Maybe I want to take the blame sometimes, Hyung. Maybe I want to be responsible for anything that happens to you."

Those words just pierced through Taehyung's heart as he allowed his hand to drop from the younger boy's face and stepped back, reclaiming his former position leaning against the side of the car.

He was thinking hard about what Jeongguk said. Even in this heated moment, he couldn't help but let his heart flutter because of how much the raven-head cared for him.

Now it was Jeongguk who took a step closer, his height towering over the older boy because of how Taehyung was leaning back on the car. "I've only ever asked one thing from you," The raven-head started. "And that is you be honest with me. I know that it's ridiculous coming from me seeing as how I've been dishonest with some people in my life."

Taehyung felt his hand being lifted by the younger boy's warm one. Jeongguk's thumb caressed over the older boy's bony knuckles. "But this is you and me. When it comes to us, I just want everything to be pure between us."

"Why do you say that?" The brunet furrowed his brows. "Why is it me that has to be honest with you? Why can't you take a single lie from me? Even if I'm lying to protect you."

Jeongguk’s fingers twitched at his sides as he stared at Taehyung, his voice low but heavy. “Hyung, you’re not making any sense. Why are you pushing me away when all I’m trying to do is stay?”

Taehyung’s laugh was bitter, sharp. “Stay? Stay where, Jeongguk? In the shadows? In the backseat of your life where no one can see me?”

“Don’t twist this—” Jeongguk started, but Taehyung cut him off, voice shaking with anger.

“No. You don’t get to talk right now.” He jabbed a finger toward Jeongguk, his hand trembling. “You stand here demanding honesty from me, like I owe you every piece of myself. But you? You’re the most dishonest one of all. I lie to keep you safe, Jeongguk. I lie because I thought I was protecting you. And you? What about you? What are you protecting when you keep lying to me?”

Jeongguk’s lips parted, confusion flickering in his eyes, but Taehyung didn’t stop. His voice trembled, half fury, half heartbreak.

“You talk about trust and honesty as if you’ve mastered it,” he said bitterly. “Then tell me something—why didn’t you ever tell me you and Yoongi used to be friends? That you were part of the same circle? You think I wouldn’t find out eventually?” His words came fast, shaking, like he’d been holding them in for far too long. “You keep acting like I’m the one hiding things, but you’ve been doing the exact same damn thing.”

Jeongguk’s brows furrowed, guilt flickering across his face. “That wasn’t—”

Taehyung’s voice rose, cutting him off. “Don’t you dare say it wasn’t important. It’s the little things you keep from me that make me question everything else.”

He took a shaky breath, his eyes glistening as he stared at Jeongguk. “You said I should’ve told you what happened that night… the night you didn’t come to pick me up for dinner...."

Jeongguk blinked, startled. “Hyung—”

“But you didn’t tell me either, did you?” Taehyung’s voice broke, the pain spilling over. “You didn’t tell me that the reason you couldn’t come that night was because it was your fucking relationship anniversary! You were busy cutting cakes and taking pictures while I was on the hospital bed, barely breathing!”

His words hit like shrapnel, sharp and merciless. The air between them went completely still.

Jeongguk’s face went pale, guilt painting every inch of it. “Tae… that’s not—”

“Don’t.” Taehyung’s voice cracked on the word. “Don’t try to explain it now. Because it doesn’t matter. You talk about honesty like it’s sacred, but you only want it when it makes you look clean. When it’s me who looks guilty.”

As soon as those words left Taehyung’s mouth, he felt Jeongguk’s hand tighten painfully around his own. The raven-haired boy shut his eyes for a moment, chest heaving as if he were holding something in. When he finally opened them, his dark orbs glistened under the dim light, a thin layer of tears clinging to his lashes but refusing to fall.

“Because everyone in my life fucking lies to me,” Jeongguk gritted out, his voice breaking halfway through. “Nobody’s ever honest with me. Not my friends, not my family, not anyone. So I grew up just like them—lying to survive, lying to get by. But when I met you…” His breath hitched and his grip on Taehyung’s hand trembled. “I felt this stupid, desperate need to change. I thought you’d be different. I thought for once, maybe I wouldn’t be lied to.”

Taehyung’s chest constricted painfully at the words. He hadn’t known—hadn’t realized—just how deep the fractures ran beneath Jeongguk’s sharp edges. He felt a pang of guilt knowing he had become one more person who had let him down, who had hidden truths thinking it was “protection.”

Jeongguk’s other hand suddenly reached up, sliding beneath Taehyung’s chin, forcing his head up to meet his gaze. The younger’s touch was gentle but firm, thumb brushing just enough to make the older boy’s breath stutter.

“But you still are different, Hyung,” Jeongguk whispered, his voice raw, almost pleading. “That’s just it. No matter how many times you lie to me, I can’t stay mad at you. And it scares me. Because the more you push me away, the more I want to hold on. The more you hide, the closer I want to get. And I don’t even know why.”

His hand fell away from Taehyung’s face, but their fingers remained intertwined as he leaned forward until their foreheads met, the closeness making Taehyung’s stomach twist with something unnameable. Jeongguk’s eyes fluttered shut, his voice breaking into a whisper that sounded more like a confession than an accusation.

“Do you even see what this is doing to me?”

"Jeongguk I-"

"You keep pushing me away when all I want to do is help you. It's like you don't even care that what you're doing is killing me."

"How can you say that?" They moved back from each other and Taehyung was frowning. Did Jeongguk really think that the brunet didn't care. Of course he cared. It's just... "It's not easy Jeongguk." Taehyung shook his head and pulled his hand out of the other's grip.

"What's not easy Hyung? Tell me."

It's not easy that you're caring for me this much while still being in a relationship with your girlfriend, he wanted to say but instead stayed quiet. Their fight would definitely end badly if Taehyung brought up Minchae's name.

However the older boy's silence just provoked the younger boy. "Tell me," Jeongguk insisted. "Let me help you. What's not easy?"

"Doing this with you!" Taehyung accidentally let out louder than he had expected to. He was tired of keeping this within him. His fists were balled tightly by his sides.

He was ready to admit it now; that it's hard being Jeongguk's little secret. He knew from the start that they'd both end up getting hurt and well, it's done. They're both hurt. Now it was time to stop, really.

The brunet was ready to let it all go.

"What do you mean?" Jeongguk furrowed his dark eyebrows, studying every part of his hyung's expression.

Taehyung sighed and ran a hand through his hair frustratingly. "Jeongguk, I... I honestly don't know what we are to each other. Are- are we friends? Because the last time I checked, friends don't fool around with each other like we do."

"So what are you saying? You don't want me anymore?"

This just caused another wave of pain to course through Taehyung's heart. How could he not want Jeongguk? "No. Of course, I want you... more than you know. But-" He stopped himself and took in the raven-head's serious gaze before continuing. "I- I can never really have you, now can I?"

"Hyung, I-"

"I knew from the start that this," He gestured to between them. "What we have, would never last but I didn't care. I just liked being next to you because you made me so happy."

Jeongguk facial features soften as he closed the space between them, his tattooed hands cupping the older boy's face. Taehyung was being pressed up against the side of the car. They were face to face.

"Hyung, we can still be happy next to each other."

"No, we can't." It broke Taehyung to say that. What broke him even more was seeing the beautiful boy in front of him look heartbroken. "I don't want to have you like this... not when you already belong to someone."

"What are you- wait." The raven-head stepped back from Taehyung, seeming deep in thought before he lifted his head and faced the older boy. "Is this about Minchae? Because she's my girlfriend?"

Yes.

"N-no."

The brunet looked down, suddenly unable to look Jeongguk in the eye.

"It is, isn't it? Why have you never told me that you had a problem with her?"

This actually made Taehyung scoff. "You're kidding right?" He took a few brave steps forward and once again had his face inches away from the other boy. "Okay, so let's say I did tell you about her. And then what? You'd leave her? You'd break up with her just for me?"

Taehyung knew the moment he said that, he had shot a bull's eye; he had left Jeongguk speechless. Because as Namjoon had told the brunet, the raven-head would never break up with Minchae. It was just out of the question. Even Ji-yi had told Taehyung the same thing the other day.

Jeongguk knew it too.

That explained why the younger boy was suddenly quiet.

It was getting pretty late. The two of them were the only ones still out in the parking lot. Everyone else was probably already seated in the theater hall.

Taehyung sighed. "Look, we're already late. Let's just go in." He turned to leave but a hand wrapped itself around wrist pulling him gently back.

Jeongguk gazed at him, keeping a firm grasp on the older boy's wrist. "You're right. I understand why you never told me about Minchae... but I would have at least done something."

The brown-haired boy licked his lips that were rather dry in the cold night air and gave the raven-head a pointed look. "Something?" He scoffed again. "Don't you see Jeongguk, you can't do anything because she's your fucking girlfriend and I'm just..." He sighed and hung his head low thinking of a certain phrase a certain silver-head girl had intended to call him indirectly "... your favorite stripper."

Taehyung had meant to say the last part of the sentence quietly but Jeongguk must have heard it. The next he knew, the raven-head had cornered him back against the side of the car, trapping him. The brunet's wrist was still in the younger boy's hold keeping him in place.

"What did you say?"

Damn it.

"Jeongguk, we're really late now-"

"Tell me what did you just say." The raven-head asked more strictly this time.

And as usual Taehyung had become weak and obliged to answer the taller boy. "I said that I'm like a stripper to you." He said with a wavering-confidence tone. Horrifyingly, the older boy watched Jeongguk's eyes widened with shock.

"Minchae said something to you, didn't she? What did she say?"

Lie. That was the first thought that entered Taehyung's mind. But as his eyes bored into the younger boy's ones, he realized that the reason they were having this argument in the first place was because of their dishonesty.

So with an exhale of a deep breath, the brunet spoke the truth.

"She told me that you were just using me."

Immediately the raven-head rolled his eyes and shook his head, probably thinking of how his own girlfriend could say something like that. "Oh Hyung, you know that's not true right? I would never ever do that."

"I know Jeongguk... but it doesn't matter." Taehyung forced himself to look the raven-head right in the eye. He was rather sick of this. And right now, their arguments were pointless and at last it all led to the same end result.

They couldn't be together.

The older boy cleared his throat. "Listen, I think we should stop this." His voice was fragile as his eyes started to get glossy.

"What?" The younger boy asked in disbelief.

"I want to stop doing all the things that we've been doing." He said more clearly this time, placing his lip in a thin line to stop his lips from quivering. This was breaking him and his heart.

"How could you-" Jeongguk shook his head and narrowed his eyes at the brunet. "Why are you running away?" He had a pained look on his face as he inched his head closer to Taehyung so that their noses bumped with one another.

Both their eyes closed simultaneously. "Why are you giving up on me?" Jeongguk whispered as more tears trailed down Taehyung's pink-ish cheeks.

"It's the right thing to do." The older boy whispered back.

"I know it's hard Hyung." They both opened their eyes and moved their heads back to face each other. "But it's hard on both of us. I can't do anything at the mome- Hyung, you also have a girlfriend remember?"

Jeongguk watched the older boy shook his head. "I broke up with her."

"You what?" The raven-head had this surprised and unbelievable look on his face, like it was bad news to him that Taehyung was single now. This made Taehyung start to get worried. Why does Jeongguk look like that? Wasn't he supposed to be at least a little glad that Taehyung broke it off with Seoyun?

Why did he look so... conflicted?

And then the brunet couldn't bear to stand there anymore. It was obvious now.

Jeongguk never intended to ever get together with Taehyung in the first place.

Yeah, that's it.

We were never meant to be anything more.

Taehyung faced the younger boy once again. "Jeongguk, it's okay," He smiled sadly, trying his best to hold in the tears built up in his chocolate eyes. "You don't have to do anything about it. I didn't break up with Seoyun with the hopes of getting together with you." His tone betrayed his words.

The pain was evident when he spoke and Jeongguk sensed it. "Hyung, that's not what I'm thinking." The raven-head quickly said.

But by now, Taehyung mind was foggy with one thought constantly on loop like a mantra, reminding him that 'Jeongguk doesn't want to be with you'. This crushed him and soon he was struggling out of the raven-head's hold.

"I know that we can never be anything more, Jeongguk." He said through his tears and swallowed painfully after that. Finally he managed to break free from Jeongguk's hold on his wrist. He took a few steps away from the boy and looked back at him. "We should go in now. The dance's about to start." He sniffled once or twice.

Jeongguk sighed. "Hyung, listen to-"

"I'm okay with it Jeongguk. I really am." He smiled a broken smile and turned around quickly making his way to the entrance of the building.

The last thing he heard behind him was a loud 'fuck' and the sound of footsteps chasing after him but the brunet never looked back and headed into the theater hall, just wishing he could disappear right now.

Everything just sucked.
______________
Hey everyone!
I wanted to ask—are all my readers who were here from the very beginning still with me? The ones who joined when I first started posting the early chapters? If you’re still here, please drop a comment or some emoji so I know you’ve stayed till now—it means more to me than you think.

And of course, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this chapter.

Your feedback and theories genuinely keep me going every time I write, so don’t hold back—I’m reading every single comment. 💭

Chapter Text

Scream.

That was the only thing Taehyung wanted to do in his current situation.

The dance competition had concluded. It had gone brilliantly - Jimin's performance had been flawless, earning thunderous applause and cheers from the packed auditorium. The sound of hundreds of people clapping had echoed off the walls, a clear indicator of the performance's success. But despite Taehyung's numerous attempts to focus on his best friend's impressive choreography on stage, his mind had been elsewhere throughout the entire event.

Jeongguk. That's who had occupied every corner of his thoughts - the unresolved tension between them, the angry words exchanged in the car, the hurt in those dark eyes when they'd parted ways. Making everything worse was the fact that their seats hadn't been far apart. Taehyung had felt Jeongguk's gaze burning into him repeatedly throughout the competition, making his guilt and discomfort multiply exponentially.

He despised arguments. Especially with people who mattered to him.

So why did Taehyung want to scream? Normally, after such an emotionally draining day, he would have gone straight home. He'd have changed into his most comfortable oversized clothes, grabbed an excessive amount of junk food, and binge-watched something mindless on Netflix - maybe a sitcom or some comfort show that required no emotional investment.

But that escape wasn't available to him tonight.

Why?

Because there was a fucking after-party.

Jimin had mentioned it countless times over the past week, but somehow the information had slipped through the cracks of Taehyung's stressed mind. He'd completely forgotten until they'd all been herded from the competition venue to this club that had been rented out exclusively for the evening's celebration.

Everyone from the competition was here - dancers, choreographers, friends, supporters. The only difference between the auditorium and the club was the amount of clothing people were wearing. The formal attire from earlier had been shed in favor of club wear, revealing skin and sequins and a level of revelry that made Taehyung want to disappear.

Of course, he wasn't entirely alone. Jimin was present, along with various cast members from the dance troupe. Yoongi had come to support his boyfriend. Hoseok and Namjoon were there too. And unfortunately, so were Jeongguk and Minchae.

They'd all gathered around one of those high tables that dotted the club's VIP section. The surface was crowded with beer mugs, shot glasses, and an array of alcoholic beverages that Taehyung had zero intention of touching.

He was seated next to Jimin. Directly across from him sat Jeongguk with Minchae attached to his side like a permanent accessory. Taehyung tried desperately to pretend the sight didn't bother him, but the truth was it felt like slow torture.

His cheek rested against his palm as he faced Jimin, trying to focus on his friend's animated recap. "Did you see that final sequence? I thought my legs were going to give out," Jimin said enthusiastically before downing a shot. "I'm not dancing for at least a month after tonight. My entire body is screaming."

He continued discussing various aspects of the competition - the technical difficulties, the other performers, the judges' reactions. Taehyung smiled and nodded along, occasionally offering an "oh" or "really?" to maintain the illusion of engagement.

There was a moment when he accidentally glanced in Jeongguk's direction and found the younger man staring directly at him with an expression of such raw pain that it stopped Taehyung's breath.

'Maybe I'm not the only one suffering right now.'

"I still can't believe it's actually over," Jimin was saying. "No more early morning practices, no more stress about perfecting every move..."

Out of the corner of his eye, Taehyung saw Minchae shift closer to Jeongguk, taking his arm and draping it around her shoulders as she laughed at something someone else had said. Her silver hair caught the club lights, creating an almost ethereal glow that made Taehyung's stomach turn.

He deliberately didn't look at Jeongguk's face.

"Where the hell is Yoongi?" Jimin muttered, scanning the crowd. "He said he was stepping outside for air like ten minutes ago. Tae? Are you crying?"

Taehyung snapped out of his trance at his best friend's alarmed tone. He had no idea a tear had escaped without his permission, trailing down his cheek unnoticed. He quickly wiped it away, but Jimin had already scooted significantly closer, his face etched with concern as he studied Taehyung's expression.

"What's wrong? Oh shit," Jimin whispered urgently, keeping his voice low. "The talk with Jeongguk earlier - I completely forgot to ask. It didn't go well, did it?"

Taehyung could only nod mutely, and then made the catastrophic mistake of glancing at Jeongguk again. Minchae had somehow moved even closer, practically positioning herself on his lap, but Jeongguk seemed completely unaware of her presence. His dark eyes had widened with obvious distress at seeing the tears in Taehyung's eyes.

Everything about this situation was unbearable.

Before he could stop himself, Taehyung stood abruptly and headed toward the bar at the far end of the club. There were fewer people in that area - mostly solo drinkers and bartenders focused on their craft. He could breathe there, could let the tears fall without an audience.

Meanwhile, Jeongguk had gone completely rigid. He pushed away from Minchae's attempts to cuddle closer, standing up with clear intention written across his features.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Minchae's brows furrowed as she tugged at his arm, trying to pull him back down. "Where are you going?"

Her voice didn't register. Jeongguk's entire focus was on Taehyung's retreating figure. He was prepared to follow, to fix this, to do something - but then he caught Jimin's eye. The silver-haired dancer was staring at him with a look that clearly communicated: Don't. Not right now.

They held that gaze for several heavy seconds before Jimin sighed and stood, going after his best friend himself.

Jeongguk slumped back into his seat, frustrated and helpless. Maybe Taehyung did need space right now, needed to talk to someone who wasn't him. As much as it killed him to stay away, Jimin was probably right. To Minchae's delight, she had Jeongguk beside her again, completely oblivious to his total disengagement from everything she was saying.

---

"What the hell did he say to you?"

That was Jimin's opening line as he approached the bar where Taehyung had hunched over the counter. A groan escaped from the older boy - he really didn't have the energy for this conversation right now.

"It's nothing—"

"Then why are you crying?" Jimin took the stool beside him, his voice carrying both concern and irritation.

Taehyung sighed heavily, licking his lips as he felt his friend's intense gaze. "We had an argument in the car. That's all. Can we please not talk about this?" He laid his head down on his folded arms against the counter's cool surface.

Jimin huffed in frustration, staring at his best friend's defeated posture. Finally, he placed a gentle hand on Taehyung's shoulder. "Okay, fine. We don't have to dissect it right now." Slowly, Taehyung raised his head to meet his eyes. "But we can still try to salvage your mood." Jimin offered a small smile.

Taehyung shook his head immediately. "I don't think anything can help—"

"Stop that. You have two options here." Jimin gestured broadly. "You can sit here wallowing in misery for the rest of the night, making everyone uncomfortable with your depression..." He nodded toward the shelves of colorful bottles behind the bartender. "Or you can distract yourself."

"Absolutely not," Taehyung said without hesitation.

"Why not?"

"You know I don't drink alcohol. Ever."

Jimin sighed and spent another few moments thinking. "Alright, fine. Then I'll just stay here with you all night. You won't have to be—"

"No," Taehyung interrupted, shaking his head firmly. "This party is for you and the other dancers. You all earned this celebration. Go enjoy yourself." He managed a weak but genuine smile. "I'll be perfectly fine here."

"But you're upset and alone..." Jimin's pout was almost comical in its exaggeration.

Taehyung chuckled despite himself. "I'm capable of taking care of myself. Seriously, go have fun with everyone."

Jimin narrowed his eyes, clearly torn about abandoning his friend. Finally, he sighed in surrender. "Fine. But you better not disappear on me. And also..." A mischievous smile spread across his face.

Taehyung watched with growing suspicion as Jimin flagged down the bartender - a young guy who looked around their age.

"What are you doing—" Taehyung grabbed Jimin's arm.

His friend shushed him and waited for the bartender to approach. "What can I get you?" the guy asked casually.

Jimin made a show of considering the options before snapping his fingers decisively. "One Cranberry Sunset." He read the name off the drinks menu displayed on the counter.

"Jimin, what are you—"

"Relax, Tae," Jimin rolled his eyes at his friend's paranoia. "It's literally just club soda with cranberry juice and some fruit garnish. Zero alcohol." He smiled reassuringly. "If you're going to sit here all night, you might as well drink something that tastes good."

"...Okay."

A few minutes later, Jimin had returned to his group of dancer friends, clearly having the time of his life. Even Yoongi had reappeared, though he was obviously there purely for Jimin's benefit rather than his own enjoyment.

Taehyung sat alone at the bar, fighting every instinct to turn around and search for Jeongguk in the crowd. Half his heart begged him to just take one peek, to see what the younger man was doing. But the rational part of his brain warned that he'd only end up more upset seeing Jeongguk with Minchae.

Better not to look.

"Here you go."

The bartender's voice pulled Taehyung's attention to the tall glass being placed in front of him. Despite his terrible mood, the beverage managed to capture his interest slightly. It came in an elegant cylindrical glass filled with a striking purple liquid - though he'd thought cranberries were red? Numerous ice cubes floated at the top, and a decorative spiral straw pierced through the surface. Overall, it looked almost artistic.

Taehyung took a tentative sip, expecting to wince at some awful flavor, but was pleasantly surprised. It actually tasted quite good - sweet with a slight tartness, refreshing. Something like this probably cost a fortune at normal clubs.

He looked up to find the bartender still nearby. "How much do I owe you for this?"

The bartender laughed and shook his head. "The whole venue is paid for tonight. Everything's covered for the party. Order whatever you want." He moved away to help another customer.

Taehyung sat processing this information.

'Free drinks.'

Maybe this night wasn't a complete disaster after all.

---
ahem, were you all waiting for an update??

Chapter Text

Approximately four - or maybe it was five? - Cranberry Sunsets later, Taehyung found himself smiling at nothing in particular. Suddenly, the crushing weight of his earlier distress had lifted into something lighter, almost fizzy.

When his mind drifted to Jeongguk, he felt sad for a brief moment, but then his thoughts would skip to something else entirely. Like how his bangs kept falling into his eyes and tickling them - maybe he should get a haircut? Or maybe dye his hair a different color?

What about blonde?

No, wait - Taehyung scrunched up his nose in exaggerated disgust. A certain someone had silver-blonde hair that he definitely didn't want to think about.

"Ugh, I hate you!" he whined to the empty air, though part of him wished Minchae could somehow hear the declaration wherever she was.

Okay... so maybe Taehyung was slightly intoxicated.

---

Jeongguk's right leg bounced impatiently under the table, his entire body coiled with restless energy.

This was torture. Taehyung was right there, alone at the bar, and all Jeongguk had to do was walk over. But multiple obstacles stood in his way.

First, Minchae was practically glued to his side, her hands constantly finding reasons to touch him, her voice a continuous stream of commentary he wasn't processing. Second, Jimin kept shooting him warning looks from across the space - clear messages that said 'stay away from him right now.'

As much as Jeongguk hated following that unspoken command, he had to admit the dancer was probably right. Taehyung looked like he needed solitude, and another confrontation would likely make everything worse. The only consolation was that his current seat offered a perfect view of the bar, allowing him to keep watch over Taehyung.

Jeongguk focused on his hyung's profile - the slight hunch of his shoulders, the way his fingers periodically ran through his hair, pushing it back from his forehead. The club's colored lights caught Taehyung's features perfectly, making his brown eyes sparkle even from this distance.

There was absolutely no doubt about it.

Taehyung was breathtakingly beautiful.

Lost in observation, Jeongguk watched as Taehyung took another sip of that mysterious purple drink. Then his eyes caught something alarming - multiple empty glasses lined up on the counter beside his hyung.

Concern spiked through him. How many of those drinks had Taehyung consumed? He craned his neck for a better view and noticed something that confirmed his worst fear.

Taehyung was smiling to himself - a loose, unfocused smile that looked nothing like his usual expressions.

But just moments ago he'd been crying. How did someone go from devastated to giddy in thirty minutes unless—

Jeongguk's eyes widened with realization.

He's drunk.

That was it. The absolute limit of his patience. He'd been trying to respect Taehyung's space all evening, but he couldn't just sit here while his hyung got himself intoxicated in a crowded club.

He stood abruptly, completely ignoring Minchae's protests about him leaving her side. Across the space, Jimin - mid-conversation with another dancer - immediately noticed Jeongguk's movement and followed his trajectory toward the bar.

At the counter, Taehyung was literally swaying slightly in his seat when two warm hands gently cupped his face. He leaned into the warmth automatically, a dopey smile spreading across his features as he looked up at whoever was touching him.

"You're drunk, hyung."

That voice... Taehyung's expression shifted as recognition kicked in. Jeongguk. At first, a spark of happiness, but then he remembered he was supposed to be upset with him. His brows furrowed and he pulled away from the touch.

Before Jeongguk could respond, Jimin appeared beside them. "Look, I really think you should give him some space right now—" But his prepared speech died when his eyes landed on Taehyung's unfocused gaze and flushed cheeks. "Tae, are you drunk?!"

'He shouldn't be drunk,' Jimin thought frantically. 'I specifically ordered him a non-alcoholic drink.'

Meanwhile, Taehyung was trying to swat away the hands touching his face. "Stop... touching me," he whined.

Jimin complied but immediately grabbed the purple drink, sniffing it suspiciously before taking a small sip. His eyes widened.

Jeongguk moved directly in front of Taehyung, trying to capture his attention. "Let me take you home, hyung." He reached for one of Taehyung's hands.

But the older man's attention had snagged on something behind Jeongguk. More specifically, someone. "Your girlfriend is glaring at me," Taehyung said flatly before finally meeting Jeongguk's eyes.

Jeongguk sighed heavily. "Ignore her. Focus on me. I'm taking you home now, okay?"

"No." Taehyung pulled his hand back. "I don't want to leave." His eyes searched the counter for his drink. "I want to finish—" He spotted Jimin holding the glass. "Hey! That's mine. Get your own."

Jimin rolled his eyes at drunk Taehyung and turned to Jeongguk with barely contained frustration. "There's alcohol in this. There wasn't supposed to be any."

"You ordered that for him?" Jeongguk's voice was tight.

Guilt flashed across Jimin's face. "Yes, but I specifically asked for the non-alcoholic version." He set the glass down and immediately signaled the bartender with an aggressive gesture.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked, approaching with casual friendliness despite Jimin's obvious anger.

"These Cranberry Sunsets you made for my friend - they were supposed to be virgin drinks, weren't they?"

"No, they have alcohol in them—"

"What?! The menu specifically says it's a non-alcoholic option!"

The bartender sighed and rolled his eyes condescendingly. "Look, this is a club. There's alcohol in basically everything. You'd have to be pretty naive not to know that."

Jimin's eyes went wide with offense. "Did you just call me naive?"

"I'm going to make you regret those words..." Jimin's voice dropped to a dangerous level.

"Hyung, just let it go—" Jeongguk tried to intervene.

"No! I'm going to—"

While they were distracted by the argument, Taehyung had successfully retrieved the remaining purple liquid. He was raising it to his lips when Jeongguk noticed and immediately confiscated the glass.

"That's enough for tonight."

Taehyung groaned dramatically, letting his head fall back before crossing his arms with a pout. "You're no fun. You're ruining everything."

The words stung, but Jeongguk reminded himself this was the alcohol talking. Sober Taehyung would never act this way. Taking a deep breath, he tried again with forced patience.

"You must be exhausted. Let's go home, yeah?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't like you."

Ouch.

The words hit harder than they should have, but Jeongguk pushed through. "Why don't you like me?" he asked carefully.

"Because you keep hurting me."

That made Jeongguk pause completely. He licked his lips nervously before sighing and slowly reaching out to touch Taehyung's face again.

"I know ba-" He was about to say 'baby' but then remembered Taehyung hated that word. "I know... sweetheart." The dark-haired boy watched the older boy's surprised reaction at the new pet name. So he continued. "All you've been is good to me but I hurt you so bad. I'm so sorry."

The boy's tattooed knuckles grazed the brunet's cheek. For a moment, Taehyung was leaning into the touch but let's remember that the boy was drunk and when people get drunk, they tended to do... stupid things.

Because the next thing that Taehyung did would haunt him for the rest of his life.

He moved away from the younger boy and got up from his seat, walking to the middle of the club where the crowd of sweaty bodies moved to the beat on the dance floor. Spotlights shot down from the ceiling in five different colors. Taehyung was definitely too drunk to really focus on what he was about to do because the sober Taehyung would never, NEVER dance in public.

Back at the bar, Jeongguk stared with wide eyes and an opened mouth at the older boy swaying his hips without a care in the world heading to the center of the dance crowd.

"You better watch yourself! My boyfriend can beat your ass!" Jimin finished screaming at the bartender who walked away confusedly.

The silver-haired boy turned to see his best friend missing and a very shocked Jeongguk. "Where's Tae-" He started but soon followed the younger boy's gaze to the dance floor. "Oh fuck..." Jimin's eyes were identical to Jeongguk's as they were filled with shock.

The bass from the song being played pounded against Taehyung's ribs. He could feel the music coursing through him and normally he'd settle to just bobbing his head to the tune or stomping his foot but right now...

Right now, he wanted to let go.

And that's what he did; jumping up and down to the song along with everyone else like he was in a concert. His curly locks fell over his face occasionally with each move his body swayed to. It was truly an amazing feeling.

With his eyes closed, he didn't care that there were people around him. This was him expressing himself right now. All the pent up emotions within him felt like they were flowing out with each passing second.

After that, Taehyung was just feeling bold as his hands began to tangle themselves in his hair as his head fell back with such ease. A sigh left his parted lips. His hips moved perfectly to the beat of the song. His eyes were still closed as he was feeling himself with his bottom lip in between his teeth.

With the neon lights pouring over the brunet's blemish-free skin, plus his dancing, a few heads started to turn in his direction. It wasn't long before two hands found themselves on either sides of Taehyung's hips from the back. The brown-haired boy was too drunk and slow to even notice that someone was behind him.

Meanwhile back at the bar counter, the two boys were watching everything. Jimin gasped at the sight of his best friend with that unknown figure touching him like that. Quickly he turned to the younger boy next to him who was about to explode.

"Jeongguk, calm down..." Jimin said warily, a little scared at how mad the raven-head looked at the moment.

The very next second, the dark-haired boy was already marching towards Taehyung, his hands in tight fists while his jaw twitched with each second long the stranger's hands were on his precious hyung.
_______________
are you guys into this story? like, into, into it!!??

Chapter Text

Taehyung's eyes shot open.

Fuck.

The hands on the brunet's hips started trailing up and down his sides. It felt very wrong. That was like a wake up call to him. However before he could pull away from the unknown figure behind him, a loud thud sounded, cutting through the heavy music.

A gasp left the brown haired boy's lips as he turned around to see someone on the ground, crying out in pain. He brought his hands over his mouth in shock. And then his eyes moved over to see Jeongguk standing there looking... extremely mad.

Did I d something?

There wasn't time for the older boy to think because the raven-head already had his hand tightly wrapped around his wrist pulling him away from the dance floor. Taehyung was struggling to get out of the younger boy's hold but to no avail, Jeongguk was really strong.

Finally, he only let go of Taehyung once they were at one side of the club where there were less people there. Jeongguk tried to calm himself down as he kept his eyes on his hyung, watching the older boy's every move.

The brunet was glaring at his wrist, rubbing over his skin where the younger boy had gripped. He then shifted his glare to Jeongguk. "Why are you dragging me around like this?!"

"Why-" Jeongguk scoffed, not believing that Taehyung was actually mad at him for saving him from that stranger. "You were practically inviting everyone to touch you like that!" The raven-head could feel his blood boil again at the thought of someone's hands on the brunet. But then he started to think.

Was this how Taehyung felt every time he saw me with Minchae?

Jeongguk sighed. He was ready to apologize for making his hyung feel this way. However right now, the said boy was drunk. The best thing to do was to get Taehyung home first. But another thing that became obvious tonight was that a 'drunk Taehyung' was rather hard to handle.

Because the older boy continued to glare up at Jeongguk. "So? Why do you care?"

"Of course I care about you-"

"No you don't!" The brunet screamed, for once, actually making the younger boy flinch a little. Jeongguk noticed Taehyung's eyes start to get watery. "If you did care about me at all, we wouldn't be here right now!" He was practically panting.

A pang of guilt surged through Jeongguk but he only stepped closer to the older boy. "I know, it's all my fault and I'm sorry." He tried to lift the brunet's chin to face him, but Taehyung only stepped back shaking his head.

This was getting hard and the raven-head was desperate now. Normally, Taehyung was an easygoing sort of person. This was the first time Jeongguk has had to deal with his hyung being difficult like this. And the thing he hated the most was when the brunet pulled away from his touch.

But there was one thing that would never change and that was the fact that this was still his Taehyung and Jeongguk was not going to give up easily.

He took a few brave steps forward towards Taehyung. Meanwhile, the brown-haired boy took a couple of steps back until his back met with the hard surface of the club wall. Fortunately for Jeongguk, his hyung couldn't run now.

"Sweetheart, I said I'm sorry. Now please, let me take you home." He said slowly as his hand raised to the side of the older boy's face.

Taehyung only stared back at the younger boy, his gaze hazy and drunk. He wasn't going to admit it but each time Jeongguk said 'sweetheart', there were butterflies in his tummy. Honestly, he understood what Jeongguk was saying. He knew that the raven-head looked sorry but it was just... he needed more than just an apology.

As crazy as it sounded, the brunet wanted Jeongguk to claim him in his arms in front of everyone; even Mincahe and most importantly he wanted the raven-head to once and for all tell that silver bitch that they were over.

But that expectation could never be met with because, right now, as the older boy gazed up at the raven-headed boy, he knew Jeongguk would never do that.

So with a sigh, Taehyung just shook his head and tried to walk away only to have his arm grabbed and pulled back against the wall again.

"Where are you going?" There was frustration in Jeongguk's voice now. "Hyung, I'm talking to you. Where are you-"

"I'm going back to enjoy my night!" Taehyung snapped back. Obviously he wasn't going to go back to dancing but he just wanted to prove to the raven-head that he was having fun without him.

The younger boy straight away displayed a look of shock. "Are- Are you serious-" He raked his hands through his hair once before furrowing his dark brows at the older boy. "Did you not learn anything from what just happened?!" He pointed back to the dance floor.

Taehyung had his arms crossed over his chest. He glanced to the dance floor then back at the fuming raven-head in front of him. "No." He said like a stubborn child rebelling against his parents.

Maybe it was the heat in the moment between them or the adrenaline pumping through Taehyung's veins but whatever it was, he was feeling a hell lot of braver. And if you're drunk being brave isn't necessarily a good thing. It's more of a foolish thing because the next thing that came out of the older boy's mouth just made everything worse.

"I could have anybody touching me like that and I still wouldn't ask for your help," He raised a brow at the speechless raven-head before him. "You know what?" Taehyung made a thinking face. "I think I am going to go back to dancing since you seem to hate it so much." He purposely said knowing the younger boy was against the idea.

"Hyung, stop." Jeongguk gritted out, feeling his fists ball by his sides so tightly, his nails were digging into his palms.

The older boy simply rolled his eyes and took Jeongguk's warning to stop as a sign to keep provoking the raven-head. This was clearly a bad idea but Taehyung was already all in for it.

A small insincere laugh escaped Taehyung's lips. "Oh what? You don't like the idea of someone else touching me?" He watched Jeongguk's jaw visibly clenched itself and still continued. "Maybe you should know how it feels. But you know something? It doesn't matter."

"Stop talking." Jeongguk said lowly.

Daringly, the brunet took a step closer to the silently raging raven-head, making their faces inches away from each other but the younger boy had his gaze cast down to the ground. "It doesn't matter if someone else has their hands on me, or whether I'm naked in front of them or if they're above me in bed," Jeongguk's dark eyes instantly snapped up to Taehyung's drunk ones at what he said.

Lastly, Taehyung whispered, "It doesn't matter because I don't fucking belong to you."

This was it for Jeongguk.

The next thing that happened involved the brunet being pressed up against the wall with a strong hand gripping his chin tightly, holding him in place to face the raven-head in front of him. "I said shut the fuck up." Jeongguk deep voice sounded bringing chills to travel down the older boy's spine.

"I said I was fucking sorry," The younger boy gritted out. "But you shouldn't say things that you don't mean." They were very close, Taehyung could feel the raven-head's minty breath as the tip of their noses were centimeters apart.

Stupidly, the brunet still wasn't ready to back down. "I do mean every word I said."

He really didn't mean it but Jeongguk wasn't supposed to know that.

This made the younger boy chuckle dryly before locking his dark eyes with the older boy's lighter ones. "You can't lie to me anymore, Hyung." Jeongguk removed his hand that was holding the brunet's chin and ran it through Taehyung's soft brown locks.

The touch automatically made Taehyung visibly calm. He watched Jeongguk stare at him adoringly. The boy's other hand was secured at his waist. And then slowly, with each graze of Jeongguk's fingers against his scalp, the brunet's eyes fluttered shut as a content sigh left his lips.

"You have no idea how much it kills me to even imagine you being in someone else's arms." The younger boy said lowly. "I am a jerk for what I've been putting you through but I don't care if I'm being selfish now..." He watched Taehyung's face visibly relaxed with his hand still stroking the boy's hair.

"I'll say it a billion times if I have to: you are mine."

With his eyes still closed, another sigh left Taehyung's parted lips as the younger boy's words sunk deep within him.

You are mine.

I am his.

"Mine to touch," The raven-head whispered as his hand that was on Taehyung's waist caressed his side.

Thump, thump.

The brunet could feel Jeongguk run his nose along his cheekbone to the side until the younger boy's breath was fanning against his ear. "Mine to kiss," He said as he planted a warm kiss to the side of Taehyung's neck.

"Let me say that I wouldn't hesitate a second to make sure no one ever comes near you like that again." Another wave of giddiness coursed through Taehyung. The raven-head's words were like a drug, really.

"And if you ever say things like that again..." Jeongguk's sinful hand that was tangled in between the soft strands of the older boy's hair suddenly grabbed a fistful of his locks, tugging it back making Taehyung's head abruptly tilt up. The sensation from the act made the brunet's already closed eyes shut even tighter as a moan almost escaped his mouth. On top of that, the raven-head's next words entered his ears.

"...I'll definitely have to show you who you belong to." The younger boy mumbled as his lips ran over the exposed area of Taehyung's neck.

The older boy whimpered. How the hell does Jeongguk talk dirty so effortlessly like that? Taehyung felt Jeongguk's grip on his hair loosened. He lowered his head and finally opened his eyes that were glossy as he stared at Jeongguk in front of him.

Taehyung felt the raven-head's hand trail down to cup his cheek. All the strained tension between them had died down like an extinguished fire. The younger boy's thumb gently grazed the brown-haired boy's skin.

"Will you let me take you home now?"

And finally after everything, Taehyung was ready to call it a night. So like always, the brunet found himself nodding obediently before saying the one word he'd said a thousand times to Jeongguk before.

"Yes."

Taehyung blinked slowly, still a little dazed, his breath shallow as he tried to process what had just happened between them. The music from the club had become nothing but a muffled hum in the background now. His heart still raced, but not entirely from the alcohol anymore.

He looked up at Jeongguk, the boy who had just claimed him with words that made his heart flutter and ache all at once, and whispered softly, his voice cracking through exhaustion,

“You’ll… only leave me at my place.”

Jeongguk’s brows knit together, the ache in his chest deepening. “What?”

Taehyung’s eyes softened just a little, but his tone was firm, final. “Just drop me home, Jeongguk. I’m still not over anything.”

Those words hit Jeongguk harder than any slap could. For a second, he didn’t say anything, just stared at his hyung, lips parting, heart sinking slowly to the pit of his stomach. He wanted to protest, to beg him to talk, but one look at the tired boy in front of him made him hold back.

“…Alright, hyung,” Jeongguk finally said quietly, nodding. “Just let me take you home.”

Before either of them could move, a familiar voice interrupted.

“Hey, I can drop Taehyung off,” Jimin said as he approached, slightly out of breath, his eyes flicking between the two boys. “I was gonna leave soon anyway, but-” he gestured toward the crowded dance floor with a grimace, “-since all the dance crew’s still here, it’s kinda hard for me to slip out.”

Jeongguk gave a small, polite nod. “It’s okay, hyung. I’ll take him.”

But before letting them go, Jimin’s expression hardened just slightly — the protective look of someone who knew Taehyung too well. His eyes met Jeongguk’s in a warning glare, sharp and wordless. Don’t do anything stupid.

Jeongguk understood. He didn’t reply, only gave a faint, respectful nod.

Then, turning back to Taehyung, his tone softened again, almost tender. “I’ll call you tomorrow, hyung,” he said quietly, the pet name rolling off his tongue like a secret between them. “We’ll talk about everything when you’re sober, okay… sweetheart?”

Jimin’s brows rose at the word sweetheart, clearly surprised, but he decided to let it go. He simply sighed, watching as Taehyung’s eyes drooped, the exhaustion from alcohol and emotion catching up to him.

The brunet gave a slow nod, mumbling, “Mhm… okay…” before resting his head against the car window as Jeongguk led him out of the club.

The drive was quiet. The city lights blurred past, the low hum of the engine filling the silence. Jeongguk glanced at Taehyung every few seconds — the way his lips parted slightly, his lashes fluttering as if he was fighting sleep. Even asleep, he looked heartbreakingly beautiful.

When they reached Taehyung’s apartment, Jeongguk stepped out and gently opened the passenger door. “Hyung,” he whispered, tapping his shoulder softly. “We’re here.”

A sleepy hum was all he got in response. Jeongguk smiled faintly, shaking his head. Carefully, he leaned in and slid one of Taehyung’s arms around his shoulder, guiding him out of the car and up the short flight of stairs to his door. He remembered where the spare key was, tucked beneath the small potted plant near the entrance because of course he did.

Inside, the apartment smelled faintly of vanilla and rain. Jeongguk helped Taehyung to his bed, sitting him down gently. The brunet immediately tried to curl up, mumbling something incoherent under his breath.

Jeongguk crouched down, quietly unlacing his shoes, sliding them off, followed by his socks. He set them neatly aside before easing off Taehyung’s jacket, careful not to wake him. The older boy shifted but didn’t stir.

Finally, Jeongguk pulled the blanket up over him, tucking it softly under his chin. His fingers brushed Taehyung’s cheek... a fleeting, tender touch. He looked down at him for a long moment, memorizing the sight of his hyung sleeping peacefully, the faint flush of his cheeks glowing under the warm light.

Leaning closer, Jeongguk pressed a soft, lingering peck to Taehyung’s lips. It wasn’t possessive this time. It was gentle and aching.

“Wait for my call, hyung…” he whispered against those lips, his voice trembling slightly. “Okay?”

He lingered there for a second longer, then stood up quietly, taking one last look before stepping out of the room.

The door clicked shut softly behind him, leaving Taehyung wrapped in the warmth Jeongguk left behind.
________
I planned on updating later, but your comments.... omg, i had to update!
i enjoy how you guys wait for me to make an update, so cute.

Chapter Text

The TV was on to a Korean drama but neither boys paid attention to it.

Taehyung was obviously wondering when Jeongguk was going to call. He had been glancing to his phone screen, hoping the younger boy's name would flash up. So far, nothing.

On the other side of the couch, Jimin picked at the side of his fingernails; a habit he always tended to do when there was something on his mind. Taehyung noticed this and raised a brow. Coming to think of it, ever since Jeongguk left, the roomate had been awfully quiet... which isn't like him at all.

"You okay Jimin?"

The said boy was broke out of his trance and looked at Taehyung like a deer caught in headlights. "Huh?" He let out, clearly not having heard what the brunet asked.

"You seem spaced out. Is everything alright?"

"Oh-y-yeah. I'm fine." He ran a hand through his shiny silver hair. "How are you holding up?"

Taehyung shrugged. "I don't know what's taking him so long to call." He looked down at his phone sadly.

He didn't realize his best friend had shifted closer to him on the couch. "Did you tell him already?" Jimin suddenly asked.

The brunet lifted his head and turned to face the smaller boy. His brows furrowed together. "Tell him what?"

"That you love him."

Taehyung's eyes widened. "What?! Of course not."

Just the thought of telling Jeongguk, that made the brunet feel like he was going to die from being too anxious. And then, there was also the fear of rejection. Plus, the humiliation. So basically everything Taehyung feared, all put together in one.

"I think you should tell him." The roommate said seriously.

"Why?"

"Don't you think he deserves to know how you feel. And maybe if he knew you loved him, he'd feel the same way and dump that girlfriend of his."

Almost immediately, Taehyung shook his head. "That will never happen-"

"Why not?" Jimin sighed. "Look, Tae. The reason you keep getting hurt like this is because that silverhead girl is in the picture. Imagine if she's gone, it'll finally just be you and Jeongguk. Don't you want that?"

And for a moment, Taehyung was almost convinced. The idea of him and Jeongguk finally able to be together was just perfect. However, something that wonderful would surely never happened to him.

Life just wasn't that easy.

"Taehyung, why do you have to think so much about this. Do you really love Jeongguk?"

This question just irritated the brunet.

"Of course I do," Taehyung got up and ran his hand over his face tiredly. "Jimin, it's not that easy okay. Jeongguk can't ever know that I love him." He said seriously, already feeling his throat clog up painfully, something that always happened before he was about to cry.

Jimin had a confused look on his face as he also stood up. "Why can't he ever know?"

This was the first time the brunet was going to say it out loud; that ever since he realized his feelings for the younger boy, he was never planning on telling Jeongguk. Taehyung just assumed that they'd continue with the relationship they already had- whatever relationship that is... he was surer Jeongguk would just make him agree to whatever that is. when he calls.

"He can't know because I won't be able to take it," Taehyung said out softly with his head lowered to the ground. He could feel Jimin's presence closer to him than before. The roommate waited patiently for Taehyung to continue. "Jimin, I'd die if the words 'I love you' were out and Jeongguk heard them. I don't know what he'll say... whether he'll say it back or leave me for good, just the fact that he knows I feel that way about him... I don't think I'll ever be able to face him again."

Jimin's hand rested itself on the brunet's shoulder. "Tae... you don't have to feel that way... What if everything turns out better than what you imagine????"

"I know it's stupid. I know most of what I'm saying doesn't make sense but that's just how I feel," He finally looked up to face Jimin with teary eyes. "I hate all that's going on between me and Jeongguk right now, the fight that we had, everything... but none of these things will compare to when Jeongguk finds out that I love him. He just can't know."

Despite Jimin being so against his roommate's idea of keeping such a huge thing from Jeongguk, he had to respect Taehyung's decision. Still, the roommate tried to make the brunet see the logic in how the whole situation looked like.

"So when Jeongguk calls you, what are you guys going to talk about, huh? You clearly have no intention on dating him or getting rid of his girlfriend. So what do you want from him Tae?"

This made Taehyung quiet. Jimin was onto something here.

What do I want?

What are Jeongguk and Taehyung going to talk about, really? There was really no point of their fight or any of this if they're not going to move forward. Taehyung remembered last night, he wanted the younger boy to leave Minchae at the club but now that he wasn't drunk, that thought just seemed so far away. Maybe a part of the brown-haired boy wanted to genuinely be with Jeongguk but that idea was just out of the question.

Everything was messed up.

But at that moment, all Taehyung wanted was to see Jeongguk.

Yeah, they could figure it all out later.

They just needed to see each other first.

And right then, the brunet's phone chimed once. He wasted no time into reaching for his phone only to see that he had received a text.

It was from Jeongguk.

"What is it?" Jimin asked curiously.

"He wants me to meet him at this restaurant." He pointed his phone at Jimin's face showing the address of the restaurant.

While Taehyung was happy to have received the text, Jimin had his brows furrowed. And when the brunet started to walk away to go change his clothes and get ready to leave the apartment, the silver-haired boy blocked his path.

"Are you really going to go?" Jimin asked.

"Yes I am. Jimin he texted me-"

"Didn't Jeongguk say he was going to call?"

Taehyung rolled his eyes at his friend's questioning. "Does it matter? Look, I'm going-" He paused for a while, thinking about something before- "Will you come with me?"

Jimin was surprised. "Me? Why?"

"Please... just take the bus with me to the restaurant and wait for me there. I don't want to go alone."

The silver-haired boy was torn, deciding what to do. He still didn't think it was a good idea for Taehyung to go there. Something just seemed off about the text. But after looking at his roommate's pout and hopeful eyes, Jimin gave in.

"Fine."

A boxy grin took over Taehyung's face. "Thanks!" He then quickly rushed away to go get ready, leaving Jimin there.

Jimin sighed, still not liking any of this. It was starting to get dark outside and Jeongguk just called Taehyung to meet him at a restaurant that was literally like, two bus rides away? That just didn't seem like the raven-head boy.

From what Jimin knew of Jeongguk specially from Yesterday, he knew that the younger boy might never like the idea of Taehyung being out at night alone.

Another sigh left the boy's lips.

Something was definitely wrong.
_____
I know a small chapter, but I needed to divide the parts therefore this short chapter was necessary.

Chapter Text

After two bus rides later, Taehyung and Jimin ended up in the foreign part of town.

Normally, the brunet would never explore an unknown place like this, especially at night but he just kept thinking that this was all worth it. After this, he'll get to see the younger boy and they could finally settle things between them.

The streets were lit up with signs belonging to famous well-known shops, boutiques and restaurants. They were definitely NOT in their neighborhood anymore. This was clearly a rich-people area.

For a moment, Taehyung wondered why Jeongguk had texted him to come here of all places when the younger boy didn't normally bring the brunet to these kinds of places.

However, the excitement of getting to see the raven-head blinded him from the truth- the truth that was soon going to be unveiled or at least what it would seem to be.

As the brown-haired boy held up his phone in front of him, trying to find the right restaurant according to the address in the text, Jimin trailed a few steps behind him. The roommate had his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets, starting to regret the decision of following his roommate here. It was cold out here at night.

They spent another ten minutes walking until Taehyung suddenly stopped and turned around to face his roommate with a confused mask on.

"What is it?" Jimin asked.

"I can't find the restaurant." Taehyung said as he typed something into his phone frustratingly.

The roommate sighed. "Tae, maybe this is a sign that we should go back."

"No, it's not."

"Come on, dude-" Jimin started but his attention was brought to something behind Taehyung.

Meanwhile, the brunet hadn't noticed the silver-haired boy's sudden silence and looked up at him with an annoyed look. "Jimin, I already told you. We're not leaving until I..." His voice faded out as Jimin's had his eyes wide now.

There, behind the brunet was a restaurant. It was an exclusive on at that with it's golden exterior, sparkling in a thousand lights. Through the transparent window, you could see a lot of people in there, probably all gathered together for a celebration.

It was a normal thing right?

But what caught Jimin's attention was the banner hanging on the window that read out loud: 'Jeon Jeongguk and Minchae's Engagement'.

What the fuck?

"...Jimin, I'm talking to you. What are you looking at-" Taehyung furrowed his brows about to turn around when Jimin finally snapped out of his daze.

"No!" He practically screamed, stopping Taehyung from looking there. His roommate looked back at him even more confused than before.

"What?"

"Tae, let's go back. U-Uh, I just... I remembered that we left the kettle on." He grabbed Taehyung's hand, internally cussing himself for coming up with such a lame excuse.

Straight away, the brown-haired boy shook his head. "We didn't leave anything on the stove," He pulled his hand out of his friend's hold. He turned around while rolling his eyes at Jimin's odd behavior. He was trying to find what the other boy was looking at. His eyes scanned over the row of restaurants. "Jimin, what are you-"

He saw the restaurant.

Taehyung's froze.

It couldn't be...

As if everything was moving in slow motion, the brunet read over the words printed on the banner over and over again. He started to feel his heart shatter. A small heartbreaking laugh escaped his lips as he turned around to look at Jimin who stood there with a sorry look on his face.

"Tae, look-"

"No," The brunet swallowed hard and glanced to the ground briefly before looking back up at his friend. And this time his eyes were sparkling with unshed tears. "It-It must be s-some kind of mistake." He said frantically.

And then before Jimin could say anything, the brown-haired boy turned around again and ran in the direction of the restaurant. He heard his best friend shout his name from behind him but he blocked it out.

No, this was definitely not happening right now. Certainly, Jeongguk didn't text Taehyung to invite him to his engagement party with Minchae, right? No matter what the reality of all this looked like, the brunet couldn't accept it. His heart was beating fast now, praying that he wouldn't see the raven-head in the restaurant; that this engagement was for another Jeongguk and Minchae.

Soon, Taehyung had his palms pressed against the window of the said restaurant as he looked into the place that was filled with people. His eyes scanned all the round tables set up with people sitting around them dressed in expensive clothes. The place was decorated beautifully. Taehyung was starting to feel hope light up within him when he still hadn't seen Jeongguk.

A hand was placed onto the boy's shoulder. "Tae, come on, please..." Jimin begged also hoping that all this was some kind of misunderstanding.

But when the silver-haired boy heard a gasp come out from Taehyung, he knew that the worse had happened.

Taehyung had seen Jeongguk.

A stray tear rolled down the brown-haired boy's cheek as he watched Jeongguk stand up there in front of all that people in a suit, looking extremely dashing with a glass of champagne in his hand. Next to him, Minchae stood in a dress fit for a princess. There were also two other couples that stood near them which were probably their parents.

Because sitting among the guests, smiling politely and chatting with one of the women at the table, was Seoyun.

But Seoyun said she wouldn’t be able to attend the dance competition because she was going to visit her grandmother in Busan.

How is this happening right now?

Jeongguk said that Taehyung would never be hurt again.

Then... why is this happening? He thought, still gazing into the restaurant window, eyes focused on the raven-head. Jeongguk wasn't smiling as from afar, his jaw could be seen visibly clenched.

However, the raven-head's face soften the moment his eyes caught someone very familiar looking at him from outside the restaurant. At once, he dropped the glass of champagne that he was holding causing a wave of gasps and 'ohs' to chorus from the crowd of people there. But the younger boy didn't care about the mess he had just made as his onyx eyes were huge and filled with shock.

When the raven-headed boy started rushing through the crowd of people, heading to the entrance of the restaurant, it was like all the alarms went off in Taehyung's head. With Jimin by his side, they started walking away quickly. The brunet was hoping to disappear but-

"Hyung!"

Taehyung couldn't help it. It was like a reflex, a soon as he heard Jeongguk's voice from behind him, he stopped. The roommate next to him also stopped, throwing over a worried look to his best friend.

"Hyung, please let me explain." The younger boy ran over to where the two boys were standing.

Silently, the brown-haired boy turned around, gaze cast down not wanting Jeongguk to see him cry. Everything in that moment just sucked and what made it worse was the fact that Taehyung was speechless.

He should be screaming at the raven-head for lying to him but as he lifted his head to look at Jeongguk, he couldn't help but wanting to hear the younger boy's explanation and forgive him quickly. He still wanted to support the dark-haired boy after all that had happened so far.

"I'm so sorry," Jeongguk said in a broken tone, feeling more and more guilty with each tear that rolled down his hyung's cheeks. "I didn't know about any of this. I came home and my parents- fuck," He ran his hands through his hair. "Minchae, she was suddenly-"

Taehyung's eyes obediently stayed on the raven-head as he explained but then a familiar voice interrupted him. "Jeongguk! What was that all about? Everyone saw that-"

Minchae walked to joined the three boys. She was glaring at Jeongguk but when her eyes fell on Taehyung, a small smirk reached her lips. "Oh Taehyung!" She chirped and clapped her hands excitedly. "How nice of you to show up to our engagement party." She looped an arm around Jeongguk's.

Just seeing her made Taehyung's hands fist by his sides. Jimin had sensed his best friend's condition and placed an assuring hand on his shoulder in comfort.

Seoyun too came rushing after Minchae, her silver earrings glinting under the streetlights, her expression drawn with concern as if she had any right to look worried right now. Her eyes darted from Jeongguk, whose arm was now being clung to by Minchae to Taehyung, whose face was streaked with tears.

For a brief second, Seoyun froze. Why was Taehyung in tears? “Tae…” she breathed out, taking a hesitant step forward. “What's wrong?.”

And by now, the younger boy was visibly fuming. "Minchae," He gritted out. "Get inside. I need to talk to Taehyung-"

"About what? I'm sure whatever you have to say to him, you can say in front of me," She smiled, showcasing her perfect teeth while Taehyung was debating whether or not to turn around and run away. "I mean, we are practically engaged now so there should be no secrets between us..." The girl continued to say and that just struck a nerve inside the brunet.

Taehyung turned around abruptly, biting his lower lip to control his tears. "Hyung, please wait!" Before he could take a single step, a hand grabbed his arm pulling him gently to turn around.

Seoyun stood there totally confused.

He was faced with Jeongguk again. Ignoring the girl next to him, the raven-head released his grip on the older boy's arm, telling him, "Don't go- damn it..." He was struggling to find the right words. "How did you even know to come here?" Jeongguk furrowed his brows.

This time, Jimin couldn't stand it anymore. "Are you fucking joking right now?! You texted him to come here!" The roommate brought Taehyung closer to him.

While all of this was happening, the brunet stayed quiet. He was filled with all of these bubbling emotions that made it hard for him to utter out a single word. What should he even say right now? What would anyone in his place say at a moment like this?

But his tears spoke for him, really.

Meanwhile Jeongguk was still trying to process what Jimin had just said. "What- I didn't text Taehyung anything." The boy confessed.

And then it became all too clear.

The one person there that had an amused expression at all that was going on- Minchae. That bitch sent the text. Taehyung figured it out. He wasn't sure if either Jimin or Jeongguk also found that out but he didn't want to point fingers right now.

There was no point.

Jeongguk brought his gaze back onto Taehyung, taking a step closer about to raise his hand to wipe the painful tears away from his hyung's face but the devil next to him was quicker.

Minchae moved to stand in front of Jeongguk and gave the brunet another huge smile as she tilted her head to one side. "You know Taehyung, now I really am glad that you came cause I just remembered something," Her smile slowly disappeared.

At that moment, everyone had their eyes on the silver-head girl awaiting her next words.

"I can't believe you dumped my best friend like that! You see Seoyun" She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest.

Was this really necessary right now?

Jeongguk tried to pull Minchae back, away from Taehyung. "Minchae, that's enough."

And then the girl turned to Jeongguk with big eyes. "No, it's not fair that Seoyun had to go through such a hard time dealing with this breakup!" She settled her gaze back to Taehyung. "How can you be so cruel?"

Seoyun blinked rapidly, as if unsure whether she had heard Minchae correctly. “Minchae, stop,” she said firmly, stepping forward between them. “This isn’t fair. It’s not Taehyung’s fault things ended between us. Our relationship wasn’t going anywhere, and we both knew that.”

Her voice softened slightly as she turned to her friend. “Why are you even bringing this up right now? What’s the point of saying all this?”

Minchae’s smile didn’t falter, her expression unreadable. “Oh, come on, Seoyun. Don’t you want to know the real reason he dumped you?”

Seoyun frowned, confused, before turning toward Taehyung. “Tae… why are you crying?” she asked again gently.

The brunet’s lips trembled, but no words came out. His throat felt tight, and the air seemed too heavy to breathe in. He just stared back at her, wide-eyed and broken.

When she got no answer, Seoyun turned toward Jimin, her tone sharper now. “Jimin, what happened? Why is he—”

“Oh my god,” Minchae interrupted, smirking darkly as her gaze flickered between them all. “You don’t know, do you?”

“Minchae,” Jeongguk warned through gritted teeth, his voice trembling. “Please, just stop already.” He looked at Taehyung, whose face had gone completely pale. “I don’t want to hear anything else from you.”

But the girl only tilted her head, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “No, Jeongguk, I think you of all people deserve to hear this.” She gave a devilish glance toward the brunet, whose eyes widened in dread.

Oh no.

Even Jimin went rigid beside Taehyung, realizing what she was about to do. There was no way—no way—Minchae would be cruel enough to say that. To expose that secret.

But she did.

“He’s in love with someone else.”

The words sliced through the cold air like a blade.

Jeongguk froze. His jaw slackened, eyes darting from Seoyun to Taehyung—whose expression said it all. His hyung’s face was pale, trembling, guilt flooding every inch of his being.

Minchae wasn’t done. She turned her attention to Taehyung, voice sweet as poison. “Didn’t you tell her that, Taehyung? That you were in love with someone else?”

Before anyone could speak, Seoyun exhaled shakily. “I know,” she said quietly, looking between them. “He told me he loved someone else. That’s why we broke up—on good terms.”

That small, fragile truth might have softened the atmosphere for a split second—until Minchae’s smirk deepened again. “Oh, but you don’t know who he’s in love with, do you, Jeongguk?”

Silence.

And then, slowly, the realization started to dawn on Seoyun. Her eyes flickered from Minchae’s taunting grin to Jeongguk’s panicked expression, to Taehyung’s tear-streaked face, and finally to Jimin’s furious glare.

It all began to make sense.

Why would Minchae start a scene at her own engagement party?

Why did Jeongguk look like the ground had been pulled from under him?

Why was Taehyung crying as if the world had ended?

Why did Jimin look ready to punch someone?

Unless…

Unless Taehyung loved Jeongguk.

Her best friend’s boyfriend.

This was so, so bad.

Taehyung’s chest felt heavy. He’d had a thousand chances to tell the truth himself. A thousand soft moments with Seoyun where he could’ve said something. Anything. But he hadn’t. He’d smiled instead, laughed like a coward, told himself he’d find the right time someday. And now, the truth had burst out in the cruelest way possible ripped open by someone else’s mouth.

He wanted to say I’m sorry. He wanted to look at Seoyun and beg for forgiveness for every silent choice, every delayed confession. But his throat burned, words dying before they reached his tongue. His heart was too full, his world too loud. He couldn’t apologise... not now, not when everything inside him was collapsing.

Seoyun stood frozen, her pulse drumming in her ears. Anger rose, but it wasn’t the kind that wanted to shout. It was the kind that ached. She wasn’t just angry at Taehyung; she was angry for him. Angry that he’d let himself drown this deep, that he hadn’t trusted her enough to speak before it came to this. Beneath the fury was something softer... something that hurt more than betrayal ever could. Pity. Sadness. Because despite everything, she could still see the boy she’d once called her best friend, standing there, shaking, looking so heartbreakingly lost.

'Jeongguk knows.'

'Jeongguk knows that I'm in love with him.'

It's over.

"Hyung..." The raven-head took one step towards him but Taehyung stepped back like a scared lost puppy.

And of all people, Jeongguk and Seoyun had to hear that Taehyung loved him was from 'Minchae' . Who was she to steal something like that from the brunet? Who the fuck was she to ruin something that was supposed to be the best moment in his life. Okay, maybe the brown-haired boy wasn't planning to tell Jeongguk in the first place, but still it was his 'I love you' to say.

Not Minchae's.

And it was in this moment, with his fingernails digging into his palms probably bruising his skin, that Taehyung realized this was his limit. And he meant it this time.

He was done. He would even lose his friend Seoyun now. Because, who would appreciate that their ex loved a guy, that too her best friend's boyfriend?

oh god.

So the boy did the only one thing that came to his mind.

He turned around and ran away as fast as he could.

"Hyung wait!" Jeongguk was ready to charge after his hyung but Jimin blocked his path with a glare, fuming with anger of what just happened to his best friend. He knew how much Taehyung feared Jeongguk knowing that he loved him. But right now, it was clear that Taehyung needed space.

"I'll go after him," The cellist said. "You deal with her." He said as he pointed to a smirking Minchae who stood behind Jeongguk, beside Seoyun, watching everything.

Hesitantly, the raven-head nodded before catching a glimpse of his hyung running away before disappearing into the dark night.
__________

I’ve been reading all your comments lately, and I truly want to thank each of you for sharing your thoughts and excitement. It means a lot that you take the time to engage with the story and express what you feel.

That said, I noticed quite a few of you wondering why Seoyun doesn’t have a bigger role, and I wanted to share my perspective. The entire idea of Taehyung having a girlfriend was never meant to focus on Seoyun as a character—it was meant to reflect Taehyung’s nature. He said yes because that’s who he is; someone who often does things for others rather than for himself. Also, someone who does not share much of his opinion. And of course, introducing Seoyun and Minchae was also my way of naturally bringing Jeongguk into the story.

I know I don’t have to justify every creative choice, because at the end of the day, this is my story. But your questions made me reflect—am I perhaps not portraying Taehyung clearly enough? When I started writing this, I didn’t have a detailed plan; I just knew Jeongguk would have a girlfriend and that everything else would unfold as I wrote.

I know some parts of the story might feel a little fast, and others a bit slow. Some things might not fully connect with you, and I may even come across as unrealistic at times. I also realize that many characters I introduced, even briefly, in the initial chapters haven’t appeared much since—but please know that I’m trying my absolute best to bring this story together.

Honestly, I haven’t even read all the chapters on my own yet; I’m still to proofread everything

So, if you ask me when this story will end, I honestly can’t give you an answer right now. I’m discovering it along the way, just like all of you. Let’s just keep feeling the characters together, one chapter at a time. That’s all I’m trying to do—make them feel as real and human as possible.

Chapter Text

The brokenhearted brunet felt like he was losing his mind.

His thoughts were blurry, gaze hazy with swirling emotions like betrayal and anxiety as he charged through the apartment, straight away heading to his bedroom. The silver-haired boy trailed behind him with a worried expression on his face.

Jimin was taken aback as he entered his roommate's room only to see Taehyung pulling out clothes from his closet before tossing them into an open suitcase that was laid on his bed. The brown-haired boy didn't acknowledge his friend's presence as he continued to pack away his things.

"Tae, what are you doing?" A frown reached Jimin's lips as he neared the other boy.

Taehyung let out a breath frustratingly before raising the back of his right hand to smear away the tears in his eyes. "I'm going to Daegu."

Jimin's eyes widened. "What?"

However Jimin's baffled state was ignored as Taehyung pushed past him to get to his desk. The brunet started to pack his backpack, stuffing his laptop and some folders into it along with his wallet and some other necessities.

Just as the boy turned around, this time Jimin was right in front of him, blocking his way. "What do you mean you're going to Daegu?" The roommate exaggerated with a lot of hand movements before glancing to his wristwatch and looking back at Taehyung again. "It's almost ten at night!"

The brown-haired boy only rolled his eyes and walked around his roommate to get to his bed where his other things were at. The images of what happened in front of the restaurant flashed in his head making him clench his jaw.

Why did Taehyung ever think that this was all going to end well? No matter what, he had to accept the fact that there will NEVER be a happy ending when it came to him and Jeongguk. Just the mere look of the raven-head's face when he found out that Taehyung was in love with him; that look... the surprise? The shock? The disappointment?

Is Jeongguk disappointed to know that I love him?

That question made Taehyung's grip on the backpack in his hands tighten. But whatever! He ran away. He didn't get to see the younger boy's reaction to the news so it doesn't matter. Yeah, it's better this way. The brunet didn't need to know what Jeongguk thought.

What's done is done.

The brunet sighed.

I'm gonna be fine...

Another tear rolled down his cheek and then the boy collapsed to his knees, hunched over the side of his bed as his face was in his hands, crying out loud.

If everything's fine, then why am I crying?

Meanwhile, a very wary Jimin stood there watching everything. It just killed him to see his best friend act this way. Slowly, he approached Taehyung. "Tae, why don't you just stay here for the night. We'll leave tomorrow, yeah?"

They were supposed to leave tomorrow anyway, with Yoongi. So it was better to leave then in the morning. Looking at Taehyung's state, he was definitely in no state to travel.

In response to Jimin's suggestion, the brown-haired boy managed to control his sobs a little and shook his head. "No Jimin, I need to leave now," He rose up to his feet. "I-I just can't stay here a second longer," Both his suitcase and backpack were ready on his bed. Taehyung turned to face his roommate. "I don't care if you don't want to come with me. It's fine, I'll go on my own."

Taehyung then grabbed both his bags and moved past Jimin to walk out his room, leaving the other boy behind. In the living room, the brunet stopped his tracks and whipped out his phone to check the train schedules.

A few sniffles left him as he desperately tapped on the screen of the device in his hands. Honestly, he was scared to travel alone at this hour. But the amount of pain he was in with all that had happened overshadowed his fear. For once, let him be brave; even if he was running away right now.

He just couldn't face Jeongguk again after this.

A few minutes passed and unfortunately most of the trains to Daegu had already departed from the train station. And then finally, like a light in the dark, there was one train left but it was going to leave at midnight.

Good enough.

Just as the boy was about to leave though, Jimin walked out from behind him. Taehyung's brows furrowed together as he studied his best friend. With a comforting smile on the roommate's face, his hand gripped the straps of a... bag? Wait-

"I'm coming with you."

Taehyung's mouth slightly parted as he blinked a few times. Surely Jimin wouldn't be so kind and thoughtful as to accompany him to Daegu at this hour. But the sincere look on the boy's face said otherwise.

Still, the brunet didn't want to put Jimin through this. "Jimin, you don't have to-"

"Tae, I'm coming and that's final." The silver-haired boy walked ahead to the front door of their apartment grabbing the keys in the bowl by the door in the process, leaving a shocked and grateful Taehyung behind.

Jimin turned around to the brunet. "What are you waiting for, come on. Yoongi's already downstairs with his car."

Taehyung nodded and started to walk but then he stopped again-

Did Jimin say Yoongi?

. . .

There were very few stars out tonight.

A yawn left Yoongi's lips as he casually drove his Audi down the dark highway, one hand on the steering wheel while the other rested against his head, elbow on the windowsill. Next to him on the passenger's seat was Jimin who was constantly switching the radio stations, trying to find a decent station that played good music.

At the back, Taehyung sat with his head resting against the window. He was sleepy but restless. The time read '2 A.M.' but he was wide awake as he gazed out the window with his one hand subconsciously meddling with the bracelet on his other hand.

He just didn't have the heart to take it off.

His mind did wonder if Jeongguk had tried to call him or go to his apartment but those thoughts were quickly blocked out as he remembered one other thing: Jeongguk was engaged now. He was engaged to Minchae.

That fact almost suffocated the brown-haired boy. And then he could feel his tears building up behind his eyes again with the lump in his throat. Plus, his heart that ached so much. Overall, it was safe to say that Taehyung was just... broken.

Clearly, love wasn't anything and everything he hoped for.

After another hour or so, Yoongi pulled over at a gas station on the side of the highway. Jimin wasted no time in getting out of the car, chanting something along the lines of "Gotta pee! Gotta pee!"

The pale boy simply chuckled at his boyfriend's act and also got out to fill up his car's gas tank. Taehyung was left in the car alone so he decided to get out as well. He approached the older boy who had just placed in the gas nozzle into the gas tank of his car.

Yoongi saw the brunet and smiled comfortingly. "How are you feeling?"

Judging by the sympathetic look on the older boy's face, Taehyung figured Jimin must've told him bits of what happened. However, he didn't mind. Yoongi probably deserved to know what happened anyway, seeing as how he had to show up at their doorstep at night, ready to drive him and Jimin to Daegu.

Taehyung sucked in a sharp breath. The night air was cold here. "I'm fine, Hyung."

"I'm sorry the backseat isn't that comfortable for you to sleep."

"No, it's fine. I'm not sleepy anyway."

But the pale boy shook his head, smiling. "Taehyung, you look exhausted."

"Yeah well, so do you," He couldn't help but notice Yoongi yawning the entire journey here. "I'm sorry for making you drive us out here this late at night."

"It's okay. We were eventually gonna drive here anyway so there's no difference leaving a day earlier."

That certainly eased the burden off of the brunet's shoulder. He already had a lot on his plate; he didn't need to feel guilty for making Yoongi drive them all the way to Daegu. But honestly, now that they were leaving Seoul momentarily, the brunet couldn't help but never wanting to back there.

So many bad things happened there; memories that he couldn't erase.

Taehyung leaned against the side of the car. He sighed. "I hate Seoul..." He mumbled.

By now the car was already filled up with gas. Yoongi took out the nozzle and placed it back at its respective place. He chuckled and turned his attention to Taehyung while he screwed shut the gas tank cover. "Oh really?"

"Yeah," The younger boy mustered out a confident look. "I'm never going back there."

Yoongi crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't you have your exams coming up?"

Oh right! Taehyung almost forgot. "Okay then, after that. Then I'm moving away."

Maybe he didn't mean any of this but it was a good distraction and the brown-haired boy was really glad Yoongi continued to play along with the little humor they had going on. The last thing he wanted right now was for someone to bring up what happened earlier.

Just then, Jimin came back. He turned his head between Yoongi and Taehyung for a few times, eyebrows furrowed. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Taehyung wants to move away." Yoongi casually said.

The roommate looked at his best friend. Normally he'd reply back with a sarcastic comment but right now, he wanted to cheer the brunet up. So he grinned. "That's okay! We can all be on the move together!" He spoke for all three of them causing confused expressions to take over Yoongi and Taehyung's faces.

Jimin realized their confusion and rolled his eyes. "You know, like hitchhikers."

There were a few seconds of silence before both the other boys burst out laughing. This made the silver-head glare at them with his hands on either side of his hips. "What's so funny?"

Taehyung tried to control his laughter. "Jimin, I don't think hitchhikers travel across the country in an expensive car."

"So what? It's the modern way of hitchhiking." Jimin grinned making his eyes turn into crescents. It was too cute that Yoongi ruffled the boy's silver hair adoringly. In return, Jimin leaned closer into the older boy's chest as they were quietly talking to each other, momentarily in their own world.

For a second, Taehyung almost forgot that they were dating. The brunet smiled as he walked over to the other side of the car, ready to get in. He was having mixed emotions, the smile slowly dropping from his face. He took one last glance at his best friend and Yoongi.

They were so loving to one another; so free to be with each other, however they wanted.

Something Taehyung could never have.

Chapter Text

Around eight in the morning, the three boys finally arrived in Daegu.

It took them another half an hour just to reach Taehyung's parents' house. They lived in a particularly small village. And as Yoongi's exclusive car cruised through the rows of tiny houses, old ladies who sat outside in circles together, peeling potatoes gave them weird looks; kids who were chasing one another down the street also stopped to gape at the foreign car they had probably never seen before.

The car finally stopped in front of a purple house with a crooked black gate in front of it that was rusted in a few places.

"Is this it?" Yoongi looked at Taehyung in the back. Meanwhile, the boy had his eyes locked out the window staring at the house he grew up in. A nostalgic feeling suddenly fell over the brunet.

"Yeah it is." He soon replied, subconsciously pulling the door handle before getting out of the car.

The fresh cold morning air hit Taehyung as his eyes closed momentarily. It was honestly good to be back here, mind his tiredness from the journey. A change of scenery was definitely what he needed. When the brunet's eyes opened, he caught sight of a familiar woman at the doorstep of the house they were in front of. She had a basket of clothes in her hands, probably about to dry them in the morning sun.

His mother.

As soon as her eyes fell on her son, the basket in her hands dropped to the ground. For Taehyung, all the past arguments he had with her flew out of his mind and a smile reached his lips upon seeing his mother run up to him excitedly.

"Darling! You're here!" She wrapped her bony arms around the brunet's torso. He hugged her back, inhaling the perfume she wore all the time.

By now, Jimin and Yoongi had started to unload the bags from the trunk of the car, leaving the mother and son to have their little reunion in peace.

"I thought you were going to get here in the afternoon," She cupped her son's face. "You should have told me you were coming a little earlier, I would have cooked something."

"Mom, it's fine." Taehyung smiled back.

The woman let go of his face and went on the grab his hand, pulling him into the house compound. "Well, come on in. It's cold out here. Your father will be so happy to know that you're already here."

Back at the car, Jimin turned to Yoongi with a playfully offended expression. "Do you see that? She barely acknowledges our presence." He pointed a finger to the mother and son heading into the house.

In response to that, the pale older boy simply smiled back at his boyfriend. "She just misses her son, that's all. Come on."

Taehyung realized that almost nothing changed here. All the furniture were in their exact same spots, nothing moved even a millimeter away from its original place. He sat on the couch in the living room while his mother went to get his father.

Then a mumbling Jimin entered through the front door, with Yoongi behind him. He spotted Taehyung on the couch and glared at him.

"So you just left us to carry your stuff?"

Straight away, the brunet noticed the bags the two boys were carrying and stood up. "Shit! I'm so sorry." He walked towards them, taking his own luggage away from his friend.

Just then, the sound of someone clearing their throat caught the attention of all three of the boys. Right there, Taehyung's mother stood next to his father. It's been too long since he'd seen the old man. His father had definitely gotten older as most of his black hair was gone. He had a stern look on his face that gave Taehyung flashbacks to when he was a child and his father would be mad at him for disobeying him.

So the brunet stood frozen, awaiting his father's words as the man was still not smiling

Maybe he was still upset at Taehyung for not doing what he wanted him to do. And that's why he never talked to the brunet whenever his wife was on the phone with their son. However, all those horrible thoughts disappeared when the man pulled his wrinkled lips into a boxy grin; the same grin his son had.

"My son! Come here!" With stretched out arms, Taehyung's father welcomed him.

The brown-haired boy wasted no time in rushing to his father, enveloping the old man in a tight hug. "I missed you so much." The boy whispered.

No matter what disagreement he had with his parents, nothing compared to the moment when they were all together. Suddenly, all the petty things they argued about just didn't matter anymore. Plus, with all that had happened in Seoul, it was now that he realized how important it was to have your family behind you at all times.

They pulled away and the boy's father gripped either side of his shoulders. "Oh my, look at how much you've grown." He smiled adoringly at his son. Taehyung's mother was right next to them, a huge smile on her face as she watched them.

Taehyung continued to smile at his parents. He knew that they'd probably lecture him later about leaving Seoul to take the internship at the company his father was working in but that was for later.

The boy took a step back from his father and stood next to the two other boys who were there, standing at the front door. "Mom, dad, you remember Jimin, my roommate." He placed an arm around the roommate's shoulders.

Jimin was definitely hating this right now. And judging by the frowns on Taehyung's parents' faces, they probably hated it too. Still, it was the brunet's father who took the first step. "Hello, young man."

Almost immediately, the silver-haired boy did a ninety degree bow. "U-Uh, hello to you too Mr Kim."

Quickly before Taehyung's mother could say anything about his best friend, he moved over to Yoongi. "This is my friend, Yoongi. He actually drove us here-"

However, before the boy could finish speaking, his father's eyes widened as he walked closer to stand in front of the pale boy. "Mr Min?"

Taehyung's eyes grew big as he tried to process how his father just addressed Yoongi. Mr Min? Even Jimin was confused as he placed the bags in his hands down to the floor before fixing his gaze on his boyfriend.

"Mr Min?" The brunet asked, turning to Yoongi who had a sheepish look on.

"Don't you know who this is?" Taehyung's father asked making him even more confused.

"Uh, no."

The old man sighed and gestured to the pale boy. "This boy is the son to the CEO of the company who invests and grants me a loan for all my farm equipment and necessities.."

Right away, both Taehyung and Jimin's jaws dropped to the ground.

But slowly, everything started piecing itself together back to when Yoongi had told Taehyung that his father owned a company. Who knew that it would be that same company that is in some way related with Taehyung's father.

"It's good to meet you sir." Yoongi politely held out his hand for the man to shake.

For the second time today, the brunet's father grinned. He took the boy's hand. "I have to say you grew up to be a fine young man indeed. Your father is always praising you in meetings."

The pale boy only smiled back.

"Why don't you stay for breakfast Mr Min?" Taehyung's mother offered.

"Oh no, it's okay and please just call me Yoongi." Before Yoongi could even take a step back, the younger boy's parents were already insisting for the older boy to stay a little while longer.

"Just stay for a while. You must be tired from your long journey." His mother said.

"Come on. Let's have a little chat, shall we?" The old man wrapped his arm around Yoongi's shoulders pulling him along into the inner part of the house where a small round table was located at. There were a few chairs tucked under the table, a suitable place for people to sit and chat.

Meanwhile, back in the living room of the house, Taehyung and Jimin were still standing in their spots, shocked at everything that had just happened.

Taehyung was the first to turn to Jimin. "Did-Did you know about this?"

The other boy shook his head. "No, he didn't say anything to me about being the son of a CEO."

The two of them hadn't realized Taehyung's mother still standing there, with her hands on her hips. "You two should learn a thing or two from Yoongi. He's a bright young man."

Straight away, Taehyung thought to the ink covering the older boy's skin. Yoongi was definitely hiding his tattoos from the grown ups because it was a common thing for parents here to frown upon the idea of their kids getting tattoos.

Which suddenly reminded the brunet...

Oh no. Not now!

Fortunately, his mother was not focused on him at the moment. However...

Poor Jimin.

"Do you still are a part of some- body shaking activity.?" The woman took a few steps closer to them.

Jimin sighed. "It's called Dancing.."

"That's not important, do you know how much time you're wasting playing that thing when you could be doing something more useful?" She narrowed her gaze at the silver-haired boy.

In response to that, the boy only smiled back insincerely and turned to Taehyung. "Where should I put these?" Jimin asked reaching to the ground to pick up their bags, ignoring his best friend's mother's comments.

"Oh," Taehyung turned to a door leading to a room just next to them. It was his room. "In there." He pointed to the door.

Just as Jimin was about to start walking, the brunet's mother blocked his path. This time, she reached out her hand to touch the boy's silver hair. "Are you an old man? Why is your hair grey?"

Taehyung tried to control his laughter as he bit down on his lip. Jimin will definitely yell at him for this later. So he tried to help his best friend. "Mom, it's silver." Okay, so maybe that wasn't helpful at all.

"Does it matter that it's silver? Your mother gave birth to you with beautiful black hair and you dye it into this horrible color?!"

By now Jimin was already fuming. He dropped the bags in his hands to the ground. "Oh yeah?" He pointed to his best friend next to him. "What about your son? He also dyed his hair!" He complained like a little boy telling on his brother to their mother.

Taehyung's laughter had died down as he elbowed Jimin. "Dude, shut up!" He whisper-yelled.

However it was too late, for his mother had her sharp gaze burning over his brown hair now. She had that look on; that I'm-going-to-kill-you-for-doing-this look. But she wasn't just giving that look to her son. In fact, they were both in trouble now.

Thanks a lot Jimin.

____

Guys, let us not curse at Tae's mother. She's just a typical mother, with great motherly instincts.

Chapter Text

It was almost one in the morning when Jeongguk came back home. It was safe to say that the engagement party earlier turned out a complete disaster.

"He loves me," the raven-head muttered under his breath for the billionth time this night as he ascended the front steps of the mansion his family lived in. Each second that passed was torture for him. How could he continue on with his life when Taehyung- his precious hyung had left in tears.

Suddenly, everything became so clear; why Taehyung reacted the way he did whenever Minchae was around.

He was in love with me...

"Fuck, he loves me!" Jeongguk shouted this time, falling onto his knees at the doorstep of the huge house. His hands were covering his face as he could feel his eyes started to tear up.

Before this, just the thought of losing the older boy was unbearable to Jeongguk. He thought he'd never have to deal with this- with Taehyung running away from him. However now, whether he liked it or not, the brunet was gone.

The boy's tattooed hands then gripped his hair as a tired sigh left him upon remembering what just happened; how he left the engagement party halfway, recklessly driving his car all the way to the downside of town, reaching Taehyung's apartment... only to find that it was empty.

It was so difficult to accept, really. Taehyung was gone and there was no way for the raven-head to possibly know where he went. He felt so helpless and horrible right now. Jeongguk needed to see the older boy this instant. He needed to explain everything.

The mere look on the brunet's face just now when Minchae exposed the truth; that 'look' was haunting the younger boy to the point where he found it unable to think of anything else besides his hyung.

But it was late now.

Jeongguk had just searched every possible place that the brown-haired boy could've been at. There was no sign of him anywhere and by the end of it all, the raven-head finally remembered that Taehyung was supposed to go back to his hometown. So he probably took the train to Daegu with Jimin or something.

It was what he chose to believe. Still, it killed him that Taehyung's phone was switched off. He just wanted to hear the older boy's voice; to get some assurance that he would be seeing his hyung again, so he could explain things.

What a long night it had been indeed and right now, the raven-head was beyond exhausted both physically and mentally. With the little energy left in him, he got to his feet, with a hand rising to brush away his fallen tears off his cheeks and walked into the giant house.

The loud wooden door closed, its sound echoing off the insides of the quiet house. Everyone was probably asleep now. In the past, the raven-head would be sneaking up to his room after having a late hang out with his friends but for today, he dragged his lifeless body towards the stairs, mind blank and feeling numb.

What the boy hadn't realize was both his parents wide awake, standing near the base of the stairwell watching him. They were in their night robes, showing that they've been home for quite some time already.

"Where the hell have you been?!" His father wasted no time to start the interrogation.

They both watched their son barely flinch at the loud tone aimed at him. Slowly, the boy lifted his head and looked at his parents with a poker face. He didn't say anything.

His angry father took a few steps towards him. "I asked you a question," He gritted out. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?" When the raven-head continued to stay quiet, the older man just lost it and gripped his son's collar harshly.

Jeongguk remained expressionless which taunted his father even more. However, his mother was already gripping her husband's arm, pulling it in an attempt to pry it off her son's collar. "Please stop!" She cried to the man.

"How could you just leave like that?!" The old man barked, giving Jeongguk a death glare. "Do you know how humiliating it was for us to explain to everyone there about you suddenly disappearing."

No matter what his parents were saying, all the boy could think about was Taehyung. He was already planning to leave after this. Jeongguk didn't know where he actually planned to go but he knew that he couldn't just stay here with this unsettling feeling in his gut.

"Are you fucking deaf or something?! Answer me!" His father's voice brought him back to reality- well sort of.

"Just let him go already!" The boy's mother begged.

With one final look, the old man realized that Jeongguk was never going to answer him so he released his grip on his son's collar, shoving him back in the process. The raven-head stumbled a few steps back but stood straight with his head bowed.

At once, the boy's mother was by his side, cupping his face. "Are you alright?"

Meanwhile, the fuming old man had his arms crossed over his chest, gazing at his son with pure disappointment. "I don't care what excuse you have to give, but tomorrow we're going to have another gathering for your engagement to repair the damages that you made tonight. You are not to leave the house until then, am I clear?"

This certainly sparked up the boy's attention. He wasn't allowed to leave the house now? Why was everything turning out like this? Why did he have to be stuck like this, surrounded by heartless people. He felt like he could explode at any moment now thinking of what they did; how Minchae planned the surprise engagement party and managed to convince his parents to go along with it.

Taehyung showing up there and leaving with a broken heart.

It was as if his own family- the people he grew up with had intentionally did this just to make him miserable.

Just as his father was about to walk away, the boy finally spoke up one simple word.

"Why?" It was soft but enough for his parents to hear.

The old man turned around with a strict look. "What did you say?"

"Why are you doing this to me?" There were definite tears forming in Jeongguk's eyes now. His mother had dropped her hands from his face only to place them over her mouth in shock. It had certainly been a long time since his parents had seen him cry. "Up until now, I've done what you've told me to do. I went to the school you chose for me, I hung out with the people you chose for me, I cannot draw properly without shaking.... I even studied what you wanted me to study but-" A few tears rolled down his cheeks as he sucked in a shaky breath.

"But this engagement..." He swallowed hard, thinking whether or not he should tell his parents about how he was really feeling. And then a certain brunet appeared in his thoughts and the raven-head knew that he had to be brave and face his parents.

"I don't love her." He said lastly, feeling so powerless. Maybe he should have said something else like 'You can't force me to marry her!' but that's just it, this wasn't anything new. Jeongguk always felt this way; weak whenever he faced his father.

There was a moment of silence. The smallest part of Jeongguk thought that his parents would actually save him from this hell but that was something only to wonder of in his head and never really to happen in real life because he forgot one important thing.

He forgot that this were his parents he was talking to at the moment;

The same people that prioritized their public image over their family's happiness.

The same people that still stayed together even though they were obviously having affairs behind their spouse's back.

The same people that didn't believe in love.

Jeongguk's father was in front of him now, watching the tears stroll down his face. "I don't fucking care if you don't love her. You will do as I say." Once again, Jeongguk found himself unable to say anything back. It was just so hard for him to stand up to his father. So with those words, the old man turned and marched away leaving the mother and son alone together.

"Jeongguk..." The woman's sweet voice filled the air but it just hurt the boy to hear his mother speaking.

Before this, the raven-head found comfort in his mother, in her embrace. She was the light of his world but now as she moved closer to him, the boy couldn't help but to step back away from her.

Why?

On top of all that had been going on, the raven-head had found out about the affair that both his parents were having. Yes, not only his father but also his mother. His mother, who he once thought was the strongest and most honest person he'd ever known.

Both his parents hated each other, okay, so get divorced or something! Why is there the need to pretend to be a perfect family to everyone else and fuck other people behind closed doors? They weren't teenagers or college students. They were grown ups right? So why were they acting like this?

And so Jeongguk just couldn't stand to be near his mother at the moment. The boy weakly turned around and began to climb the stairs, heading to his room. As he walked, he realized right then how truly alone he felt.

If something like this happened with his parents in the past, Jeongguk would have instantly left the house and gone over to Taehyung's place. Just to see his hyung, stay close to him, hear the older boy's deep voice... those were the things that kept the raven-head from falling apart. However now, Taehyung was gone.

And Jeongguk was ready to fall apart.

Chapter Text

"This is entirely your fault, Jimin."

"Mine?! Your mother is the one who forced us into this. If anything, I should be blaming you."

"I think the black hair looks good on both of you."

"Shut up."

"No, it doesn't."

Both younger men disagreed with simultaneous vehemence.

Despite Yoongi's diplomatic attempts to praise their newly dyed black hair, Jimin and Taehyung remained stubbornly dissatisfied. How could Taehyung's mother actually mandate this change? They'd had colored hair for years now. Reverting to black felt fundamentally wrong to them, though objectively speaking, they didn't look bad with it.

Approximately two hours had passed since their arrival at Taehyung's parents' house in Daegu. They'd rested briefly, eaten a meal prepared by his mother, and then been essentially marched to a nearby hair salon against their will to "fix" their appearance. During that time, Yoongi had taken the opportunity to visit his own family home, which wasn't far from the Kim residence.

Now the three of them were together again, embarking on an outing that Taehyung hadn't anticipated.

Somehow, his father had managed to convince him to visit the company where he worked to learn about an internship opportunity. Taehyung honestly didn't feel like doing anything productive today, but he figured leaving the house might provide a welcome distraction from the obvious problems he was drowning in back in Seoul.

Yoongi had been entrusted with transporting Taehyung to the company facility since his father had to attend some critical meeting elsewhere. Jimin had tagged along because, in his words, he had nothing better to do. After a relatively short drive through Daegu's outskirts, the three young men found themselves standing before an expansive compound that was nothing like what Taehyung had imagined.

There was a specific reason this company wasn't located within the city limits, and that reason became immediately obvious: space. The operation required vast amounts of land. Before them stretched a modern administrative building alongside massive warehouse structures. Beyond those, Taehyung could see what appeared to be experimental fields and greenhouse facilities extending into the distance.

Even after all these years, Taehyung still didn't know the exact name of his father's partner. He'd understood it had something to do with agriculture and food production, but he'd never paid much attention to the specifics. So when they approached the main entrance and he saw the large sign reading "GreenTech Agricultural Solutions & Preservatives," he felt a flash of surprise.

GreenTech? Isn't that one of the major agricultural technology companies?

He turned to Yoongi with furrowed brows, his confusion evident. The older man sensed his bewilderment and explained in his characteristically matter-of-fact tone.

"Each region usually has a headquarters for major agricultural corporations. My father runs the operations for GreenTech's South Korea division, which is based here in Daegu." He said it casually, as though discussing something mundane rather than a multi-billion won enterprise.

Both Taehyung and Jimin's eyes went comically wide as they stared at Yoongi. It made sense now – the expensive car, the confident way Yoongi carried himself, the deference people seemed to show him. He was the heir to a massive agricultural technology corporation.

*You don't learn something like that every day.*

"Well, come on then. I'll show you around the facilities."

After recovering from their initial shock, both younger men quietly followed Yoongi. They approached one of the large warehouse structures first, the sound of machinery and voices growing louder with each step. The facility was surrounded by a security fence with a single guarded entrance.

When the security officer spotted Yoongi, he immediately straightened and nodded respectfully, pushing open the gate without requiring any identification. The metallic clang of the gate closing behind them made Taehyung jump slightly.

But any lingering nervousness evaporated as his eyes took in the scene before him.

The warehouse had massive doors that granted them a view of the entire operation inside. Dozens – perhaps over a hundred – workers moved purposefully through the space, most wearing coveralls or protective gear. Some clustered around large processing equipment, tools in hand and expressions focused. Others operated forklifts carrying pallets of packaged goods. Still others monitored computer systems that presumably controlled various aspects of the operation.

"This is one of our main processing and preservation facilities," Yoongi explained as they walked. "Different teams handle specific tasks. Some focus on the initial processing of agricultural products – cleaning, sorting, quality control. Then we have teams that specialize in various preservation methods: freeze-drying, vacuum sealing, organic preservative application. There's also a research team that tests new preservation techniques and develops improved formulations."

The scene was completely foreign to both Taehyung and Jimin, neither of whom had ever considered the complexity behind food preservation and agricultural technology.

Yoongi led them through the warehouse, and just like at the gate, workers stopped to greet him respectfully before returning to their tasks. Eventually, they reached a door at the far end. Yoongi punched a code into a security panel, and a green light flashed as the lock disengaged.

They walked through into what felt like an entirely different world.

The stark contrast to the industrial warehouse was striking. They'd entered the main administrative building, where polished floors reflected soft lighting, potted plants decorated elegant reception areas, telephone lines rang in the background, and the quiet chime of elevator doors provided a rhythmic soundtrack. People in business attire moved purposefully through the space, carrying tablets, folders, or coffee cups, their professional conversations creating a constant murmur.

It was the quintessential corporate environment.

"The internship program is managed by Mrs. Myeong in Human Resources," Yoongi mentioned as he navigated the hallways with practiced ease. "Her office is just down here."

He led them to a modest office situated on the ground floor. Once again, passing employees greeted Yoongi with varying degrees of formality and respect.

As they walked two steps behind their guide, Jimin couldn't resist leaning toward Taehyung's ear. "He's like some kind of celebrity around here," he whispered, only half-joking.

Taehyung shrugged with a small smile, understanding his roommate's awe. Yoongi certainly projected an image of authority and wealth here – the clear heir to a major corporation. Yet he also knew the other side of their boss: the man who created intricate tattoo designs, rode a motorcycle for the pure pleasure of it, and had an inexplicable fondness for apple pie. An unusual combination, to say the least.

They arrived at a door bearing a gold nameplate: "Myeong Bae-In, Director of Human Resources." Yoongi knocked politely and pushed it open when a feminine voice called out, "Come in."

A woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties sat behind an organized desk, reviewing documents with focused attention. Her head lifted, sharp eyebrows raising in obvious surprise. "Yoongi?" She stood immediately, walking around her desk to greet them. "I haven't seen you at the facilities in quite some time." Her gaze shifted to assess Taehyung and Jimin with professional curiosity. "What brings you by today?"

Yoongi gestured toward the two younger men. "We're here to inquire about the internship program the company recently launched."

"Ah." Her expression shifted to something more evaluative as she studied both younger men. She took several steps forward, her heels clicking against the polished floor, until she stood directly before them.

Taehyung found himself glancing at her once before looking down, suddenly self-conscious. The woman's gaze was intensely intimidating.

"This internship," she began, her tone businesslike. "Are both of you interested in applying?"

"Just him," Yoongi answered, placing a hand on Taehyung's shoulder to clarify.

Mrs. Myeong nodded and stepped back toward her desk, leaning against its edge in that casual-yet-professional pose that executives seemed to favor. "What's your name?"

"Kim Taehyung."

"And do you understand what this internship entails?"

Taehyung tried to formulate an answer before realizing no one had actually explained the position's details. He shook his head honestly. Mrs. Myeong nodded as though she'd expected this and maintained her position perched on the desk edge.

"I'll be direct then," she said, a slight smile appearing. "If you accept this internship, you'll be transferred to our partner facility in Japan for the duration of the program."

*What?*

"J-Japan? As in the country?" Taehyung stammered. No one had mentioned anything about relocating to another country. Thank god he hadn't blindly accepted just to please his parents without understanding the terms first.

"Yes, that Japan," Mrs. Myeong confirmed, reaching beside her to retrieve a document from her desk. She held it out for him to take.

Taehyung accepted it, scanning the information with Jimin peering over his shoulder, both their eyebrows furrowed in concentration. They read through requirements about passport validity, visa processing, housing arrangements, and various other logistics. With each line, Taehyung felt his interest in this opportunity steadily declining.

"But what would he actually be doing in this role?" Yoongi asked, cutting through the practical details.

Mrs. Myeong answered in one smooth breath: "Writing."

Taehyung's head snapped up immediately. "Writing?"

The woman smiled, seeming pleased by his reaction. "I'm familiar with your father, Kim Taehyung," she said, pronouncing his name with deliberate clarity. "He submitted your resume to me several months ago. With your diploma in Journalism and your demonstrated writing skills, you're exceptionally well-qualified for this program."

*Several months ago?*

A memory suddenly surfaced – his mother calling him recently, inviting him home for dinner, mentioning something about an opportunity his father wanted to discuss. He'd been so caught up in his own problems, so focused on Jeongguk and Minchae and everything falling apart, that he'd completely dismissed it. Now he understood. That dinner invitation had been about this internship. His parents had been planning this for months.

The realization made his chest tighten. How long had they been working on this behind the scenes?

Aloud, he asked, "So what would I be writing?"

"As you may know, Japan and South Korea have closely connected agricultural sectors," Mrs. Myeong explained. "While our companies operate under different management structures, our Japanese partner facility has achieved significantly better results in sustainable farming practices and organic preservation methods. They've reduced waste by thirty-five percent compared to our operations and have developed several innovative preservation techniques we haven't mastered yet."

She paused to let that sink in before continuing. "To improve our own operations, we've initiated this internship program. We send people like you to their facility as observers and reporters. Your primary responsibility would be studying their methods, documenting best practices, and reporting your findings back to our leadership team."

Taehyung found himself actually intrigued despite his initial resistance.

"Don't worry about being lost," she added reassuringly. "You'll be assigned to work under one of their experienced department heads in agricultural research and preservation. They'll teach you everything you need to understand about the processes."

The position was starting to sound... feasible. Study advanced farming and preservation techniques, ask questions, conduct interviews, and write comprehensive reports. It aligned perfectly with his journalism training while exposing him to an entirely different field.

While he processed this internally, Mrs. Myeong watched him carefully. She could obviously sense his hesitation. "This is only an internship," she emphasized. "A trial period. You'd be there for several months before returning here to potentially join our company in a permanent capacity."

Her gaze flickered briefly to Jimin before returning to Taehyung with a knowing smile. "Since this is a new program, we understand the challenges of sending someone abroad alone for an extended period. We want our interns to feel supported and comfortable."

"How do you ensure that?" Taehyung asked before he could stop himself.

Mrs. Myeong walked toward them with deliberate purpose. She stopped in front of Jimin rather than Taehyung, gesturing to him while addressing her actual target. "The company allows each intern to bring one companion. All expenses paid – housing, meals, transportation. We believe having familiar support makes people more productive."

The implication hung in the air.

*You can take Jimin with you to Japan.*

Taehyung felt his world tilt slightly. This wasn't just a job offer. This was a completely different life path being presented to him. A chance to leave Seoul, to escape the impossible situation with Jeongguk and Minchae, to focus on building his career in a new environment.

His mother's dinner invitation echoed in his mind again. She'd called him days ago, her voice warm and hopeful: "Your father has something important to discuss, Taehyung. Come home for dinner soon?" He'd made excuses, said he was too busy, promised to visit later.

She'd been trying to tell him about this opportunity. She and his father had been planning this for months – researching the program, submitting his resume, preparing this path for him.

Part of him felt manipulated. But another part recognized the genuine care behind it, even if the execution felt heavy-handed.

"Can I have some time to think about this?" Taehyung asked quietly.

Mrs. Myeong smiled. "Of course. Take a week. Discuss it with your family and your friend here." She nodded toward Jimin. "This is a significant decision. We want you to be certain."

As they left her office and walked back through the facility, Taehyung's mind churned with possibilities and implications. Yoongi and Jimin chatted about something, but their voices seemed distant, muffled by the weight of the choice he was facing.

Japan. Several months away from Seoul. Away from Jeongguk. Away from all the pain and complexity and impossible longing.

Was that what he wanted? To run away?

Or was it exactly what he needed – a chance to build something for himself, to pursue his career, to figure out who Kim Taehyung was when he wasn't consumed by his feelings for someone he couldn't have?

He didn't have an answer yet. But for the first time in months, he had a viable path forward that didn't involve just surviving day to day, caught between hope and heartbreak.

And that, at least, was something.

Chapter Text

Later that day, since Taehyung and Jimin were going to take the night train back to Seoul, his family decided to have an early dinner. Yoongi had dropped them off at the boy's parents' house and went back to his own house. The pale boy wouldn't be going back to Seoul now as his father needed him here.

"This internship sounds delightful, so when are you leaving to Japan?" Taehyung's mother asked as she placed down the last dish, which was sweet and sour pork onto the table and then took a seat next to her husband. "So are you going to take Jimin with you?" She then asked not too excitedly, eyeing her son's best friend in front of her.

"Mom, I haven't agreed to it yet." And 'yes' to her last question. If he was going to Japan, there was no question about it, Taehyung would definitely take Jimin. The silver-head himself was pretty excited about it on the car ride back here. The company would cover all their living expenses there so they wouldn't have to worry about money.

They were all sat on the ground cross-legged in the living room around one of those short square-shaped portable tables. The boy's parents were sitting next to each other while Jimin and him were sat together on the other side.

"Well I don't know what you're waiting for, it sounds like a very good opportunity and when you get back here, you can straight away work in the company as a full-time employee." His father explained, reaching out his chopsticks to get a piece of pork.

All Taehyung could do was sigh and push around the rice in his bowl with the wooden sticks in his hand. He wasn't really hungry at the moment. Ever since they left the company, he has had a lot to think about. Well, this really wasn't an easy decision to make, now was it? We're talking about leaving the country here. There were so many things to consider and prepare. Plus, Taehyung was pretty sure that his passport had expired.

"I still don't know..." The boy said quietly.

To be honest, there was nothing really stopping Taehyung from agreeing to this. He had nothing holding him back but he was rather looking for an excuse to not go. As much as he didn't want to open that door in his head labelled 'Jeongguk', the boy did it anyway. How could he not think about the raven-head right now? Things were still unresolved between them.

Taehyung probably made everything worse by running here without talking to Jeongguk about what happened and now was he really going to go back to Seoul just to drop the news to the younger boy that he was temporarily moving to Japan. Jeongguk was not going to like this. Then again...

Jeongguk was engaged now.

Their future together seemed almost non-existent.

The chopsticks in the curly-haired boy's hand was placed down onto the table as he gripped the bracelet he was wearing around his left wrist, under the table so that his parents wouldn't see. He could feel the letters of Jeongguk's initials on his fingers.

A wave of mixed emotions surged through him. No, he was just not over the fact that all these bad things happened. Above all, he just fucking missed the raven-head so much. It killed the boy to switch off his phone, knowing very well that Jeongguk would try to call him. Why was Taehyung avoiding Jeongguk so much when he just couldn't stop thinking about the younger boy?

Everything was just confusing.

"Son, you have to reach a decision quickly. There are so many other applicants that really want this internship." His father said eyeing him from opposite the table.

Taehyung lifted his head, trying hard not to let his parents notice his teary eyes. He saw one thing when he looked at them. Hope. They were hoping for him to say 'yes'. It was obvious that him taking this job would mean a lot to them; it would put their worries over him aside.

"What if I say no?" The words slipped out before he could stop it himself.

Both his parents stopped eating and looked at him confusedly. His mother was the first to chuckle. "Why would you say no? It's the perfect job for you."

Meanwhile his father was just staring at him with a blank look. The old man placed his chopsticks down before taking in a deep breath. "Why are you being difficult again? You don't have any other job offers here so why is it so hard for you to just listen to us," The boy's father shook his head disappointingly. "Just once, can't you-"

"I did apply for a job in Seoul," Taehyung started, remembering that Namjoon had said that he'd try to get a job for the boy in a publishing firm where his friend was working at. "I'm still waiting to hear if I got it or not." He added quietly.

For a few seconds, his parents were silent and then finally his father spoke up. "Well okay," There was a challenging look on the old man's face. "Let's do this then, if you don't get that job in Seoul then you will have to take this internship, alright?"

"Dad-"

"It's a fair deal, son. Do you plan to be unemployed forever?" His father asked because of course part time job at the cafe is not his future.

"I'm just asking you to let me decide-"

"Then what's the point of us being your parents if you're gonna make all the decisions?" The old man fired back. Taehyung was worried something like this might happen; him arguing with his father.

"Dad, I-"

"Please, darling. Just listen to your father." Taehyung's mother begged, not wanting her husband and son to start arguing.

The boy just stared at his parents for a while. He then turned to Jimin next to him who had been quietly eating his food in tiny bites, hearing everything that was going on. He really felt bad for his roommate having to be here. And then, without another thought, Taehyung nodded in defeat. Fine, if this job meant so much to his parents, then he should just take on his father's deal.

"Okay, fine. I'll take the internship if I don't get the job in Seoul."

Well, he hadn't completely lost hope. He still needed to call Namjoon and ask him about the job at the publishing firm. This would be his last hope. If he doesn't get it then- well, he'd be moving to Japan.

Yikes.

Just the thought of that made his heart pump faster. His mind moved to Jeongguk again. It wasn't even confirmed yet that he'll be going to Japan but suddenly everything seemed too real. And what was even more real was the thought of not seeing the younger boy straight for a few months. Without Taehyung even realizing it, he felt a cold teardrop stroll down his cheek.

He stood up abruptly, earning the attention of all three people sitting around the table.

"Tae, you alright?" Jimin looked up at him with a worried expression.

The curly-haired boy was quick to hide his face and turned around heading straight to his room mumbling something that sounded like, "I'm tired."

"But you haven't even touched your food yet-" His mother yelled behind him but her voice was cut off as soon as Taehyung shut the door behind him. The boy collapsed onto his childhood bed that seemed too small for him now even though he just moved out of here three years ago.

As his tears fell out of his brown eyes, he was picturing Jeongguk little by little. The boy's dimpled smile, the way he laughed, his deep onyx eyes, his over-protectivness for the older boy, his kind and caring heart, his outstanding cooking skills... and soon without him even knowing it, he was reaching for his phone that rested on his nightstand. As the back of his right hand swiped away his tears, Taehyung wasted no time in switching on his phone.

He couldn't do it anymore; he couldn't stand one more second not being with Jeongguk.

What the hell was Taehyung thinking? That he could run away and not miss the raven-head, the boy he was in love with. He was ready now, to call Jeongguk and as soon as the boy answered, Taehyung was going to apologize for running away and go back to Seoul; go back to Jeongguk.

When the boy's phone came back to life, it was spammed with a billion notifications. He had to wait a while as his eyes read over the calls he missed one by one. Right at that time, Jimin entered the room quietly, closing the door behind him.

"Tae," He called warily. "What are you doing?"

Taehyung didn't care, he was done pretending to be fine. "I'm calling Jeongguk." He said until a certain text from 'someone' caught his attention.

"Okay, whatever you want to do, I'm with you but can we just take a moment to breath for a while," Jimin walked closer to his best friend on the bed. "Your mom is crying out there, blaming herself for pushing you to take this internship. She's feeling really bad about it. Come on out and eat something first, huh?" He tried but Taehyung remained motionless on the bed.

"Tae, please answer me. Say something." Jimin frustratingly sighed.

"I didn't get it." The boy on the bed whispered out, face blank drained of any emotion.

"What?" The silver-head asked confusedly.

Taehyung looked up at his roommate, tears falling from his eyes endlessly as everything around him suddenly slowed down painfully. "I didn't get that fucking job at the publishing firm," He gritted out and let his phone drop down next to him onto the bed.

"Namjoon just texted me. I didn't get it."
___

Chapter Text

The ride to Seoul in the train was hell for Taehyung.

His eyes were wide, staring out the window as Jimin was sleeping next to him, the boy's head resting on his shoulder. The night sky was starless and its darkness perfectly mirrored the boy's mind at the moment. He was having dark thoughts. Everything was just not going his way. He could still hear his parents' words looping around in his brain from earlier.

I'm so proud of you son!

Make sure to call us everyday when you're in Japan!

They were so happy- too happy that Taehyung didn't get the job in Seoul.

He however, was just drained from all this. He didn't even get to call Jeongguk and now to be honest... just like before, Taehyung was dreading to see the younger boy again. Before this, the only problem was Minchae standing in the way of them from being together. Then, it all got worse when the girl exposed Taehyung's true feelings to Jeongguk.

Still, the damage was fixable but now.

Now Taehyung actually had to tell the raven-headed boy that he was moving away to another country, be it temporary or whatever. The main point was they won't be seeing each other for such a long time.

Just being away from Jeongguk for a day drove the older boy insane. And also, how was the younger boy even going to react when he hears this news? Oh, Taehyung really didn't want to be the cause of Jeongguk getting upset like this.

Maybe, he should lay-low for a couple of days when they got back to Seoul? And by lay-low, it didn't mean avoid Jeongguk. It meant to just let the air between them clear a bit. And hello?! Are we forgetting that the raven-head was technically engaged at the moment.

Taehyung sighed, remembering that.

Somehow, it felt like the world was against them-

Fuck!

What if Jeongguk's already married by the time I get back to Korea from Japan?

This was completely unnecessary; these thoughts that he was having but that's just Taehyung's specialty. He overthought everything. The boy was then brought out of the drowning misery he was in temporarily when he felt Jimin shifting in his sleep next to him.

"Are we there yet?" The boy asked sleepily, followed by a yawn.

"No, not yet."

Jimin hummed in response before preparing to dive into another deep sleep. However, he caught the troubled look on Taehyung's face first. "You okay dude?" He asked, voice raspy from sleep.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine."

"Tae, get some sleep," was all the silver-head said before sleep took over him, his head once again taking its place on his best friend's shoulder.

The curly-haired boy smiled a little at how adorable his roommate was when he was asleep. He then brought his attention out the train window again. He was indeed sleepy but somehow he couldn't seem to rest.

He had that feeling again.

That same feeling he had right before the big fight with Jeongguk- that weird bubbly feeling in his gut telling him that something was going to happen very soon; something bad. The last time, his prediction was true. Now...

Taehyung just hoped that he was wrong.

. . .

The same empty night sky greeted Jeongguk as he sat near the lake on the grass in the park. It was the same place the boy had taken Taehyung to many times; the many times in which they had shared countless kisses here. It was their favorite spot together but tonight, the raven-head was here all alone.

Well, he had a beer can in his hand as company.

As the boy's father had said, there indeed was another engagement party for him and Ji-yi today. The same decorations, the same food, the same guests... Despite Jeongguk's obedience when his father instructed him to not leave the house, of course- OF COURSE he had to leave.

There was no fucking way in hell he'd willingly stay to 'celebrate' his so-called engagement with that blonde girl. Speaking of Minchae, Jeongguk had not spoken a word to her after what she did. He still had trouble accepting the fact that she texted Taehyung to come to that restaurant. For her to do something like that, there was no hesitance in Jeongguk when he made up his mind; that he hated the girl now.

It wasn't even worth it to argue with her over what she did; she wasn't worth it.

No she wasn't but Taehyung was worth it. Yes, he was worth so much more to Jeongguk than Minchae ever was, which is saying a lot seeing as how he had known the girl his entire life whereas he'd only just met the older boy a few months ago.

This just proved that it doesn't matter how long you've known a person for. Anybody can fake their identity; can hide behind a mask. Fortunately, one thing was for sure and that was no one can hide forever. Eventually, by hook or by crook, that person's mask is bound to crack someday and then their true personality would be shown to the world.

Anyway so here he was, once again ditching his own engagement party. He knew his parents were going to be furious this time- scratch that, they would probably kill him for this but the boy didn't care. It was the feeling that took over him;

You know, that feeling when you just don't care anymore.

His hyung was gone now and it felt like his life was over, literally. Only now did Jeongguk realize that Taehyung held a very special place in his heart. The raven-head just hated that he only realized it now when the older boy was gone.

However, there was still a little hope left in him. Jeongguk was going to wait. He was going to wait patiently for his hyung to return- as long as it took. What mattered was that he just needed to eventually see and tell Taehyung that he was sorry; that he'll make sure Minchae never shows her face in front of the older boy again; that he lo-

"Jeongguk?!" Someone called from behind him.

The raven-head sighed and barely moved from his position as he kept his gaze over the shiny lake that reflected the lonely moon, ignoring that person. He recognized that voice all too well.

Jin.

"Jeongguk!" The older boy's voice grew louder as he now came to stand in front of the raven-head, towering over him.

"Yes?" He peered up at the boy standing before him.

Jin gave him an incredulous look. "Are you serious right now?! Don't you know everyone is looking for you?" His eyes then moved to the beer can in the younger boy's hand. He let out a breath before pinching the bridge of his nose. Jin knew there was no point lecturing Jeongguk right now seeing as how the boy looked so depressed.

"How did you find me?" The raven-headed boy asked in a monotone as he returned his gaze back to the lake, sipping a little beer after that.

It took almost a full minute for Jin to answer as he couldn't help but to stare at Jeongguk and the state he was in. Jin was just too used to seeing the younger boy always full of energy with a smile on his face. Now, dark rims circled Jeongguk's eyes. They were less obvious in the nighttime but Jin still noticed them. Another thing was that Jeongguk also looked so tired and just... beaten down.

Slowly, the older boy went to take a seat on the grass next to the raven-headed boy. They were both staring out into the lake now. "I saw your bike parked at the entrance of the park," Jin explained. "That's how I found you."

Jeongguk took in a deep breath. "I sorry hyung, for making you to go around looking for me like this. I just..." His head titled down, voice trailing off.

Jin was now observing the younger boy again with furrowed brows. He watched closely as Jeongguk now had his eyes squinted shut like he was in pain, physically. The older boy chose to keep quiet and just waited for the raven-head to say something. Eventually, Jeongguk managed to lift his head, eyes now covered with a sheen of unshed tears- Jin decided not to comment anything about that.

"...this was his favorite place to come to whenever we were together."

"Jeongguk-"

"Taehyung left, hyung..." Jeongguk's voice sounded strained. "I can't find him anywhere."

"Look, don't worry-"

"I fucked up," The younger boy abruptly turned to face Jin, making the older boy flinch back a little. There was an anxious and desperate look on Jeongguk's face as he leaned closer to the other boy. "It's my fault that all this happened. I-I should have seen how uncomfortable he was around Minchae-" He spoke so fast.

Jin had never seen Jeongguk like this before- so disheveled and scared. So he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, trying to assure him that everything would be fine. "Hey, calm down-"

"I should have left Minchae a long time ago," The raven-head frantically said, now letting the tears stroll down his cheeks. "I-I'm so fucking stupid!" He mindlessly placed the beer can down to the ground and faced the front again, this time running his hands through his hair with each elbow resting on either knee.

"He deserved so much better..." He lastly whispered.

At that moment, Jin was just feeling so conflicted looking at Jeongguk. He removed his hand from the younger boy's shoulder, biting his lower lip wondering whether he should say it or not. He knew something; something that could help put Jeongguk's mind at ease a little.

The truth was that Jin had been in contact with Jimin. The older boy was genuinely worried about Taehyung too. That's why he and the silver-head had been texting each other back and forth. So maybe Jin knew about certain things that had been going on but to make things simple, let's just focus on the part where the older boy knew that Taehyung and Jimin were returning to Seoul tonight.

Knowing that was torture for the boy because now came the hard part: should he tell Jeongguk or not?

A audible sob broke his train of thoughts as a wave of sadness flooded through him. Jeongguk was no doubt, crying. Jin sighed. He would do anything to stop the younger boy from crying like this. He thought harder about the consequences of telling Jeongguk this information but-

Fuck it.

"Jeongguk please stop crying," He started. "Taehyung didn't leave you."

Upon hearing the older boy's last sentence, Jeongguk's head shot up and he turned to the older boy in his abruptness again. "What did you say?" The raven-head had his eyes widely opened. And Jin would have stopped talking here and not say anything more but he caught something swirling in the younger boy's glassy orbs.

Hope.

And then Jin was determined to not let that hope die so he continued. "Taehyung and Jimin, they're returning to Seoul tonight from Daegu-" The boy glanced at his watch, realizing the time. It was nearly eleven now and the boys' train was supposed to arrive at ten thirty which meant that- "Uh, they're probably already back now."

When Jin looked back to Jeongguk, he saw the raven-head in a frozen state. The older boy licked his lips warily before speaking again with his hand reaching out to lightly shake the boy's shoulder.

Eventually, the younger boy managed to bring his gaze to rest over the older boy, still not saying anything yet.

"Jeongguk, look- I, uh- I probably shouldn't have said anything but now you know that Taehyung is back here. He didn't run away from you so don't feel bad about it, kay?"

Silence filled the air between them again and Jin was about to say something again but then-

"I have to go see him."

"What? No-" The boy's grew big as he watched Jeongguk get up. Jin frustratingly sighed. "Wait Jeongguk, it's late!" He cussed under his breath when the raven-head ignored him walking away in the direction of the park entrance.

As Jin got up- also picking up the disregarded beer can sitting on the grass in the process- he quickly sprinted after the other boy. Unfortunately, Jeongguk was so much faster than him.

When Jin finally got to the entrance of the park, he was just in time to see the younger boy accelerate away on his motorcycle into the dark night. Only the smoke from the bike's exhaust pipe was what remained around Jin, who ran his free hand over his face tiredly.

"What did I just do?"
___________
Do you guys remember, Jimin and jin used to hang out together before Yoongi arrived??

Chapter Text

There was an unusual silence between the two boys when they arrived back at their apartment.

Maybe it was because they were tired or maybe they both had a lot on their minds at the moment; Taehyung with the move to Japan and Jeongguk while Jimin with how to tell his own parents about moving with his best friend who he was also really worried about right now. All these unspoken thoughts were giving them headaches which made them appreciate the silence.

So neither of them decided to break the quietness.

Taehyung slumped down on the rmchair in the living room, whipping out his phone from his back pants pocket in the process.

Jimin went to take a shower.

The time was almost eleven o'clock when the silver-head appeared back in the living room freshly showered in a long-sleeved t-shirt with checkered pajamas pants, only to see his roommate still sitting in the exact position he was in since just now. Jimin sighed and approached the other boy.

"Tae, you look really tired. Why don't you go sleep? I'll help you unpack in the morning." Those three sentences brought Taehyung out of the stare-off he was having with his phone to give Jimin a quick glance.

"No thanks," was all he said as he brought his attention back to the device in his palm.

The truth was that a small part of the curly-haired boy was expecting 'someone' to call him, or even a single text would do. Anything! Taehyung's legs were itching to run out through that door and run to go see the person that had been occupying his mind this entire day.

Since the moment they arrived back in Seoul, somehow Taehyung just kept keeping his hopes up that Jeongguk would show up to see him. It first started at the train station. He saw a tall figure who had the same black locks the raven-head had. And when he ran to that person, expecting to see Jeongguk, disappointment filled him. But then he quickly got distracted by another person in a black leather jacket that also looked a little bit like the younger boy. Jimin had to practically drag the boy out of that train station.

Then, on their way home, they stopped at a Udon place near their apartment to buy dinner. While Jimin was busy paying for the food, Taehyung saw a motorcycle that look a lot like Jeongguk's passed by through the window of the shop. Straight away, he ran out of the shop, leaving the roommate to almost throw his money at the woman working there so that he could go catch his best friend in time.

And now, they were inside so there was no way of him getting distracted by a person that looked similar to Jeongguk so that was why he had his eyes glued to his phone. His last hope was to receive a call or text from the raven-head. However, so far there was no new notification on his phone.

"Tae, give it a rest. He won't call now. It's really late." Jimin said thoughtfully, not wanting the boy to keep his hopes up as he walked over to the kitchen counter where the food they bought was placed at.

Taehyung realized that his friend was right. Maybe Jeongguk didn't even know that he'd be back today. Then again, Taehyung did ignore all of his calls- wait. The boy's eyes widened as an idea popped into his mind.

I could call him.

Jimin was taking out the food container from the plastic bag when he noticed something wrong. It was just an instinct feeling, really... and he was right because there his best friend was, phone to ear, distant sound of a line beeping filling the air. The roomate had never moved so fast in his entire life before, practically pouncing onto a startled Taehyung to get the phone out of the other boy's hand.

Okay, so maybe it was unfair to Taehyung that Jimin was trying to keep him from seeing Jeongguk but in his defense, the curly-haired boy seemed to be in a daze. He had literally been mistaking so many people for the raven-head throughout this entire night. He was just feeling deprived of the younger boy's affection. And the bottom line was, Taehyung was acting on impulse, not forgetting the obvious tiredness that could be seen in his eyes and it just worried Jimin to see him behave this way.

The best thing right now was for Taehyung to rest and do everything else tomorrow.

"Give it to me!"

"No!"

"Tae-"

"It's my phone!"

They were both wrestling over the phone on the armchair and of course there was not enough room for them both so they ended up tumbling down to the carpet still struggling against one another to get the phone. This would have been funny if they both weren't so tired and under the circumstances they were in at that moment.

However, Taehyung and Jimin came to a freeze when the doorbell suddenly rang. They slowly turned to each other with confused looks on. Then, literally a millisecond later, Taehyung's eyes grew larger as he pushed his roommate out of the tangled position they were in on the ground.

He ran to the door; heart racing, blood pumping- almost tripping in the process- and finally made it there. His hand was on the door handle as he turned back to jimin who was sitting on the ground, watching curiously.

And then, without further delay, he pulled the handle and slowly the door peeled away to reveal a-

Oh my god.

It was really Jeongguk; his Jeongguk... Same dark eyes, peeking behind his equally dark bangs. Taehyung's hands came up over his mouth in shock. He noticed the tired look on the raven-head who also had an equally shocked expression as he couldn't believe it either, taking a moment longer to absorb the new hair color on his hyung. Taehyung could feel his heart pound in his ears as he subconsciously took a step forward.

There were too many things that needed to be spoken. The hazy intoxicating air between them was pulling them towards each other but there was still that tiny rational part of Taehyung's brain that told him they needed to talk first.

He licked his lips nervously, hands in fists by his sides suppressing the wild emotions coursing through him at the moment. "Jeongguk-"

"I love you."

Everything just stopped.

Oh god. Did he just-

Thump, thump.

"What did you say?" Taehyung swallowed hard, his brain not functioning properly as he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Maybe I heard him wrong.

"I love you." The younger boy said again, taking a step closer with this determined look on.

The raven-head wasted no more time as he closed the gap between them, enveloping the older boy in a tight hug. "I love you." He whispered into Taehyung's ear once more, knocking all the air out of the boy's lungs.

He said it again.

Jeongguk pulled away slowly, studying his hyung's shocked face in front of him. Without his dark eyes leaving Taehyung, the raven-head reached to take both of the older boy's hands in his, bringing them up to his red lips. With each second that Jeongguk's warm hands were around Taehyung's, slowly his fists started to loosen themselves.

Thump, thump.

The curly-haired boy watched with parted lips as Jeongguk kissed his knuckles before saying those magic words again.

"I love you. I'm sorry I didn't say it back then. I'm sorry I let you go. I'm sorry for everything..."

And that's when it finally registered into the older boy's brain that-

Jeongguk loves me too.

"I love you too." Taehyung said quickly and leaned forward, capturing the younger boy's lips in his, kissing him hard like his life depended on it. The raven-head was slightly taken by surprise as he stepped back at the impact but straight away his hands secured themselves on the boy's waist as they made out.

It wasn't hard to describe what the boys felt as they were swimming in each other's embrace. They have kissed each other a million times before but this time, it was different. It was different because now they loved each other. Taehyung knew Jeongguk loved him and Jeongguk knew Taehyung loved him.

To kiss the person you love, knowing they loved you back; knowing that they chose you out of the billions of people in this world; knowing that they only see you now as the light in their life... that's just- it's hard to put into words but...

As cliché as it sounded, it was close to an euphoric feeling with a little pinch of ecstasy where nothing else mattered except for the person in your arms at that moment that you love. It felt like the both of you are on drugs because this was probably the most inhumanly happiest you've ever been before.

And for the boys...

It almost felt like everything was complete now.

They both broke the kiss and had their foreheads pressed against each other, panting breaths mingling together in the space between them as their eyes were boring into each other. Taehyung could feel the raven-head's grip on his waist tighten.

"Don't leave me again. Please..."

There was a smile on the older boy's face because he was never going to leave Jeongguk now. He opened his mouth, about to say, "I won't ever leave you again."

About to, but didn't.

Because it was at that moment when he remembered about Japan. Oh fuck! What terrible fate they had indeed. And suddenly Taehyung wished Jeongguk never came because how-

How was he supposed to tell the boy who just admitted to loving him back that he was going to move away to another country. It may seem like a small adjustment to have a long distance relationship but let's be honest here... those relationships never last. But mainly, they weren't even in a relationship yet.

And it's not even that, when you're in love with someone you just don't want to be away from them, let alone be in a different country.

"What's wrong?" The younger boy's voice pulled Taehyung out of his thoughts and he realized that a few tears had rolled down his cheeks. "Why are you crying?"

The older boy lightly pushed Jeongguk back a little. "Jeongguk I-"

He couldn't say it.

He didn't want to say it.

"Hyung, please tell me what's wrong?" There was a hurt look on the raven-head's face when Taehyung moved further away from him. This was hell. Literal hell. Why couldn't they just be to normal people in love?

Why was the fucking world so against them?

If Taehyung had known about Jeongguk loving him back, he would have fought harder against his parents. He would have not listened to them. He hated to admit it but a part of him mainly gave into this internship because he thought that Jeongguk was going to continue being with Minchae.

He didn't know that the raven-head would come find him like this;

He didn't know that they would even see each other again;

He didn't know that Jeongguk would love him back.

But the toughest and most meaningful relationships were worth fighting for right?

So with all the courage he had within him, Taehyung stood up straight, lifting a hand to wipe away his never-ending tears before looking the beautiful boy straight in the onyx eyes.

"Jeongguk, I'm leaving."
______
Well.... Guys, you've stopped commenting altogether!

Chapter Text

To be brutally honest, Jeongguk was mad.

Yeah, he was angry now.

As his hyung's last words bounced around in his head over and over again, he felt hurt. Taehyung was leaving him now. But why? The raven-head said he loved the older boy back. Everything was supposed to be good now, everything was supposed to be fine; they were supposed to be happy now, right?

"What... you're leaving?" It came out as a whisper from Jeongguk as he could feel his throat painfully clog up.

Taehyung's face morphed into a heartbreaking look as he tried moving closer to the younger boy but it was Jeongguk who was stepping away from the other boy now.

"I promised my parents that I'd take this job," He explained desperately. "It's in Japan... a-and I have to leave right after this semester ends."

Jeongguk just stood there, absorbing the older boy's words.

Now Jeongguk was rather well-known for his quality traits. That's the reason why he was so popular; the reason why everyone loved him. This whole time, the dark-haired boy was patient, kind, understanding and above all that, he always made an exception for Taehyung because Taehyung was really special to him. However right now, he didn't want to be the understanding person that he was known to be anymore.

No.

Jeongguk only wanted one thing.

He wanted Taehyung to stay.

It was that simple.

And as he was looking right into Taehyung's brown eyes, he realized how terrible it felt when he thought the older boy had left him. That feeling- it was just HELL. It was a feeling Jeongguk never wanted to experience ever again. Nothing else mattered now; not his parents, not his engagement to Minchae, not what everyone else thought of them- what the world thought of them. He knew he loved Taehyung and he was not ready to let him go so soon.

Perhaps it was the beer talking... The raven-head did drink quite an amount of alcohol tonight. Maybe it was the buzzing- under the influence- thoughts that was making Jeongguk to be clingy right now. Whatever it was, the fear of losing his hyung again just amplified within the younger boy.

"Jeongguk, I'm sorry for all this. I-I didn't know that you'd be-"

"Don't go."

Taehyung blinked, thinking if he had heard the boy right.

"What-"

The raven-head took a step closer to him, taking his hands in his. "Don't go. Stay here with me. Please." There was this broken look on the younger boy's face and this just made the tears accelerate quicker down Taehyung's already pink cheeks.

It was so tempting; the offer the raven-head was suggesting. 'Stay here with me', oh what the curly-haired boy would be wiling to do to leave everything behind him and just stay with the younger boy. It would be the greatest thing ever.

But we all know, that was just not how the world worked.

Who knows what would become of them after three months of being apart from each other. However there was one solution. They just had to accept it and stay strong but it was a hard choice to accept. Sometimes, the stubbornness within a person prevailed more than the rational part of them.

"Jeongguk, I-" Taehyung struggled to find the words. "I can't do that. This job, it means a lot to my parents..."

By now the younger boy wasn't even listening anymore. He didn't want to hear the reasons of why his hyung had to go. He wanted Taehyung to just look at him and say 'yes, I'll stay'.

"...I'm not going to be gone forever. We can still-"

"What? We can still what? See each other? Through a fucking phone screen everyday?" The boy was visibly boiling in a fit of rage right now, stepping away from Taehyung also spitting profanities under his breath.

The older boy was left standing at the door there just watching Jeongguk with a sad look on. Jimin was probably in the living room 'not listening' to everything. With a sigh, Taehyung turned around slightly to grab a hold of the door handle, pulling it to close the door shut behind him.

So the two of them were stood out there in the hallway; the same place they had made out a thousand times at when Jeongguk dropped the older boy off on some nights; the same place they kissed on the night they came home from art gallery their first sin.

Now here they were again.

"Jeongguk."

Taehyung sighed when the younger boy continued to face his back towards him. The curly-haired boy took a step forward, placing his hand on Jeongguk's shoulder turning him around in the process.

"Jeongguk, look at me."

This time, the raven-head listened, lifting his head up to look at the older boy with red watery eyes. Straight away Taehyung took this chance to get closer to Jeongguk. "Please, just listen to me for a while, yeah?" When the boy didn't say anything, Taehyung continued slowly.

This was important.

The raven-head was acting out of his emotions so Taehyung had to choose his words carefully.

"I don't want to leave," He said clearly. "Believe me, I've tried to get a job here but none of the fucking publishing firms will hire me. I can't work at that cafe forever. This job in Japan, it came up when I visited the company my father worked with in Daegu. I hate to admit it, but this job offer came up at the right time," He stopped to check on the younger boy before continuing again. "I have to do this, I promised my parents... I just- I can't disappoint them like this anymore."

When Jeongguk stayed silent, Taehyung brought his hand up to cup the back of the raven-head's neck. "We can still make it work, Jeongguk-" He said but the younger boy was just not convinced.

"No," He gritted out, letting his hyung's hand stay at the back of his neck. He narrowed his dark sparkling eyes at Taehyung with his arms crossed over his chest. "I don't want that. I don't want to only hear your voice through the phone. I don't want to only see you after three fucking months."

The older boy sighed while taking a step back, letting his hand drop from the raven-head. "Why are you being so difficult, huh?" His eyes widened with emotion. "It's not easy for me either but what else is there to do?"

"Not go. You can not go." The boy begged.

Now they were back to square one.

"Just stop telling me to not go Jeongguk! I'm not going to change my mind if you keep saying it!" The older boy accidentally raised his voice but Jeongguk barely flinched. Maybe it wasn't a good idea that they were having this important talk while the dark-haired boy was drunk.

"No I won't."

The older boy ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. "Why? Why is it so hard for you to support me. I really need you right now and you're just being so..."

"So what?" Jeongguk took a step closer. "So what Hyung? Immature?"

"I wasn't gonna say tha-"

"No, you were gonna say that because that's what I am. I know that I'm younger than you... This whole time, I've just been recklessly fooling around with you, fucking with your feelings and not giving a damn about how you were feeling. I guess this is my punishment then. You leaving me." The boy said really fast, clearly having lost his temper.

Taehyung rolled his eyes before waving his hands, motioning for the other boy to calm down. "Jeongguk, please calm down. You're talking really fast. Take a deep breath-"

"No! Just don't-" The raven-head let his head hang back for a while, exhaling heavily before facing his hyung again. "Don't talk to me like that... like I'm a child or some fucking mental patient. You don't get it, Hyung." Jeongguk sighed before licking over his lips giving the older boy an emotionally exhausted look.

"I love you. I think I've been in love with you for the longest time now but I- I was just too fucking stupid to have realized it," Taehyung watched anxiously as the younger boy's words tugged his heart. "After you left the restaurant... I went to search for you and when I couldn't find you anywhere I just... I felt like I wanted to die, do you understand?"

Taehyung gasped a little, swallowing thickly at what Jeongguk was saying. This feeling the younger boy was describing, it was exactly what the curly-haired boy felt when he first realized that he was in love with the other boy.

"Call me crazy or clingy or just plain stubborn... but I'm telling you right now Hyung: I don't want you to go."

It was quiet after the raven-head said those words. Taehyung just hated everything (like always). He had to admit that he was so tempted to just stay and turn down the job in Japan but there was this other part of him that was telling him that they could work this out. So despite the younger boy's protests to him taking the job, Taehyung took one of Jeongguk's tattooed hands in his and managed to smile a little.

"Jeongguk, can't we just try to work this out?"

There was this surprised look on the other boy's face; like he hadn't expect the older boy to say that. He figured all this convincing would have changed his hyung's mind... even a little. However he was clearly wrong.

Jeongguk shook his head. "Hyung-"

"I love you so much. You said you loved me too right? So can't you just try to support me?"

He heard the younger boy sigh. "I don't want to lose you."

"Who says you will?"

The raven-head kept his eyes on his hand that Taehyung was holding, loving the warmth he felt from their touch. "I will lose you if you move away." He said lowly.

"No you won't-"

"Hyung, you're gonna be there for a few months and when you get back here you're probably going to work at that company in Daegu so there's really no difference is there? You're gonna be far away from me."

This had Taehyung thinking and... Jeongguk was right. Either way, they were going to be separated. One again, a big part of him wanted to just stay with Jeongguk; save him all the trouble from moving but then what would he really be achieving? Since Taehyung was little, only one thing mattered to him and that was achieving his dreams.

He didn't have any friends in high school.

Being in a relationship was the least of his concerns.

He only had himself to look after.

But after he met Jeongguk, things changed. He felt the love, the affection, the concern from another person and he had to admit that he loved every second of it; all the attention Jeongguk gave him, all the meals he cooked him, all the things he bought for him.

As wonderful and beautiful as that sounded, it wasn't what he deserved. No, to Taehyung... he had to achieve something through his own hard work and so far... what did he really do to deserve Jeongguk?

Nothing.

Why did Taehyung get to enjoy the love from the younger boy when he wasn't even halfway there to reaching towards his dream. Then what was the purpose of his life even.

And then it all started piecing itself together; maybe this job in Japan was the first step for Taehyung. His parents were right. It was an amazing opportunity.

Fuck.

Taehyung found himself reaching a decision now. He knew what he had to do. Maybe after he'd actually done something good with his life, then he will deserve to be with a wonderful person like Jeongguk.

It just broke the older boy's heart to do this.

"Jeongguk, I'm sorry. I just can't." His voice broke at the end, as the dam holding his tears back broke down.

Meanwhile, the raven-head pulled his hand out of the boy's hold, giving Taehyung a confused look. "Hyung? What are you saying?"

"I have to take this job. Are you really not going to be okay with this at all?"

He was putting Jeongguk in a tough spot and a small piece of the older boy understood why the dark-haired boy was acting this way. Sometimes, your feelings are too strong and it makes everything harder for you to decide; it makes it hard for you to be there for your loved ones when they need you.

Finally, Jeongguk took in a deep breath, like he was controlling himself really hard from punching a hole through the nearest wall as he gave the older boy a blank look. "So you're not staying?" He asked once again, voice at the edge of breaking.

"I'm not."

"Okay."

And then Jeongguk walked away.

Chapter Text

Nothing was going as Taehyung had wanted it to go.

Suddenly, he didn't want to go to Japan anymore; fuck that job.

His head was spinning at the moment. It had been a week and three days since he last saw Jeongguk. Yes, that long. And because of that, Taehyung had seriously lost the mood to do anything. All day, his thoughts were filled with the younger boy and nothing else.

And apparently spending all your time thinking and daydreaming about the person you're in love with DIDN'T count as studying. So that led to why the boy was where we was at this moment.

In the university's library.

Time check: 11:27 P.M.

Great, it was already late at night and probably dark outside.

Taehyung had the brilliant idea of coming here. He thought that a change of environment would keep his mind off of Jeongguk for a while. He just couldn't stand being at home because wherever he looked, he got reminded of the raven-head.

At the front doorstep where they had kissed each other countless times;

In the living room where Jeongguk played cards with him and Jimin;

In the kitchen where Jeongguk cooked for him a mind blowing food;

On the couch where they watched the movie with Jeongguk's hand on his thigh-;

In the bathroom where Jeongguk took care of Taehyung's- uh... discomfort downstairs;

In his bedroom where they... you know- never mind. Okay, so the point was that every corner and crack of that apartment just screamed Jeongguk's name and the curly-haired boy felt suffocated in there.

It was weird. Taehyung and Jeongguk couldn't spend two days apart but now it had nearly been ten days and they still haven't settled things between them. The truth was, it killed the older boy. Of course it did but come on... you didn't expect him to have a mental breakdown like the last time now did you?

Well, okay, he did. A little. Right after Jeongguk walk away that night, Taehyung did break down and cried himself to sleep. For two days after that, he skipped his classes even though the professors were giving out last minute tips for the exams. He just wanted nothing more than to see the boy he loved.

Then the third day came and Jimin had managed to persuade the curly-haired boy to leave the apartment. The silver-head was kind enough stay by Taehyung's side like an older brother. They met up everyday after that for lunch in between their classes even though they were going to see each other again later at home. Jimin just wanted to make sure that Taehyung was doing okay.

A true friend, really.

A few days after that, Taehyung had started to stand on his own two feet. However that still didn't stop him from being depressed about everything that had happened.

The fact was that he knew Jeongguk was out there and they still had time to fix things between them so maybe this time apart was rather... a good thing? It couldn't be helped. It was already the third day going into the examination week at the university and there were just endless things to study and memorize. Taehyung had never procrastinated to this extent before. He was starting to become like Jimin (No offense to Jimin, though).

Taehyung wasn't sure how Jeongguk was feeling about all this and he was a little restless noticing that the younger boy still hadn't come talk to him. Maybe the raven-head was waiting for Taehyung to approached him first? This same thought had been the main thing looping around in his head actually;

What if Jeongguk was waiting for me?

What if I had to make the first move this time?

What if-

'No! this is the least you can do for your parents!'

"Ugh..." A headache was how evident in Taehyung's head.

He tried to shrug away the things buzzing in his head and got back to his History textbook opened widely in front of him. The amount of highlighted words, sentences and post-its stuck onto the thin page was insane but that was just how he studied. He needed the colors to be there. It usually helped him a lot in memorizing stuff.

Not tonight though.

A yawn soon left his lips and that was it for him. The boy wanted nothing more than to go home now. Quickly he stood up- accidentally pushing the chair back in the process- which emitted a screeching sound that made a few heads turn in his direction. He bowed repeatedly in a small manner also mouthing 'sorry'.

The cold night wind greeted Taehyung as he pushed through the huge front wooden doors of the library. A slight shiver made its way through his body.

Damn it, I should have worn my jacket tonight.

He looked ahead of him into the darkness and sighed. He needed to get to the bus stop quickly before he missed the last bus. Right as he took one step to descend down the front stairs of the building, the sky flashed brightly with a stroke of lightning. Even though there was no thunder yet, Taehyung still flinched. His hands gripped either sides of the bag straps of the backpack he had on tightly.

It was going to rain.

And he didn't bring an umbrella.

Just great.

The boy soon had his head cast low as he made his way across the parking lot of the library. Taehyung was a little scared. It was dark and who knew what dangers lurked out here? And he didn't really have a good memory from the last time he walked home alone in the dark.

However, he kept calm, chanting in his head over and over again that everything was going to be okay. And right on cue, his thoughts were interrupted as his head collided against someone's chest and before he could even have the chance to react, a hand wrapped itself around his arm, steadying him from the impact.

Taehyung whipped his head up so fast with his eyes growing big because shit-

"Jeongguk?"

It was Jeongguk. Right here. In front of him. After what felt like an eternity, the raven-head was HERE with Taehyung. The younger boy's dark eyes shone like black pearls as they peeked mysteriously through his long bangs.

"Hyung I-"

Taehyung hugged Jeongguk, taking him by surprised.

It was ridiculous that they spent all that time apart. Because right now, when they were this close to each other suddenly the idea of 'giving each other space' just sounded so stupid. Why did they always end up away from each other? It was just insane! Taehyung never wanted to let go of Jeongguk.

He didn't need to know what took Jeongguk this long to come.

It didn't matter;

Jeongguk was here now.

He felt two arms secured around his waist and sighed. Then he nuzzled his face into the crook of the younger boy's neck inhaling his musky scent like it was oxygen- his oxygen that he needed to survive. And this was true because the older boy really couldn't live without Jeongguk.

Slowly, Taehyung softly placed a kiss to the side of the raven-head's neck. He felt Jeongguk tense under his touch but didn't stop there. He softly pressed his lips onto the boy's sharp jawline this time and then onto his cheek and to the tip of his nose- their eyes met briefly- and then to the corner of his mouth and-

"Fuck, just kiss me already-" Jeongguk let out in hasty manner.

Taehyung gladly did so. The moment their lips touched, the raven-head's hand came up to cup the back of the older boy's neck, deepening the kiss. The curly-haired boy felt Jeongguk tugging on his bottom lip and his hands that were tangled through the younger boy's hair pulled on the strands harder.

With their bodies being pressed up against each other, they continued to make out until they both eventually pulled away, panting hard. As soon as their eyes met again, forehead pressed together, Taehyung was suddenly filled with this intense fear that something bad was going to happen again. He needed to have some assurance so he-

"I love you," He pecked Jeongguk's shiny red lips. "I love you so much. I'm sorry for taking that job but- I just..." He swallowed hard, feeling the tears roll down his cheeks. He didn't even realize that there were tears in his eyes before. "You have to know how much I'm in love with you." He finished.

There was this guilty look on the younger boy's face as he licked his lips, his eyes tearing up as well. "I love you too," He whispered and pulled Taehyung in for a hug. "You did nothing wrong by taking that job. I was drunk that night and I shouldn't have-" He moved back a little to face his hyung. "I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course." Taehyung said straight away, smiling through his tears.

Jeongguk stared at the boy for a while before taking one of Taehyung's hands in his. "Were you about to walk home?"

"Uh, y-yeah..." He said nervously, reminded of the fact that the raven-head hated him walking out alone at night. So before Jeongguk could say anything, Taehyung asked, "How did you know I was here?"

"I went to your apartment and Jimin told me you were here."

"Oh."

They gazed at each other for a moment and Taehyung honestly wanted to lean in and kiss the boy's inviting lips again. However Jeongguk looked conflicted; like he had something to say and just as he opened his mouth to say something, the sky boomed with thunder.

Harsh wind blew in their direction, plus with another thunder sounding, the older boy flinched again. Instinctively, the raven-head pulled Taehyung closer to him before bringing him along in a certain direction. At first, the curly-haired boy was confused but then he finally saw where they were heading to.

Jeongguk's car was parked there.

"Get in." The boy said and ran over to the driver's side of the car. The rain still hadn't fallen yet but they really should leave before it started to pour. When they were both already seated in the car, Taehyung noticed that the raven-head hadn't started the car yet. He seemed to be staring ahead of him, deep in thought.

"Hey, you alright?" He asked and Jeongguk broke out from his trance turning to face his hyung.

"Sorry." He said and quickly went to start the car. The sound of the car engine coming to life was muffled by the heavy thunder sounds but even the thunder wasn't as loud and evident as the distress on the younger boy's face. Taehyung was starting to get worried now.

"Jeongguk, what's going on?" He reached out to touch Jeongguk's arm.

And then finally, the dark-haired boy sighed. He placed his hand over the older boy's. "I have to tell you something."

"Oh, what is it?"

Taehyung didn't know why but his heart started racing, anticipating what the younger boy was going to say. He didn't really know whether to be scared or excited. He watched Jeongguk give him a nervous look, thinking hard before speaking out.

"I'd rather show you."
____
tbc

Chapter Text

Neither of them spoke as Jeongguk drove in the calm and collected way he always did (also looking incredibly hot- not that Taehyung was staring or anything).

Halfway into the journey, the raven-head reached to the backseat, giving his hyung a black hoodie to put on. Taehyung really tried hard to not shiver in the car but it was impossible with the coldness seeping into the car from the outside. It still hadn't rained yet only with the occasional lightning strikes and thunder.

Taehyung snuggled further into the warm hoodie he was wearing now which definitely belonged to Jeongguk seeing as how the scent emitted from the hoodie was so intoxicating and familiar at the same time. The older boy had never felt so safe before;

Next to Jeongguk, in his car, literally in his clothes...

"Come on." The engine of the car died down. The curly-haired boy realized that they had reached their destination- wherever they were right now. They were parked on the side of the street, probably somewhere in town where there was a tall building next to the street they were on. The building did look somewhat familiar.

The raven-head got out of the car first with his hyung soon after him. Then they were standing next to each other on the street, both their heads tilted up to the building that looked as if it ascended into the heavens for it was that tall.

"So what is it you wanted to show me?" Taehyung turned to look at the younger boy next to him.

"Do you know what building this is?" Jeongguk asked.

The older boy turned to the building again, his brows furrowed. "No I-" He started but then his eyes caught the name of the company that owned the building. 'Shin Publishing Firm' was gilded onto the place above the front entrance.

What on earth?

Taehyung's heart started racing.

This publishing firm was no doubt the best in Seoul. In fact they collaborated with so many other international firms from other countries. For this very reason, Taehyung didn't bother to apply for a job in this company, knowing very well that it would be impossible to get accepted into here. It was an excellent company with a slightly less great reputation because the only way you'd be able to get a job here is if you knew someone on the inside.

And Taehyung didn't.

But wait. Why did Jeongguk bring him here? Slowly, the older boy faced the raven-head again with a confused look. "Why-" Taehyung's eyes widened upon seeing a small smile on the other boy's lips. Why was he smiling like that? And then like ice cold water had been poured over him, Taehyung's eyes grew even bigger than before upon reaching a conclusion.

"Jeongguk..." He chuckled out dryly and then shook his head unbelievably.

No.

"Please don't tell me you..." He trailed off again finding it hard to wrap his head around this.

Surely Jeongguk didn't go through all the trouble to-

"You have a job here now."

Well damn.

Taehyung abruptly took a step closer to the younger boy. "What?" He whispered out searching Jeongguk's eyes to find any hint of this being some kind of joke.

"I got you a job here." Jeongguk said more clearly.

"You're kidding right?" The older boy didn't know whether to cry or be happy. Just the fact that Jeongguk actually went through the trouble to do this. Taehyung's heart raced in his chest faster than before, falling in love with the boy before him all over again. Seriously, how can some be this nice to him? There was surely no one else like the raven-head in this world.

"I'm not." Jeongguk smiled back.

The older boy suddenly gasped upon realized something. "Is this what you've been up to for the past... ten days?"

"Yeah," The raven-head's smile slowly disappeared. "Why? You thought I left you?"

When Taehyung didn't say anything, the younger boy sighed. "I know it was stupid of me to just leave like that, especially after telling you that I love you. When I woke up the next morning I wanted to go back to you but I didn't want to go back to you empty handed. So I did this." The boy lastly said and gestured to the building, meaning the job he got for Taehyung.

For a few seconds, Taehyung stared at the tall building before looking back at the raven-head. "How did you do it?" He asked.

"I promise you, no one had to lose their job for you to get to work here," The boy explained honestly. "I know a friend who works here. He owed me a favor from when we were in high school so I called him and told him about you. And then he agreed to give you a job here." He finished.

The way Jeongguk explained everything, it sounded so simple. But then what about Taehyung's principle about 'making it on his own' or 'achieving his dreams by himself'? Wouldn't it count as cheating if he were to just accept this job that the younger boy had presented to him on a silver platter.

"Jeongguk, I-" He placed a hand on Jeongguk's cheek. "I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll stay."

Jeongguk’s words echoed softly between them, carried by the quiet hum of the city.

But then, something tugged at the back of Taehyung’s mind. A shadow of a memory.

He lowered his hand from Jeongguk’s cheek, hesitating. “Jeongguk…” his voice came out quieter this time, almost unsure, “what about Minchae?”

The younger boy’s brows furrowed slightly. “What about her?”

Taehyung’s lips parted, confusion clouding his features. “I—I thought you were engaged to her. I mean…”

Jeongguk’s eyes softened in a way Taehyung didn’t expect. For a second, he looked almost amused—sadly amused. Then he shook his head, stepping a little closer. “Hyung… that first engagement was called off the moment I left the place. I never even looked back after that.”

Taehyung stared, trying to process.

“And the second time,” Jeongguk continued, his tone calm but firm, “Jin hyung told me you’d returned from Daegu. So why would I go to an engagement when I already knew where I wanted to be?”

Taehyung’s eyes widened as realization struck, his breath catching in his throat.

Jeongguk gave him that small, knowing smile—the one that always managed to undo him. “I never went there, hyung. I was with you.”

And just like that, the words Jeongguk had said that night came rushing back. I love you.

Taehyung’s throat tightened, his chest aching in the best possible way as the memory settled over him like a warm blanket. The night Jeongguk confessed—he had truly meant it. There had been no other person, no hidden agenda. Just him.

Just them.

Almost immediately, reality came crashing down on Taehyung as he pulled his hand away, taking a step back from the younger boy. Jeongguk did all this just so that his hyung would stay here. In a blink of an eye, the older boy started to tear up again. It was like he had to choose all over again: between Jeongguk and going to Japan.

He didn't want to choose.

"Jeongguk, I don't know." He shook his head again, this time running a hand through his black hair frustratingly.

"Please Hyung..." The raven-head closed the gap between them. "I know it's hard for you but now you have the job that you've dreamed of. Here, in Seoul." He slid his arm around Taehyung's slim waist, pulling him closer. "I know you want me to support you, I know you want me to wait for you to get back- fuck, I love you so much and there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. But..."

A few seconds passed as they gazed into each other's eyes. The thunder sounded once and Taehyung didn't flinch this time. Why would he? He was safe in the raven-head's embrace. And so he waited anxiously for Jeongguk to continue.

"...but can't I be selfish just this once?"

Thump, thump.

"Jeongguk-"

"Will you let me be childish and inconsiderate just this once?" Jeongguk inched his face closer and the older boy could feel himself slowly changing his mind about Japan.

Taehyung closed his eyes when the younger boy grazed his knuckles down the side of his face, whispering, "Will you let me be the bad guy just once, for insisting on you to stay here even though you'd be letting your parents down."

Oh god.

This was all so overwhelming and if Taehyung wasn't so fucking in love with Jeongguk, he's say no; he'd get back in the car and tell the raven-head to drive him home this instant; he'd push the boy away and cross his arms over his chest, obeying his parents by taking the job that they want him to.

But this was Jeongguk. After everything that the curly-haired boy had been through with him, they owed it to themselves to actually be in a relationship. Taehyung's eyes fluttered open just in time to see dark-haired boy lean even closer to him that the tip of their noses were touching. He felt the boy's grip around his waist tighten;

Eyes sparkling;

Lips parting;

Then he spoke out,

"Will you stay here and let me love you?"

Thump, thump...

Everything slowed down and Taehyung just felt this feeling within him; everything Jeongguk had gone through for him.

Was this what it felt like to be loved?

As a single teardrop slid down the side of the boy's face, he found himself nodding as a huge boxy grin made its way to his lips. "Yes!" He brought his hands to the back of Jeongguk's neck to press their foreheads together. With his eyes shut tightly, he said it again.

"Yes, After everything..... I want you, Still....."

He got his response from Jeongguk in the form of a sweet kiss. Yes, Jeongguk was happy. When their lips parted, they were both smiling; just a couple of boys, staring dumbly at each other, crazy in love.

"I love you." Jeongguk said.

"I love you too." His hyung said back without missing a beat.

It felt like almost nothing could ruin this moment. They were finally going to be together now; nothing in their way. They could finally be happy. Maybe everything they went through was worth it. It was all worth it, leading up to this moment.

They leaned in for another kiss but as their lips were centimeters apart, the thunder sounded making them both break into light giggles. "I should get you home now. Before it rains." Jeongguk said, slightly loosening his grip on his hyung's waist. They should get back in the car. The rain could fall at any second now.

Just as the two of them took a few steps to get to the car, the younger boy noticed something; a couple of silhouettes appearing out of the darkness, getting more and more clearer with each step they took, walking towards the two boys from the street they were standing on. Soon, they were only a few feet away from Jeongguk and Taehyung. Their faces were masked, each with a weapon in hand. Yeah, they looked like hooligans who were just looking for a fight.

At once, Jeongguk got a hold of his hyung's elbow, making the older boy slightly jump in the process. Taehyung was a little bit confused as the grip on his elbow tightened. When he turned his head to look at Jeongguk with furrowed brows, he noticed the raven-head staring in the direction at something. And only then did Taehyung see the three masked thugs stalking towards them.

Shit, they even had weapons.

He gasped, feeling his gut twist with fear as he instinctively moved closer to the raven-head.

"Jeonggu-"

"Get in the car."
_____
Did you like the chapter?

Chapter Text

It was the kind of situation where no matter how prepared you are for it, you'd still feel scared and clueless when you're actually faced with it.

That's how it was for Taehyung at the moment. He was breathing fast, blood pumping in his ears as he watched the three people standing there with ACTUAL weapons with them. Who were they? What did they want? Why were they here? Were they actually going to attack him and Jeongguk? These questions flashed in his head at light speed not realizing that the raven-head had just said something to him.

"What?" Taehyung asked breathlessly, feeling like he could faint at any moment.

Jeongguk pushed his hyung towards his car (as gently as possible). "I said get in the car. Now!"

Only when the younger boy yelled, it was like a wake up call to the older boy as his head finally absorbed the severity and reality of the situation that they were in right now. Fuck, they were being attacked! What shocked Taehyung even more was seeing Jeongguk giving a death glare to the masked people. And it looked like he was about to... fight?

"Jeongguk wait. What are you doing?" Taehyung took one step closer to stop Jeongguk but the raven-head completely ignored him, bravely moving closer to the three armed thugs.

As for the three thugs, they were also stepping closer, already circling around Jeongguk, like three tiny predators hunting on one prey. There was this fearless look on the dark-haired boy's face. All Taehyung could do was stand back and pray that all this would just end. Seriously, why the fuck were these people even doing this?!

And then it started.

At the same, the older boy's eyes widened as he gasped.

One of the thugs took a swing at Jeongguk with the long wooden bat he held in his hand but the raven-head nicely dodged it. The guy was then thrown out of balance by a punch to his gut making him stumble back a little. "You piece of shit!" The guy screamed. He then turned to his two other companions there. "Well, what are you waiting for?! Get him!"

And with that, two of the remaining masked hooligans advanced to the younger boy. One was holding a steel pipe while the other, a... knife? It all happened so fast after that. They still hadn't managed to lay a single finger on the raven-head. The guy with the pipe took a swing this time and Jeongguk caught the pipe in his hand as it was inches away from smacking him in the face.

He pulled the pipe making the guy stumble forward. This was when Jeongguk took the opportunity to punch him in the face, sending him falling to the ground. But he didn't stop there. He kicked the guy hard in his ribs multiple times, anger visibly boiling within him, jaw clenched.

The thunder rumbled in the sky again with a few lightning flashes and just like that, the rain started pouring. It was a heavy rain from the start. All of them got completely drenched in a matter of seconds.

Taehyung wasn't really calm but he felt reassured that the raven-head could beat these three idiots to dust. However as Jeongguk was busy with the guy on the ground, he didn't seem to realize the other two guys creeping up from behind him.

"Jeongguk! Behind you!" The older boy screamed.

Fortunately, Jeongguk was just in time to stop the two of them from sneak-attacking him. He gave a forward kick to the first guy with the bat, making him fall back. And now it was the masked guy with the knife's turn. He swung the sharp edge of the knife, aiming for Jeongguk's face but as usual, the younger boy was quick to avoid it.

Instead he grabbed a hold of the guy's arm, twisting it in a way that sent the guy going, "Ahhh! My fucking arm!" But the raven-head pretended to not hear that as he sent a hard kick to the guy's stomach.

The older boy watched with a worried expression. He wanted the raven-head to get in the car with him so they can escape together. He didn't want Jeongguk to fight.

No, this was dangerous.

It took him this long to realize that and though the younger boy had proven countless times that he could fight, still... what if Jeongguk got hurt?

With that, the curly-haired boy was already fishing for his phone from his jeans pocket. His hands were shivering as he tapped away, dialing the police hotline; something he had never done before in his life. However, his phone was snatched away. When Taehyung looked up, he saw the guy with tha bat there.

Fuck.

His heart beat quickened straight away.

The guy grabbed a fistful of Taehyung's shirt collar, pulling him forward towards the fight where Jeongguk was busy beating up the two other guys. The older boy tried to pry the guy's hands off of him but that was when it happened: A sharp blow made its way to the back of his knees, causing him to abruptly get down on his knees, also screaming in pain.

"Jeongguk!" The boy cried out.

The guy next to him then grabbed a handful of Taehyung's already soaking wet hair, pulling his head up so that Jeongguk could get a clear look of the older boy. When the younger boy turned around to the scene before him: his precious hyung hurt like that, something just clicked within him and if it was possible, he got more angrier than before.

"Let him go." Jeongguk gritted out, taking a step closer.

The guy pointed his bat towards the younger boy. "You come any closer and I'll hurt him." He threatened.

In that moment, Jeongguk's anger-filled gaze fell onto Taehyung and immediately his expression soften. The older boy saw this and felt tears pooled up in his eyes again. How the hell did they get to this? It just seemed like there was no way of them escaping the situation. Jeongguk couldn't do anything-

Taehyung's eyes narrowed together, realizing something.

Yeah, Jeongguk couldn't do anything.

But I can.

Without thinking about it any further, in one swift motion, the older boy rose up from his knees a little, sending his sharp elbow jabbing into the guy's gut. The guy dropped the bat to place his hands on the pain emitting from where Taehyung had elbowed him. "I'm gonna kill you!" The guy screamed and before Taehyung could run over to Jeongguk, the guy was quick to pull him back, landing a hard slap across the boy's face.

It was a painful slap that sent the curly-haired boy falling to the ground. He would've been alright if his head hadn't hit the concrete ground with a lot of force. In that tension, he could feel everything slow down with only his heart beat pounding through his ribs. His head was dizzy and it was all a bit blurry but he could see Jeongguk furiously beating the guy that had slapped him.

"You fucking touch him again!" He could hear Jeongguk shout and it was like the night of that party all over again. The part where the raven-head just got crazy-mad at the sight of someone hurting his hyung.

"Jeongguk..." The older boy said out but his voice was hoarse as he reached his hand out towards the younger boy from where he was on the ground. He wanted to call Jeongguk and tell him that they should probably leave now.

Another throbbing pain waved through Taehyung's head and he tried calling out again. "Jeongguk-" He started but quickly caught the two other guys already up on their feet, advancing to the raven-head from behind. Jeongguk was completely oblivious to them as he was focused on beating the hell out of the guy that touched Taehyung.

No.

Taehyung tried to get up but the pain from his knee caused him to fall harshly back to the ground.

He could see them so close to Jeongguk now.

Another pain seared through his head and the older boy placed a hand to the side of his head. Through a watery gaze, he watched the scene about to unfold before him as his eyes widened.

They can't-

"Jeongguk!"

But it was too late.

The guy with the metal pipe had sent a hard hit right on Jeongguk's back. The raven-head groaned, turning around but the other guy punched him square in the face. They were both hitting him at the same time which made it almost impossible for the younger boy to defend himself. The rain was falling hard now with the thunder loudly rumbling like the angels up there were playing their drums or something.

Meanwhile, Taehyung was already in tears as he dragged himself closer thinking of anything he could do to stop them; stop them from hurting Jeongguk, the boy he loved. "Stop it!" He screamed but they ignored him.

Now, the raven-head had fallen to the ground and it was hard for Taehyung to look at what was happening from where he was but pieces of the scene were visible; them kicking the younger boy non-stop, one of the guys squatting down to Jeongguk's level with the knife in his hand. At one point, Taehyung caught a glimpse of the blood and some bruises on Jeongguk's face.

Just the fact that there was actual BLOOD there on his once flawless face made the older boy cry harder.

"No! Leave him alone!"

The guy with the knife was ready. Ready to what? Who knew? He could've done anything to Jeongguk at that moment; even kill him. But a loud groan from the first guy made the two other guys near Jeongguk stop their actions.

"She said that's enough. Come on, let's get outta here." He announced as he sat there on the ground, bruised up with a phone to his ear.

And just like that, they left.

Taehyung didn't waste a single second as he dragged himself over to where Jeongguk was laid down, ignoring his throbbing head and hurting knee. The rain poured heavily on them both as the older boy hovered over the raven-head. He cupped the boy's face as he cried. "Jeongguk?" He called out, examining the younger boy's face.

There were a few cuts here and there, blood trailing down his nose and at the side of his lips. Jeongguk's chest rose and fell slowly like he was calming down. Then he slowly peeled his eyes open and found his hyung there looking down at him. "Hyung..." He croaked out.

Straight away, the crying boy leaned down closer to Jeongguk, also pulling the boy gently onto his lap. "Yes? I'm right here." He answered, biting his lower lip to stop himself from breaking down again. He couldn't help it. He just felt so terrible seeing the raven-head in this condition.

Jeongguk slowly raised a hand to touch his hyung's face, wincing once or twice in the process. "Are you okay?" He asked softly making the curly-haired boy furrow his brows.

Was the raven-head seriously asking him that right now?

He was the one more severely hurt, compared to Taehyung.

Even in this situation, Jeongguk still prioritized the older boy.

So that's when Taehyung allowed himself to break down once more, pulling the younger boy closer to him as the endless rain fell over them both.
___

Had to watch few fight scenes to write this!

Chapter Text

The air was cold; cold to the point where you wouldn't even bother to sit on the palms of your hands anymore or blow into them to get some sort of heat into your body. There was no use in fighting it as the frigidness was just too much.

For Taehyung it wasn't just the cold air that made him numb. No, it was the absence of Jeongguk next to him. It all just happened really fast; hard to believe that just mere minutes ago, the two of them were sat out there on the street embracing each other surrounded by the coldness of the rain and the darkness of the night.

Until the ambulance came.

Red lights flashed in the air and loud sirens sounded. However, Taehyung refused to look away from the raven-head in his arms. He was scared that the boy might disappear. The paramedics literally had to pull the older boy away from Jeongguk to get the younger boy onto a stretcher. Also, at the scene, another paramedic was trying to check Taehyung for any injuries but he kept moving, insisting to stay close to the dark-haired boy.

And now, here they were.

In the hospital.

With a bandage wrapped around his head, Taehyung sat impatiently on one of the chairs at the seating area right outside of Jeongguk's ward, also freezing from being in the rain too long and now having to sit in the air-conditioned hospital. Apparently since the raven-head's wounds had just been treated and he was still unconscious now, the nurses had announced that only his family members were allowed to see him.

There were still some unshed tears left in Taehyung's eyes as he felt fearful for not getting a chance to see the raven-head. He didn't have a plan; whether to sneak into Jeongguk's ward when the nurses weren't looking or to disguise as a nurse or doctor himself to get in. He was exhausted and planning something outrageous like that was way beyond his capabilities at the moment.

So he waited.

He was going to do the one thing left on the table; that was to wait for Jeongguk's parents to arrive and ask them for permission to go see Jeongguk. This idea had a very big downfall and as Taehyung let his face fall into the palms of his hands with his elbows resting on either knee, he was actually second-guessing this plan but what else could he do right now?

Nothing really mattered anymore-

Except Jeongguk.

What the younger boy did for Taehyung tonight... it was different; something on a whole new level. The boy took an insane amount of beatings just to protect himself and his hyung. There were so many things swirling in Taehyung's mind. So many things that he had to tell the raven-head, to make sure the boy was alright and even apologize for not being of any help when the three masked thugs were attacking them.

That was another thing Taehyung felt bad for; for being so useless at defending himself; for letting those guys hurt Jeongguk like that. Fuck! Taehyung was supposed to be the 'hyung'. And what kind of a 'hyung' couldn't even protect his younger one?

Then some footsteps echoing against the marble hospital floor could be heard getting closer and louder to where Taehyung was. He turned his head to the side and his eyes widened upon seeing the people who were walking towards him; dressed elegantly, class radiating off of them with serious expressions...

Shit, it was indeed Jeongguk's parents with a few doctors by their sides and... Minchae?

Almost automatically, Taehyung tore his eyes away from her and stood up with his head cast down. With each step that they got closer to him, he felt his breathing quickened. What was he even to say to them? Were they going to even listen to him? They probably wanted to go check on the raven-head first.

"...besides some broken ribs, he also fractured his right arm. He's just gonna need a lot of rest for now..." One of the doctors near Mr Jeon was explaining. The younger boy's parents along with the doctors and Minchae barely acknowledged Taehyung's presence there actually.

Maybe they thought that he was here to visit somebody else. Taehyung just watched them walked past him, feeling conflicted about what he wanted to say to them. They just looked intimidating as hell. But this wasn't the time for him to let his fear of confrontation ruin his only chance of possibly getting to see Jeongguk.

So he moved quickly to the front of the older couple, blocking them a few feet away from entering their son's ward. He raised his head slowly, heart beating so hard in his chest, Taehyung thought that he was going to pass out right there.

"U-Uh..." He started, feeling the raven-head's parents' sharp gazes on him, along with the doctors and Minchae. "Mr and Mrs Jeon, I- I'm Kim Taehyung," He watched their eyes widened as he said his name. Did they know who he was? Pushing past that fact, the boy still continued. "I was there with Jeongguk when the attack happened just now. I'm so-"

"You're that boy," Mr Jeon suddenly said. "The one who my son keeps seeing." He added.

Before the boy could say anything back, Jeongguk's mother took a step closer to stand right in front of Taehyung. "You're the reason that all this happened." She had her sharp manicured fingernail pointed right in front of his face.

The boy was baffled. "M-Me?" He gestured to himself wondering why they would think that this was all his fault and then from the corner of his eye, he could see Minchae smirking at him, amused by what was happening right now. Taehyung's eyes widened a little. Minchae had put the blame on him. That bitch- Wait, how did she even know what happened? Taehyung was trying hard to retrace the incident that happened just now to see if he had seen the blonde girl there but a loud voice broke his train of thoughts.

"Don't act like you don't know what happened-" Jeongguk's mother started to raise her voice.

"Honey, calm down." Mr Jeon placed a hand on his wife's shoulder moving her back a little as he was now standing in front of Taehyung. The older man was about to start speaking but then he glanced to his side to see all the doctors there awkwardly looking around, trying not to eavesdrop onto their conversation.

"Could you all please leave us alone for a while-" He said to the white-coated men and women there before turning to the blonde girl. "Minchae why don't you go in to see Jeongguk first. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you."

What the fuck? She got to go in and see Jeongguk?! This was all probably her fault anyway!

With a small nod, the girl began to make her way towards the door leading into the raven-head's ward. As she passed by Taehyung, he didn't miss the small wink she gave him which Jeongguk's parents definitely did not see.

The sound of someone clearing their throat made Taehyung whip his head to face his front only to see both Mr and Mrs Jeon looking at him with narrowed eyes.

Okay now Taehyung had to hurry up and ask them- beg them for permission to go see their son. He didn't like the younger boy being all alone with the devil in there with him.

"Look with all due respect," The boy started, not feeling too confident with his words. "I have to say that I didn't-" He suddenly stopped. What good would it actually do if he defended himself right now? It didn't matter; it didn't fucking matter if they thought that this was all Taehyung's fault. He only had one thing on his mind at the moment and that was to see Jeongguk. "I'm s-sorry that this happened to your son but if I could just see him for a-"

"What?" Mrs Jeon took a step closer again only for her husband to grip her elbow, holding her back. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. You're the cause of all this and you dare ask us permission to go see Jeongguk?!"

It looked like Taehyung was already losing this battle but he still had a little hope left. All the odds were against him. Obviously all the lies Minchae had been feeding Jeongguk's parents turned them oblivious to the real truth... which led to one question: How did Minchae even know about the attack? Was she there when it all happened?

"Look here young man," Mr Jeon said seriously. "We know what happened. Minchae had told us everything about how you brought Jeongguk out at night and then got involved in a fight. None of this would've happened if you hadn't called Jeongguk to meet you."

By the time Jeongguk's father was done, Taehyung was left speechless. Was this what Minchae told them? But seriously! How the fuck did Minchae know about the thugs attacking them? The boy thought back to when the masked guys had suddenly stopped their assault and left. And then he was beginning to piece everything together. It all made sense now; through his hazy memory of what happened just now, Taehyung recalled one of the masked thugs receiving a phone call from someone.

The guy had addressed the caller on the phone as 'she' and that meant that-

Fuck.

It was her.

She arranged the whole damn thing!

Taehyung didn't know what to feel about this discovery. He had definitely underestimated the blonde girl. But really... how could she have the heart to actually hire a few guys to beat him and Jeongguk up? And Jeongguk... didn't Minchae care for the raven-head at all? They've known each other for a long time now and were close so how could she do something like this? And for what reason? Just because the younger boy chose Taehyung over her-

Then that thought was suddenly overshadowing everything else on his mind. Yes, Jeongguk chose him over Minchae. That's the reason that drove the girl to do all this. So technically speaking, Mrs Jeon was right...

This is all my fault.

"Uh look... Taehyung, was it?" The older man spoke up, making Taehyung to look up at him with a teary gaze at the thought of all this being his fault. "I think it's best if you didn't see Jeongguk anymore. We don't want you to-"

"What?!" No. As if things weren't already horrible, now this. He couldn't see Jeongguk?

"No," The boy was trembling. Just the thought of not seeing the younger boy anymore, it killed him on the inside. "You don't understand, I-I have to see him. Please... just once." He begged.

The hot tears were strolling down Taehyung's pink cheeks and judging by the strict and non-sympathetic look on both Mr and Mrs Jeon's face, they were clearly not going to change their minds anytime soon.

"Go home son." Jeongguk's father simply said with a blank face. Then he along with his wife walked past the crying boy to their son's ward.

"Please..." Fists balled by his sides, Taehyung let out one more time as he turned around to face the elder couple, already knowing he'd lost this battle. They did stop in their tracks and looked back to match Taehyung's gaze.

But their decision was still the same. The raven-head's mother spoke this time before she and her husband turned around, disappearing behind the door of Jeongguk's ward.

And as Taehyung was left out there in the cold empty hallway, Mrs Jeon's words felt like a real hand choking him, suffocating him as the boy completely broke down on the cold hospital floor.

"From now on, stay out of Jeongguk's life."

Chapter Text

At this point, Taehyung was convinced that he was just fated to be miserable.

It was basically the same thing repeating itself: Jeongguk and him trying to make things work between them only for everyone else to be against them. Taehyung was just tired of it all. He was so fucking tired to the point where all he wanted to do was lay in bed and pray that everything bad that had happened was just some kind of a nightmare and that he'd wake up soon.

One day had passed since the boy's encounter with Jeongguk's parents at the hospital. And of course, despite being told to 'stay out of Jeongguk's life', Taehyung couldn't afford to sulk and be depressed. Why? Because he still had two days of exams remaining. Well, one more day actually since he was done with the ones today.

Taehyung wanted nothing more than to go home. He was feeling worn out and just drained of any emotions whatsoever. Mrs Jeon's words haunted him, replaying itself over and over again in his head like a mantra. What was he supposed to do now? Taehyung wondered if Jeongguk's parents had told their son that he couldn't see the older boy anymore... or maybe they haven't said anything seeing as how the younger boy hadn't made an attempts to contact his hyung yet.

A sigh left the curly-haired boy as he laid his head in his arms on the table of the restaurant he was currently at. A couple of his friends from school invited him to have a few drinks with them; and by 'friends', it meant a few people that Taehyung never got around to learning their names throughout the entire semester. Luckily, Jimin was here too and he knew them well.

Taehyung really wouldn't have agreed to come if it weren't for his roommate persuading him.

"Tae, you okay? Come on, have one beer." Jimin scooted closer to the boy who still had his head in his arms. The silver-head knew everything that had happened. He nearly got a heart attack last night to be woken up from his sleep only to find his best friend arriving home at three in the morning, clothes all wrinkled and dirty, balling his eyes out with a bandage wrapped around his head.

"No, I'm good." He simply replied, voice muffled, not bothering to lift his head up.

He then felt a hand pressed to his back, rubbing up and down in a soothing manner. It was nice to have Jimin by his side at times like this. With his mind buzzing with thoughts, the boy finally lifted his head to meet the worried gaze of the silver-head.

There had been something on Taehyung's mind since the moment he left the hospital yesterday but he was hesitating to think about it too much. Because what he had in mind... it was something very serious and may as well ruin any future he could possible have had with Jeongguk.

But now, Taehyung was ready to talk about it.

"Jimin," He started with a soft tone, barely audible over the casual chatter that filled the restaurant. "I think that I want to go to Japan."

This made the silver-head's eyes widen a little. "But didn't Jeongguk get you that job here?"

"I know but- look how everything turned out," He sucked in a shaky breath, finding it hard to continue. "No matter what we do, there's always something keeping us apart and now..." He licked over his lips. "Now his parents are in the picture and I don't want Jeongguk to rebel against them just for me. You should've seen them Jimin, they were so angry at me and worried about Jeongguk and all this was my fault to begin with-"

"Woah, woah. It's not your fault Tae." Jimin insisted. "Minchae was behind all this. Jeongguk's parents just have to know the truth."

Taehyung shook his head. "There's no point in doing that. It doesn't matter if they find out about what Minchae did... that doesn't change the fact that she wouldn't have pulled a stunt like this in the first place if it weren't for me."

"What do you mean, if it weren't for you?"

"She did all this just because Jeongguk left her... for me."

"Tae-"

"No Jimin. It is my fault and I..." He sighed, feeling weighed down by the overwhelming emotions within him right now. "I'm trying really hard to stay strong and fight through all this but it's just- fuck, it shouldn't be this hard, you know... it shouldn't be this hard to be with the person you love."

"Look, things will get better. Just wait for Jeongguk to get discharged." The silver-head said despite realizing the painful truth in Taehyung's words.

"Nothing's gonna change, Jimin and I hate myself for saying this but... I think some time apart between me and Jeongguk would be good."

Yes, it would be good. Not for them but for everyone else around them since everybody's so against the raven-head and Taehyung being together.

"Tae, come on. Please think about this. Do you realize what you're saying right now? Jeongguk's gonna be-"

"I'm not doing this to hurt him," Taehyung ran a hand through his hair frustratingly. "Believe me, that's the last thing I want. It's just everything is so suffocating right now. For both me and Jeongguk. I'm not saying that I'm gonna leave him for good. I just don't want to come between him and his parents..."

Taehyung said the last part quietly. Jeongguk had already been having problems with his parents and it was clear that the raven-head was very troubled by it. The last thing he needed right now was to argue with his parents to stay with the older boy. Because no matter how much the love between two lovers was worth, family still naturally came first.

The curly-haired boy heard his roommate sigh. "Okay, so what? Are we gonna leave after the exams just like that? Do you think Jeongguk's gonna just sit still and let you leave?"

"That won't be a problem," Taehyung hated what he was going to say next. "Because he won't know that we're leaving."

Straight away, Jimin's face fell. "Tae..." He warned. "Please tell me you're joking."

"Sorry but I'm not."

"So you're just going to disappear from him like that?"

"Of course not," Taehyung wouldn't do that. "I want to see him one more time. I have to give him something..." He looked at Jimin hesitantly before proposing his next statement. "And I want to see him right now. Will you come with me? It's just that his parents might be there and I-" He was rambling on but stopped when he felt a hand on his knee.

"I'll definitely come with you," Jimin smiled. "Whatever you need, I'm here. Okay?"

This made Taehyung break into a small smile. "Thanks."

He really didn't know what he'd do without his best friend right now.

. . .

A few bus rides later, the two boys arrived at the hospital. They straight away headed to the floor where Jeongguk's ward was located at. With the ding of the elevator, both Taehyung and Jimin stepped onto the floor. They walked casually, trying not to draw any attention to themselves. Fortunately, so far there were no signs of Jeongguk's parents.

They were so close to the raven-head's ward when a voice called them from behind.

Shit.

"May I ask what you boys are doing here? Visiting hour is over." The nurse had her hands on her hips, tapping a foot on the floor impatiently.

Taehyung and Jimin turned to look at each other but the shorter boy spoke quietly. "You go ahead, I'll distract her." With an assuring nod, Taehyung watched as the silver-head turned around to the nurse.

"My grandpa was admitted here and I can't seem to find him!" It sounded like Jimin was actually sobbing as he walked in the opposite direction from where they came in, also successfully bringing the nurse's attention to him and away from Taehyung.

The nurse's serious face fell into a worried look. "Oh... I see-"

"Please help me find him! He's had a heart attack! I need to be by his side!" He was screaming and by now there were definite tears strolling down his cheeks as he held onto the nurse's hand dragging her towards somewhere like a small kid impatiently dragging his parent along to a toy store.

For a moment, Taehyung was confused as to what was happening as he witnessed Jimin's first class acting skills. Then he quickly broke out of his trance and turned towards the ward door. Not wasting another second, he pushed the handle down and walked into the room, praying hard that Jeongguk would be in here alone.

The door shut silently and the curly-haired boy took a few more steps towards the curtains that were drawn shut around the hospital bed there. It was very quiet and for a second, Taehyung thought this room might as well have been empty.

Hesitantly, he lifted his hand up to pull the curtains apart and his brown eyes gazed upon the view before him which made his heart swell with adoration. Jeongguk was asleep. He looked so peaceful with his eyes shut, covered up with the thick blanket. There was a bandage wrapped around his head but the boy's dark locks fell over it, making it look more like a headband than a bandage really.

A few quiet steps later, Taehyung was right by the younger boy's side. He just couldn't take his eyes off Jeongguk. The thought of not being able to see this beautiful boy anymore formed a lump in Taehyung's throat as he knew he was about to start crying now. Actually it was better that the raven-head was asleep.

It made everything easier;

Easier for Taehyung to do what he came here to do.

Reaching a hand into his jacket pocket, he pulled out a sparkling necklace. It was something that he'd kept with him since he was a little kid; a long silver chain that had an equally silver pendant hanging from it. The pendant was a letter 'T' that shone as tiny diamond rocks filled the space in the letter. This necklace meant a lot to him as his parents gifted it to him a long time ago; back when everything was simpler and life wasn't that complicated.

He placed his beloved necklace on the side table next to the bed. Then he brought his eyes back to the beautiful boy sleeping on the bed. There were actually a few things that Taehyung wanted to tell Jeongguk but since the younger boy was asleep, it was probably for the best that he didn't say anything. Instead, he spoke out the words in his head.

I'm sorry that things didn't work out between us.

I'm sorry for putting you in this position.

I'm sorry for being so weak.

I hate myself for leaving you after you had clearly told me not to walk away from you.

I'm just so tired of causing you problems in your life.

By now, Taehyung's cheeks were wet with tears as he bit his lower lip, feeling his entire body tremble. This was probably the hardest thing that he's ever had to do. Lastly, he leaned down towards Jeongguk's face, his hand moving some of the raven-head's hair off his face.

With all the courage within him, Taehyung smiled. It was a sad smile. And then he spoke out loudly the words that punctured a hole through his heart at that moment.

"I love you."

He leaned down lower, planting a single kiss onto Jeongguk's lips.

And that was it, really. Everything Taehyung wanted to do, he'd done it. As he dreaded it, it was time for him to go now. He stood up straight, moving away from the younger boy. There were mixed emotions dancing within the older boy right then as he looked at Jeongguk and he just found it hard to believe that this was it.

He hated this.

However, just as Taehyung turned around, ready to walk away, he felt his hand being grabbed. He froze, momentarily paralyzed there and then a deep voice sounded...

"I love you too."

________
Only 6-7 chapters to go guys!! Never imagined I would be writing this much!

Chapter Text

A single breath escaped Taehyung's lips as he could feel his heart beat speed up.

Slowly, he turned around to face the younger boy but quickly diverted his attention down to the floor. Jeongguk's grip on his hyung's hand tightened as he studied the tear stains on the older boy's face. The ward was silent as neither of them spoke with Taehyung staring hard to the ground just as how the raven-head was staring hard at him. For that moment, the only sound audible was the sound of the AC motor buzzing lightly.

"Where are you going Hyung?" Jeongguk asked, voice still raspy from just waking up.

The older boy licked over his lips once, lifting his head that seemed so heavy right now. Their eyes met and Taehyung just didn't know what to say.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"I just- I thought you needed to rest..." He said hoping Jeongguk wouldn't suspect anything.

Jeongguk shook his head. "You know I'd definitely want to see you, even if I'm tired. Especially since things were a bit crazy since the last time we were together." He chuckled a bit.

"You're right. I'm sorry." Taehyung smiled tightly, trying hard to show that he was happy to see the younger boy. It was just hard to be happy right now, knowing that this was probably the last time they were going to be together.

The worst part?

Jeongguk had no fucking idea.

Oh god, Taehyung felt like he was the worst human being in the world right now for doing this to the younger boy.

"Are you okay Hyung?"

And there it was.

Jeongguk, once again, putting Taehyung before him.

Damn it, why did the raven-head have to be so considerate all the time? It was making it all the more harder for Taehyung to leave. So with a small (clearly forced) smile on his lips, the older boy nodded. "I'm fine Jeongguk, don't worry about me." He took one step closer. "How are you feeling?" He asked warily, studying Jeongguk's face that didn't seem to have any visible scars on it.

Thank goodness for that.

"I'm feeling grateful that you came. I was starting to miss your beautiful face."

This made Taehyung move his eyes to meet Jeongguk's dark ones with a slightly surprised look on. Did Jeongguk really just say that? There was an obvious blush on his face now. The younger boy saw this and smirked while his hyung was trying hard to maintain a straight face.

With a little shuffling, the raven-head got up a little from the bed, still holding the older boy's hand in his. Before Taehyung could tell Jeongguk to lay back down, the boy gently pulled his hyung closer to him, making the curly-haired boy to sit down on the bed with his legs hanging off it sideways, facing Jeongguk.

"Jeongguk-"

"I'm sorry for not protecting you properly." His hand in Taehyung's dispatched itself and moved up to cup one side of his hyung's face (where the asshole had slapped him), gently caressing the skin there.

"Oh please don't apologize Jeongguk. I should've-"

"No, you shouldn't have done anything. I was supposed to protect you and I failed." The raven-head's jaw visibly clenched as he lowered his head, clearly thinking of the incident. "I just can't stop thinking about how he touched you like that," He then raised his head and Taehyung could see some emotions swirling behind the younger boy's now glassy eyes. "I hate myself for letting that happen..."

Was this really what Jeongguk was bothered about right now? That idiot laying his hand on Taehyung? It was just a slap. The older boy didn't think that it would be such a big deal to Jeongguk. And really, the raven-head shouldn't, at all, be feeling guilty. He fought better than anyone else Taehyung could've imagined.

Seeing him like this just made the guilty feeling inside Taehyung amplify, shooting through the roofs. "Jeongguk stop." Taehyung swallowed hard, feeling like he was about to cry again just by how much the younger boy seemed to care for him.

Taehyung didn't deserve this amazing boy.

And so he took the boy's hand in his, keeping his eyes on it. At the same time, admiring the beautiful ink paintings on it. "I don't know how to say this..." He started, feeling overwhelmed by the amount of things he wanted to say right now but he didn't want to distress the younger boy so Taehyung kept it simple. "You've done so many wonderful things for me,"

He hesitantly lifted his head to look at Jeongguk, worried that his heart might leap out of his chest at any moment now. "I never thought I'd ever meet someone like you. You're so kind to me and I just... I can't stop falling in love with you over and over again every time you say or do something nice for me," He tightened his grip on Jeongguk's hand. "You're the only one that's ever paid attention and cared for me when the entire world barely acknowledged my existence. So please, don't ever think that you've failed in protecting me because..." He swallowed hard again, feeling a stray tear roll down his cheek.

"...because you did save me."

There were a few seconds of silence as Jeongguk absorbed all those words, eyes never leaving the boy sitting there in front of him. Slowly, the raven-head's hand pulled out from the older boy's grip and moved to cup the back of his neck instead. A second later, their lips touched as they kissed each other. It was a slow passionate kiss and both the boys felt like they were high on ecstasy as they loved being in each others' embrace like this.

They pulled apart, tough still close enough that the tips of their noses were touching.

"I love you." Jeongguk said.

"I love you too." Taehyung answered without missing a beat.

. . .

The two boys spent the next hour simply talking.

"How did you get here by the way?" Jeongguk asked. "It's pretty late, did you take the bus here on your own?"

Taehyung chuckled a bit at the younger boy's concerned tone. "Relax, I came here with Jimin."

"Oh, where is he then?"

"He's waiting outside..." The older boy answered. Although it had been an hour and Taehyung was starting to wonder if Jimin really was somewhere in the hospital, claiming to be some sick man's grandson just so the nurse wouldn't kick him out.

And as he was busy wondering about his best friend, he caught Jeongguk shivering a little. Straight away, he got up from where he was sitting. "Are you cold? I'll get you another blanket."

After only taking two steps away from the bed, a hand wrapped itself around Taehyung's thin wrist with a voice behind him saying, "No, it's fine." The raven-head smiled.

"Are you sure? You were shivering." The older boy explained but Jeongguk simply shook his head.

"No. I don't need a blanket," The boy on the bed started smirking and Taehyung narrowed his eyes trying to figure out what Jeongguk was thinking. But everything became clear as the next thing the raven-head said was, "All I need is you."

Maybe Taehyung was distracted by those lovely words to react as he was suddenly being pulled down. In one swift motion, the older boy landed on the bed, his eyes widened, face inches away from Jeongguk as he was literally on top of the younger boy, balancing himself on his hands and knees. Meanwhile, Jeongguk was still smirking and enjoying every second of Taehyung's flustered state.

"Jeongguk you're hurt!" He shouted but then quickly slapped a hand over his mouth upon realizing how loud he was. Taehyung turned his head in the direction of the door, trying to see if any footsteps could be heard from the outside.

"I have to say, I really like the view from down here." Jeongguk's voice made him snap his head back to the boy under him. He could feel the tip of his ears getting hot.

Taehyung rolled his eyes at what Jeongguk said, attempting to get off but the raven-head held him by the waist tightly. "Jeongguk what are you doing? I need to get down."

There was a small adorable pout on the younger boy. "But aren't you gonna make me feel better? I'm really hurt..."

"Oh really? Then that's all the more reason I should get off you right now-"

"No," The raven-head reached his hand to cup the back of the older boy's neck, pulling him closer so that their faces were inches apart. "I mean with a kiss." Jeongguk's eyes were staring straight at his hyung's plump lips.

This certainly kick-started Taehyung's rapid heart beat as he found it hard to form any sentence in his head right now. "Jeongguk..."

"Please?" The dark-haired boy smiled innocently.

And how could anybody say no to that?

So in the next second, the curly-haired boy had smashed his lips onto Jeongguk's. He had to admit it, he really missed kissing the raven-head. As they continued to mold their lips together, the older boy could feel two warm hands slipping up his sides, dragging his shirt up in the process, exposing his skin to the cold air in the ward.

"I really missed this..." Jeongguk let out as they broke apart for air. They were both panting heavily.

And it was clear here that even though the raven-head was the first to admit he missed kissing Taehyung, it was Taehyung who expressed it more by starting his assault on the younger boy's neck. Jeongguk's head tilted up as the older boy sucked on certain spots on his neck.

"Hyung..." Jeongguk almost moaned out.

Maybe Taehyung was too caught up in the moment having realized that he was never going to get the kiss Jeongguk like this anymore because suddenly there were tears rolling down his cheeks and he buried his head into the crook of the younger boy's neck, silently sobbing.

He could feel vibrations from below him as Jeongguk was speaking. "Hyung, what's wrong. Are you cryi-" The raven-head stopped, eyes widening when his hyung lifted his head. He saw the tears on Taehyung's face. "What's the matter?" He cupped one side of the boy's face, wiping some of the tears away with his thumb.

Taehyung only stared back at Jeongguk, hating himself for having to lie right now. Damn it, he should have controlled his emotions better. "It's n-nothing. I just hate seeing you hurt in a hospital like this... makes me think about what happened the other night."

He heard Jeongguk sigh from below him. "Hyung, just don't think about it. Look, I'm fine alright? Come here." And just like that, he brought his hyung down gently to lay next to him on the bed. He lifted the blanket for Taehyung to get under it too.

Straight away from under the sheets, an arm draped itself around Taehyung's waist. He was pulled closer to the younger boy, his back against Jeongguk's chest.

"You're safe here Hyung. I won't let anything hurt us anymore." The younger boy whispered, making Taehyung feel so bad for what he was planning to do. Fuck, everything was just so wrong right now.

He felt Jeongguk's arms tightened themselves around him. The older boy also felt the raven-head's hot breath fanning against the back of his neck making him sigh in comfort but the guilt was still there.

It just felt like everything between them was getting more intense and serious. You always see it in the movies; people falling in love... how perfect the ending of a romantic movie was as the lovers always ended up together and had a happy ending.

It seemed almost impossible for things like that to happen in real life but somehow Taehyung had managed to get it; he went through the hardships, he fell in love and now here it was...

The ending.

But we all know it wasn't. Because this wasn't a romantic movie that was supposedly nominated for an academy award or something; it wasn't written and directed by some famous director with a French name that's fucking impossible to pronounce, no. This was real life. And in real life, you don't get to be happy.

As brutal as that sounded, it was the truth.

And in Taehyung's reality, he was going to leave this beautiful boy and probably break his heart at the same time. It wasn't going to be the perfect ending of a love story. It was going to be the same thing over and over again; two boys from very different backgrounds, falling in love, stuck in a close-minded society, stupidly thinking that they could actually end up together.

Because whether we like it or not, we live in a world being surrounded by many other people; people who are different and who also have different opinions and views. And while we may feel like we're the victim in a situation, that other person might feel like we're the obstacle standing in their way, that we're the one making their life miserable, that we're the villain in their story.

And so maybe Taehyung and Jeongguk might feel like the world was against them with their parents forcing them to do this and that, their parents were probably thinking of a similar thing; that their children were rebelling against them, that they were doing the right thing as parents for the sake of their child's future, that they were the victims here.

In the end, it all really came down to one simple thing...

Who's willing to be the bigger person?

Everything would be solved if one person just gave in. But that's the hard part right? It's hard to accept defeat. It's hard to let another person win. It's hard to keep your thoughts to yourself when all you want to do is scream 'You're wrong!' at them. It's so fucking hard to just stand there and let that person talk to you like they know everything and that you're the one being unreasonable.

Taehyung turned his head a little to get a glimpse of Jeongguk behind him.

Was he really doing the right thing by leaving the raven-head?

Because Taehyung was so ready to rebel against his parents to stay here with Jeongguk when the younger boy brought him to that publishing firm the other night. And then the attack happened and Taehyung met Mr and Mrs Jeon. The things they said impacted the curly-haired boy as he realized that he was the obstacle standing in their family's way;

That it didn't matter if Jeongguk and him were in love;

That it wasn't important that they were happy together;

Because them being together made others miserable and so if that was so, how could Taehyung still insist on being with the younger boy? Yes, their love was strong but come on, that wasn't enough; just being in love wasn't enough anymore. People didn't care about that. Maybe it wasn't fair that Jeongguk didn't know about him leaving but Taehyung knew how the raven-head would react so it was better to leave him in the dark for this.

No sane person would intentionally hurt another person, especially someone they love. However somehow, we just end up getting ourselves into these situations that require the person we love to get hurt even though we're trying to do the right thing.

Taehyung hoped that Jeongguk would understand why he did all this one day.

He closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep; anything to relief himself from this mess of thoughts circulating his brain in this moment but not even a small hint of sleep reached him. Well, how could Taehyung really sleep right now?

This was the last time he was ever going to be in Jeongguk's safe arms;

The last time he was ever going to be in Jeongguk's warm embrace;

The last time Taehyung was ever going to drown in the boy's intoxicating scent;

The last time he'd ever feel loved like this...
_________________
:) kudos and comment!

Chapter Text

Only three things mattered at the moment.

Taehyung was at the airport;

He was leaving;

Jeongguk had no idea.

The woman's voice over the loudspeaker in the airport gave a random announcement making some of the people there to lift their heads up to pay attention to it.

Taehyung wasn't one of them.

No.

He was that person dressed in all black, who had his hood pulled over his head with earbuds stuffed into both ears, also looking very depressed standing next to his luggage. The people who passed him gave him weird looks. Maybe it looked like he was heading to a funeral of some relative overseas because really, no one else in that airport looked as lifeless and dead as he did at that moment.

But surely we can't judge him.

After all that had happened, Taehyung probably earned the right to be depressed.

However, even though every fiber in his body wanted nothing more than to sulk and continue being depressed about all this, a part of him didn't want his remaining time here to be filled with sad thoughts.

Throughout these past few weeks, Taehyung had done nothing but think about how everything had badly turned out, how everything was against him and Jeongguk, how they didn't get to be together. But honestly, how long more was he going to keep this up? What difference was it going to make if Taehyung kept thinking about all the things that couldn't be undone.

That was it right?

Everything that happened was in the past.

So instead of wasting his time being sad, Taehyung forced himself to move on to other things. Like remembering all the beautiful memories he had with the younger boy. Maybe this was stupid because he was just putting himself into more agony by focusing his thoughts on the beautiful boy he loved so dearly. But not thinking about Jeongguk right now hurt even more... if that made any sense.

When the first memory of the two boys bumping into each other at the coffee shop breezed by in the boy's mind, a small smile automatically made its way to his lips.

Taehyung remembered everything.

How he was subconsciously smitten by the raven-head from the second they met. How he was awestruck by the beauty of Jeongguk. Dark eyes that seemed so dangerously ethereal and always shone with kindness in them. The boy's flawless milky skin that was covered with those beautiful tattoos. His lips, his hands, his pitch-black silky long hair that Taehyung would give anything to run his hands through right now.

Words weren't enough to describe the raven-head.

And Jeongguk was kind and nice to the older boy from the very start. Until now, Taehyung still questioned what the younger boy saw in him. All the effort Jeongguk made to get to know the older boy... As far as his life had gone by, people usually took one look at Taehyung's shyness and social-awkwardness and automatically judged him as a rude person who didn't smile much. Only a few people like Jimin, Seoyun and Namjoon saw past his introverted side and actually made the attempt to get close to the boy.

Then came along Jeongguk who changed things... changed Taehyung as a matter of fact. After being paranoid for years about people judging him, it caused the boy to end up being extremely fragile and insecure about everything... about himself.

And Jeongguk made Taehyung see a part of himself that he didn't know was inside of him; that he was human just like everyone else, that hardships were part of life, that he could actually be loved and even love himself.

All those endless compliments the raven-head showered his hyung with, everything stayed within Taehyung, building him up. Everything Jeongguk had done for him, all those nights they spent together, all those meals they had, every single time they touched each other... it was love.

There was no doubt about that.

And all of this made Taehyung stronger in a way.

That's why he knew he could do this. Yes, he was strong enough to lift himself up and get on that plane. If he loved Jeongguk as much as he thought he did, Taehyung knew that him leaving was just a minor pause in their relationship.

Nothing could really break them... nothing could break the connection they have.

And for now, those words were the last strings of comfort and safety Taehyung held onto that was stopping him from breaking down.

Yeah, nothing's gonna break us.

Taehyung spoke softly under his breath, repeating that same thought over and over again.

But then again, no matter how much we try to look on the bright side in a challenging situation, the dark thoughts within us always manages to win over the battle in the end. So after the seventh time of chanting those same words, Taehyung felt his throat clog up and there was this strong sensation within him that made him want to cry out loud.

Quickly, he placed his hands over his face to control his sobs.

After all that pep-talk to himself, in the end, there was still this very obvious void inside of him that drained Taehyung of any positive thoughts. Who was he kidding? It was just so fucking hard to pretend that he was okay with all this; with leaving.

As his sparkling chocolate eyes flooded out tears, he found himself desiring to be in the warm embrace of Jeongguk.

To feel the boy's comforting touch.

But reality was here to remind Taehyung that he was alone, standing there in the crowded airport surrounded by strangers. Jeongguk wasn't there.

Through his fingers, Taehyung's teary gaze scanned through the busy airport, trying to find his best friend. Jimin was supposed to meet Taehyung here ten minutes ago. They had to check in their luggage now. Before leaving the apartment earlier, Jimin had announced that he wanted to go see a few friends first before meeting the other boy at the airport.

Taehyung just nodded in response then. He was too distracted and frazzled to interrogate Jimin of his whereabouts. However now, seeing as how Jimin was late, the boy had wished he'd taken more interest in where his roommate was headed to.

Where could these 'friends' of Jimin live if it was taking the boy this long to get to the airport? Taehyung didn't want to be alone right now. He needed his best friend. Throughout all this, Jimin had been his pillar of support and strength and he just couldn't imagine what he'd do if the silver-head hadn't agreed to go to Japan with him.

And then right on cue, Taehyung caught sight of a very disheveled Jimin charging through the crowd like a football player, dodging people here and there.

Finally, the boy thought.

A relieved sigh escaped Taehyung as he quickly took out the earbuds from his ears, also making sure to erase any trace of his tears. The last thing he wanted was for Jimin to be worried about him right now. Jimin had been worrying enough. Ever since they left the hospital the other night, Jimin was practically an angel sent from heaven to Taehyung.

Taking care of him;

Making sure he ate.

Even helping him pack and all that.

A small tired smile showed on Taehyung's lips upon Jimin's arrival.

"You're finally here-"

But something was off.

The boy's smile disappeared as his brows knitted themselves together. He realized Jimin had no luggage with him. But Taehyung saw the boy packing just last night. What was going on? Had Jimin forgotten his luggage or something? If so, why was he here? Shouldn't he be going to the apartment to get it-

"Tae..." The cellist called in a serious tone, pulling the boy out of his panicked thoughts. Jimin was not smiling. In fact, he looked conflicted like there was something bad he had to tell Taehyung.

And then immediately, the boy's heart started racing.

What the fuck is going on?

"Jimin," He started, voice softer than he intended it to be. He just had no energy left in him for anymore bad news. "Wha-" He swallowed hard. "What's going on?"

"I'm sorry..." He begun, turning his head from right to left looking through the crowd of people there.

No.

Taehyung only had Jimin left.

Was he leaving me too?

The boy's hands turned into fists by his sides.

"I'm sorry but I'm not going with you." The boy finished but his tone wasn't filled with sadness.

However by now, Taehyung had his head cast downwards, mind hazy with betraying thoughts. He was tired of all this shit. He just let his tears fall. He didn't know what else to do. He was already numb from everything else that had happened and now this?

"Tae-"

His heart was already in pieces and now it felt like the broken shards were being thrown into a vast ocean.

"Just stop." Taehyung sniffled, bringing his hands to his face.

"No listen, I-" The other boy was now glancing around him with a worried look, like he was looking for someone.

"I don't want to hear it." The brokenhearted boy started to turn around, not allowing himself to listen to his best friend. However, Jimin quickly held onto Taehyung's wrist, stopping him form walking away.

"No you're not listening to me. I gave my ticket away to somebody else."

This certainly made Taehyung stop his squirming out of Jimin's hold. He directed his glassy eyes at the cellist with half-interest. But curiosity still got the best of him as he narrowed his eyes.

"To who?"

"To me." A voice came from behind him.

Oh god.

Taehyung's eyes grew big as he froze.

No way.

That voice.

And then everything became clear when Jimin started grinning elatedly.

Taehyung turned around quickly, heart burning with want and body aching from the deprivation of the touches, the kisses, the love from...

"Jeongguk..."

Their eyes met.

Thump, thump...

All the bad feelings that he had been suffocating him cleared out as this indescribable emotion overcame his entire body. He felt like he was going to faint because really-

Jeon Jeongguk was here!

Suddenly everything fell silent as Taehyung could hear the sound of his own breathing, getting faster by the second. There in front of him, stood the raven-head, dressed in his usual black attire, with his baseball cap on and a suitcase sitting next to him on the ground.

Fuck.

This was really happening.

"Hyung-" Jeongguk's deep voice called but he was cut off by Taehyung practically jumping on him.

Taehyung tightened his arms around the younger boy, burying his face into the crook of the boy's neck, inhaling deeply until he had to exhale for air. His tears were falling endlessly. And when he felt two strong arms wrapped around his waist, he lost it.

He cried out loud.

The older boy felt regret within him. Why the fuck did he ever decide to leave?

In these arms, this was were he belonged.

"I'm -sorry..." He choked out, pulling his head back a little to face the breathtaking beauty of the younger boy.

Jeongguk's onyx eyes bored into his. "Hyung, you have nothing to apologize for-"

"No. I-I was about to fucking leave! Without letting you know. I'm a horrible person for doing this to you. I'm so sorry!" He cried even more and by now the younger boy's heart was breaking upon seeing his hyung cry like this.

He lifted a hand to wipe Taehyung's tears away. "Sweetheart, you're not a horrible person. Don't ever say that. I completely understand why you had to do this."

"H-how did you know I was leaving-" He started but then stopped, figuring it out on his own. There was only one person who could've told Jeongguk and it was obviously-

"Jimin. He told me everything at the hospital the day after you came to visit me and it all made sense when I saw the necklace you left me." Jeongguk explained, subconsciously tightening his arms around the older boy. "At first I wanted to go find you and get you to stay but then Jimin told me something else." The raven-head glanced behind Taehyung to look at Jimin briefly before settling his gaze back on his hyung.

But this time, Taehyung noticed — Jimin wasn’t alone.

Standing a few steps behind him, slightly breathless but calm as ever, was Yoongi. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his oversized denim jacket, eyes soft yet sharp — like he was quietly proud of the scene unfolding before him.

"Yoongi-hyung?" Taehyung whispered in surprise, still not quite believing it.

Jeongguk followed his gaze and gave a small, knowing smile.
"Yeah… he came with Jimin."

Yoongi let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. "More like dragged them here because someone needed a little push to finally do the right thing."

Taehyung blinked through his tears, trying to make sense of it. "What do you mean?"

Jeongguk exhaled, his voice trembling slightly as he continued, "When I was in the hospital, Yoongi-hyung came to see me. He said Jimin told him everything — about us, about how I was letting my parents decide everything for me again." He paused, his jaw tightening as if remembering the conversation.

Yoongi’s voice softened as he stepped closer, his tone low but steady — the kind that carried weight because it came from experience.
"I told him that if he really wanted you, he needed to stop waiting for permission to live his own life," he said, eyes briefly meeting Taehyung’s before returning to Jeongguk. "Because no one’s going to hand you happiness wrapped in approval, Jeon Jeongguk. You either take it and fight for it, or you watch it walk away."

Taehyung felt his breath hitch.

Jeongguk nodded, his throat bobbing. "He told me… if I wanted you, I had to stop being their perfect son and start being my own person. He said that love—" his voice cracked slightly, "—real love, means choosing even when it’s terrifying. He told me that until I made that choice myself, I’d never truly have you… or myself."

Yoongi gave a faint, melancholic smile. "I come from a family like his," he admitted quietly. "Powerful, strict… the kind that thinks they own your future because they paid for your past. I know how heavy it feels to defy them, but I also know how it feels to lose yourself trying to please them." His gaze softened as he looked at both of them. "So I told him to take his life back — to tell them they don’t get to play with it anymore."

The air around them felt charged, heavy with meaning. Jeongguk’s fingers tightened around Taehyung’s.

"And that’s why I’m here, hyung," Jeongguk finished, his voice trembling with sincerity. "Because for the first time… I’m choosing for myself."

"Hyung..." He smiled, eyes glossy with so much emotion it made Taehyung want to cry even more. "I know you think that you're doing the right thing by leaving. I really do get it. It would be unreasonable and definitely out of the question for me to beg you to stay," He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Taehyung's.

"But when I woke up in the hospital, I just hated myself for letting you get hurt like that-"

"You didn't let me get hurt-"

"No, I did. I was supposed to protect you. And for that I'm so sorry." He closed his eyes for a while before opening them again. "Hyung, I realized something that day and it became clearer to me when you came to see me the other day..." Jeongguk sucked in a deep breath before continuing;

"I realized that I'm so so fucking in love with you." He smiled at the end, leaving Taehyung speechless. Before the butterflies could even make their way into Taehyung's stomach, the younger boy continued, lifting a hand to cup a side of his hyung's face. "I don't ever want to let you get hurt again and I can't see my future without you in it."

"Oh Jeongguk..." Taehyung smiled back, feeling the raven-head's words slowly rebuild his shattered heart.

"And that's why I have to ask," Jeongguk's eyes were filled with hope. "Will it be okay if I take Jimin's place and go to Japan with you?"

If it was possible, the older boy's eyes grew even more big. He quickly turned to Jimin who was nodding, gesturing for him to say 'yes' and that's when it all became too clear.

Jimin and Jeongguk had planned all this beforehand.

"Jeongguk..." Taehyung's soft facial expression displayed his concern. "I love you and I love that you're asking me this but... you have a life here. I can't ask you to just drop everything and follow me..."

It's not that Taehyung didn't want Jeongguk to come with him. Hell, this was the best news he had heard yet. But the raven-head had his own life here, he still had to finish his studies and fuck, what about his parents? How were they going to react to this?

As if he sensed all that was going through Taehyung's mind, Jeongguk smiled comfortingly and pulled his hyung closer to him. "I don't care about my life here. If you're not in it then it's worthless."

And for a while, Taehyung just took a few seconds to stare at the boy before him.

All these things Jeongguk was saying... just the amount of love that was stored in them.

For this boy to be willing to leave his entire life behind only to be with Taehyung, it proved one thing.

It simply proved that Jeongguk loved Taehyung that much.

"I love you Hyung. I don't want to be apart from you anymore... I can't do that. I just can't live without you."

The older boy continued to watch Jeongguk as he spoke those words. And he realized that this was their solution. Right here. This was the ending they were going to get. They were going to be together after all. It felt like everything they had gone through was suddenly worth it all; worth all the struggles.

And now, Taehyung had made up his mind.

Yes, he was tired of letting himself and Jeongguk get hurt again and again.

It was their time to be happy.

"If we leave together now..." Taehyung spoke seriously, gaze burning into the younger boy's eyes, hand sliding up to the side of Jeongguk's neck. "...promise me that we'll be together forever. No more of this pain..." He brought his face closer to the other boy that the tip of their noses were touching. Taehyung closed his eyes. "...that it'll just be the both of us."

"I promise." The raven-head straight away replied, closing his eyes as well.

And then their lips touched at the same time as they kissed slowly, missing the taste of each other. Taehyung's hand moved to cup the back of the boy's neck and Jeongguk's hands settled themselves on his hyung's waist.

With their blood rushing through their veins hurriedly in this mixture of love, excitement and desire, they hungrily took in the other as much as they could. So much time went to waste with them being apart and now it was time to make up for it.

When their lips detached from each other's, Jeongguk and Taehyung gazed at the each other drunk in love and it was perfect. Both smiling widely, they felt lighter than before. It was all finally gone and over;

The pain;

The tears;

The endless torments from people around them;

Maybe it seemed like they were running away but it didn't matter because they had each other;

Now, they had each other to love forever.

So about the thing earlier with how happy endings only exist in movies. That still seems like the honest truth but sometimes... sometimes if we stand strong through all our hardships and never lose faith in ourselves or the people we love, even when it seems like literally everything is against us... who knows? With a little bit of luck, we may just get our happy ending after all.
_________
Hi everyone, first of all, this is not the end! alright?
secondly, Guys, you need to comment! you are still there right?
So, Jeongguk and tae are finally goining to be together in Japan, alone. ahem ahem ahem!

Chapter Text

(Three months later)

As the sky melted into a dazzling pink hue, Taehyung got up from his desk and started to pack his things. Finally, he was done with work for the day. The boy ran a hand through his ocean-blue hair that had grown considerably longer over the past few months, the strands now falling past his eyes and brushing against his neck (yes, he changed his hair color again and no, his mother did NOT know about it). He slung one strap of his bag over a shoulder, pushing his hair back with his fingers.

He was probably the youngest intern there at the GreenTech Agricultural Solutions & Preservatives. The difference could be seen as everyone else carried briefcases except for the boy who brought a backpack with several cartoon pins on it. In Taehyung's defense, a backpack seemed to be more practical compared to those briefcases with insanely small compartments. Cause like, how was he supposed to store his lunchbox in a freakin' briefcase?

The boy started walking towards the elevators after quickly checking over his work desk to see if he had forgotten anything when someone called him from behind. It was the other intern there- basically the only friend Taehyung had within this huge company. The boy's name was Haruka and since he was Japanese, the two boys' conversations were kind of limited. Nonetheless it didn't stop Haruka from being extremely friendly to Taehyung.

"Bye! See you Monday!" Haruka shouted cheerfully to the blue-haired boy.

For a second, Taehyung wondered how the Japanese boy still had so much energy left in him after a long day of work (kinda reminded him of Jimin). He smiled and shyly waved back at the beaming boy before turning around and continued his way to where the elevators were.

A tired sigh left Taehyung's lips once he was out of the humongous company building. Honestly, he was feeling really constraint within the walls of his workplace, not that he didn't like what he was doing though. Taehyung had really come to love this job but sometimes it just took a lot out of him.

The boy's blue silky hair was blown back by the evening breeze, the longer strands dancing around his face and making his eyes flutter shut momentarily. Taehyung started making his way down the busy street, walking cautiously towards the train station near there. With his hands stuffed into his coat pockets, the boy kept his gaze down, focused on trying to get to his destination faster. He wasn't scared to walk alone or anything but mugging was apparently still a thing so it was good to always be careful. Plus, he was in a different country after all.

Heavy chatter mixed with the occasional whistling of trains filled the thick air in the crowded train station. This was one of the things Taehyung mildly disliked; being in crowded places. Even though almost three months had gone by, the boy still hadn't gotten used to traveling in the subway trains here. Every second of being compacted in the boxy space filled the boy with dread.

But really, just a little bit of cramped space certainly wasn't that bad. It wasn't bad at all because Taehyung had something amazing to look forward to as he was heading home now. The sole reason he's able to keep a smile on his face everyday. Just thinking about it had the boy grinning to himself as he dove deeper into the train station.

A light buzzing sound coming from his pants pocket suddenly got his attention.

Taehyung took his phone out and held it in front of him only for a tingly feeling to erupt in his tummy, getting him all excited. And as his eyes met the screen of his phone, reading over the caller ID, a huge boxy smile made its way to his lips. He wasted no time in tapping the 'answer' button, bringing the rectangular device to his ear.

"Hey."

"Sweetheart..."

Jeongguk's raspy voice vibrated through the phone, sending chills to travel down the older boy's spine.

And here was the reason, himself... Jeongguk.

"Are you getting off work already?" The raven-head asked.

"Yes."

Taehyung could hear some noises in the background: the sound of plates clinking against each other, the faint shouting of the phrase 'order up!' in Japanese and the sound of sizzling oil on a frying pan maybe. Jeongguk's voice then dragged him out of those noises. "Hyung, I think I'm going to be home a little late today." The younger boy explained, the tiredness evident in his voice.

This certainly dropped Taehyung's happy mood a little bit but he had to be understanding here, for Jeongguk's sake. So he smiled through the phone, his eyes catching his train arriving at the platform. "That's fine Jeongguk."

"Are you at the train sta- wait hold on. Here, this is for table three who asked for the 'Yakitori' and 'Miso' soup," The raven-head spoke fluently in Japanese to that person. "Hello Hyung? Sorry about that. So you're at the train station now?" Jeongguk got back to Taehyung who by now, was slightly drooling over the younger boy's Japanese.

Now Taehyung wasn't bad at speaking Japanese but he did struggle a little when the conversation got more sophisticated. And while he was trying to learn more phrases, he had no idea that Jeongguk was already fluent in Japanese even while they were still back in Korea. This really proved that the raven-head was good at everything. But hey, Taehyung wasn't complaining or anything... he basically lived for the way Jeongguk often switched from speaking in Japanese to Korean on and off like that.

It was hot.

"Yes, I'm getting on the train now." The older boy replied.

"Okay, I'll see you at home then. Be safe, kay? Love you."

It had become such a normal thing now for them to end their little calls with 'I love you' but it still got Taehyung all shy and flustered sometimes. "Love you too." He said back, the smile on his face hard to erase.

The call ended.

If it wasn't already obvious, Jeongguk worked at a restaurant as a cook.

When they first got here, Taehyung had told the younger boy that he didn't need to get a job because Yoongi's father's company covered both their living expenses here. But of course Jeongguk wasn't going to just sit in the apartment all day long while his hyung was working. Also, Japan had a wonderful food culture that Jeongguk just loved. So after their first week in Japan, he had gotten a job as a cook in this nice homey restaurant about one train ride away from their apartment.

It was a tiring job as Taehyung often realized the first thing Jeongguk did when he got home from the restaurant was collapse onto their couch. However, the raven-head loved it and it was his dream to be a chef after all. So this was the perfect opportunity for him and the blue-haired boy supported him one hundred percent and he just loved seeing the younger boy happy like this.

About twenty minutes later, Taehyung got off his last train ride and was walking in the familiar path leading to the apartment. Now about the apartment... you'd think that a huge company like this would cover the costs for at least a middle-classed living area but no. The sorry-excuse-of-a-living-place was located at this 'uncivilized neighborhood'.

The people living in this area were basically hooligans and often mugged people. During the first week of the two boys staying there, one of their 'neighbors' attempted to mug them but then that idiot learned that Taehyung and Jeongguk were also residents of the apartment, so he welcomed them instead. Before the guy could even finish his "Welcome to-", Jeongguk was already dragging Taehyung away.

Inside the apartment, just by standing at the front door you could see everything. The far left corner, a queen-sized bed. The right part of the place had a tiny kitchen. There was a door leading to the bathroom. And then the remaining space in the middle only fitted a boxy TV set with a couch suitable for two people. So... the best part of the place was probably the tiny balcony outside (with dangerously low railings).

But sometimes when you stand out there (at a safe distance from the railings) right before the sunrise, it really is beautiful.

Quite the opposite of now as the sun had completely set already. Taehyung walked at a normal pace, hands stuffed into his coat pockets like before under the flickering streetlights. Just then, to his right, a grocery store caught his attention. He figured since the raven-head was going to be back later than usual, he could do the grocery shopping today.

You see, the two boys took turns doing the chores. Like Taehyung would be in charge of doing the dishes on one day while Jeongguk did the laundry and they just sort of alternated from there including some other chores of course.

The blue-haired male entered the cold air-conditioned grocery store, casually taking a red basket by the entrance to put in the items he wanted to buy.

Something Taehyung had realized was that Jeongguk was the complete opposite of Jimin- roommate wise. While the cellist was basically a lazy-ass-likes-to-eat-all-my-food-and-not-do-any-chores type of person, the younger boy was the best person to room with. Like seriously! Even when the older boy is too tired to do a dish sometimes, Jeongguk does it for him. Without complaining and all that.

About ten minutes later, Taehyung had gotten all of the necessary things- milk, eggs, cereal, some of those saran-wrapped fresh meat, a few types of veggies and some snacks (that's mainly for him). The boy was about to head towards the check-out counter, when he stopped. With a thought in mind, he turned on his heels and dove into another isle.

The isle stocked with alcohol.

Taehyung really felt bad for the raven-head having to work so hard so he thought of buying a pack of Jeongguk's favorite beer. The blue-haired boy still did not like the taste of beer. There wasn't a complicated reason as to why he didn't like the golden beverage. It's simple. It was just so fucking bitter. But anyhow, Jeongguk liked it so Taehyung would buy it for him.

Later, Taehyung found himself outside again in the cold night, continuing his journey back home with two plastic bags full of the groceries. An unintentional sigh left the boy at the sight of their worn-out-shabby-looking apartment.

Before heading up the stairs (yes, the place had no elevator) to the apartment, Taehyung went to the giant metal mailbox on the ground floor that consisted of tiny compartments, each box assigned to each residential household staying there. After fumbling with the key for a while, the boy got the metal door to open and swiftly retrieved the few envelopes that were in there.

A couple minutes later, after a lot of internal swearing, the blue-haired boy finally managed to get inside the apartment. He placed the groceries and envelopes on the tiny space of the kitchen counter with a huff of breath indicating his exhaustion. The boy then dropped his backpack onto the ground near the couch before shrugging off his brown coat.

Straight away, he went to put the groceries away. Taehyung was halfway through taking the items out of the plastic bag when the white sealed envelopes there caught his attention. Usually he'd ignore them but the address on the first envelope of the stack was from Korea- from the Audi HQ in Korea.

It was something regarding his work.

He didn't know why but seeing the letter made him nervous for some reason. He soon had the envelope in his hands, tearing the top side open. The letter was basically a gentle reminder that there were only three more weeks left before Taehyung's internship program ended.

So three more weeks until they had to go back.

Ugh, the blue-haired boy saw this coming. He knew that coming here was only temporary but... living here with Jeongguk had been a dream come true for him. They had never been happier staying in Japan together like this. Obviously, it's because they were far away from all the bad people in their lives.

But it wasn't even that actually. Taehyung was not afraid of those things; not afraid of missing this life he'd built here with the younger boy, not afraid of never being this happy again, not afraid of having to possibly move to Daegu to be close to his company- not to mention staying with his parents again, especially with his mother (oh, he'd have to dye his hair back to black again)... no.

There was only one thing that haunted him and made him doubt everything ever since they'd been living here.

He was afraid of losing Jeongguk.

This may seem stupid but it's true and as a matter of fact, this thought had come to the blue-haired boy a few times now. We all know Taehyung's nature to overthink and over-complicate the simplest of things but this was serious.

What was going to happen when they got back to Korea? And when Jeongguk eventually faced his parents... what would they say? They clearly did not approve of the raven-head moving here. Jeongguk held a very special place to a lot of people in their lives. He was a good son to his parents, he was a great person to his friends... he was loved by almost everyone.

And for someone like him to leave them, like they didn't matter to him at all and come here to be with Taehyung- it's just... it's hard to believe sometimes. Up till now, there were many times the blue-haired boy would just look at Jeongguk and ask himself one simple question.

How did I ever get so lucky?

Maybe it was these thoughts; the fact that the raven-head mattered so much to Taehyung that the thought of losing him would be just out of the question. So maybe that's why he was even considering the possibility of Jeongguk leaving him... just so that he'd be prepared for it. Because if it had happened out of the blue, there's no doubt, Taehyung would be completely destroyed.

A small tired sigh left the boy as he held the letter in his hand with his back leaned up against the counter. He just hated it. Hated how much his mind wandered to dark places all the time. Why couldn't he just focus on the things he had now? Why did he always have to think the worse in ever possible situation-

The front door creaked open with the common sound of keys clinking against each other. At once Taehyung whipped his head in that direction to see Jeongguk walking in with an expressionless face. The younger boy's dark hair had grown longer too, the black strands now falling over his forehead and curling slightly at the ends, framing his sharp features in a way that made Taehyung's heart skip a beat. With the door closing behind him, the younger boy lifted his head to see his hyung already looking at him, and he ran a hand through his longer hair, unconsciously making himself look even more attractive.

"Hey." He straight away smiled as if this was the best part of his day too; coming home to see the older boy.

Meanwhile Taehyung had successfully managed to put the darn letter away, forcing his negative thoughts away with a genuine smile over his lips. His heart was beating fast now watching Jeongguk step closer to him, the younger boy's longer hair slightly tousled from work making him look unfairly hot. At the same time, Jeongguk dropped his bag to the ground to ease the load off of him.

"Hi." The blue-haired boy lately responded to the other's greeting.

Stop thinking about the letter!

Stop thinking about the-

Now Jeongguk was standing right in front of his hyung, pushing his longer bangs away from his eyes. Without another second to pass, he leaned in for a quick peck on the older boy's cheek. Their eyes met for a while and the raven-head paused, studying Taehyung.

"Are you okay? You look distracted."

That was like a huge wake-up call to the blue-haired boy as he shook his head, praying that the letter was out of sight from the younger boy. "No, just a little tried- How was work by the way?" He asked a little too fast.

Fortunately, Jeongguk didn't seem to suspect anything more. "It's the same as usual," His dark eyes narrowed over to the plastic bags of groceries. "You bought the groceries?" Taehyung nodded before the raven-head smiled and continued. "I'll make us dinner today, okay? Just let me take a shower first. I really stink from work."

"Okay." The older boy nodded again. With that, Jeongguk started making his way to the bathroom, not before running his fingers through Taehyung's blue hair first in a couple-y sort of manner, making the boy blush.

His behavior was definitely odd but Jeongguk was either too tired to notice it or was going to question his hyung about it later. That was fine for Taehyung... later was fine. He just needed some time to get these stupid thoughts organized.

Yes... that's right.

He just needed some time.

Chapter Text

After dinner, Taehyung went to take his shower. He most certainly did NOT have a relaxing shower with those fucking thoughts cluttering his head.

The boy came out from the bathroom to see Jeongguk lounging on the couch with his long legs stretched out over the cushioned seats. The raven-head had a beer in one hand, eyes narrowed into half-slits as his head was turned in the direction of the TV.

Through the flickering television screen, a re-run of some old Japanese reality show played. The older boy wasn't sure if Jeongguk was actually enjoying this but he didn't want to disturb him. More importantly, he didn't want to tell Jeongguk about the thoughts he was having earlier. They were just ideas and stupid assumptions, right? They didn't mean anything...

And okay yeah, maybe Taehyung shouldn't be keeping these things to himself. After all, everything that happened in the past involved the blue-haired boy keeping secrets from Jeongguk and we all knew how that ended. Plus, the raven-head was very particular with his hyung hiding things from him.

But in Taehyung's defense, he just didn't want to cause Jeongguk to unnecessarily get stressed right now. Seeing him tired after work like this... the older boy wanted the raven-head to get as much peace and rest as possible. So really, now wasn't the appropriate time to tell Jeongguk.

No, these weren't excuses.

Right?

In the end (after silencing the voices in his head), Taehyung decided to deal with this tomorrow. Yeah, forget about the letter for tonight. So upon suppressing those doubts and worries deep down into his heart, Taehyung quietly tip-toed over to the tiny kitchen. He was thinking of making some tea for himself and then continue with some paperwork for his company.

Well, that was the plan.

He didn't quite make it to the kitchen.

Because just as the boy moved past the back of the couch, Jeongguk pulled his attention away from the TV and called out to him. Taehyung knitted his brows together and stood there, behind the couch looking down at the boy laying on the couch. He seriously thought Jeongguk was already asleep by now.

"Hyung, where are you going?"

"I was just gonna get a cup of tea," He pointed a thumb over his shoulder, gesturing to their kitchen. "Why aren't you asleep yet? You look exhausted." Taehyung naturally lowered one of his hands and caressed one side of the younger boy's face as he spoke.

He wasn't all that shy to show his affections anymore, unlike before.

Jeongguk momentarily closed his eyes, leaning into the older boy's touch. "What about you? When are you going to sleep?"

The blue-haired boy froze for like, a millisecond before he smiled back. "I just have some work to do and then I'll-"

"Come here."

A small startled gasp escaped his lips when Jeongguk suddenly gripped the older boy's hand that was caressing his face. In the next second, Taehyung was pulled down to the couch causing him to land right on the other boy.

The tips of their noses bumped together with Jeongguk lightly chuckling under a mildly-flushed Taehyung. Hey, Taehyung was not shy to show his affections anymore but still, he couldn't help but feel his heart race and ear tips redden every time the raven-head did things like this.

Jeongguk had one hand slung over the back of his hyung's waist while his other hand balanced the half-full beer bottle at a safe distance, careful not to spill the beer inside. He looked up at Taehyung with sparkly dark eyes. He watched how the older boy's straight blue hair fell over his chocolate eyes and how his cheeks were slightly pinker than before.

Aw... his hyung was blushing.

As a lazy smile fell on the younger boy's lips, he raised his head just a bit, enough to move the tip of his nose along the defined cheekbone of Taehyung, at the same time inhaling in the fresh soap smell radiating off the boy from his shower minutes ago.

"Can we just lie here together for a while?" Jeongguk asked in a soft voice, barely above a whisper.

Their faces met again and this time Taehyung was smiling. He nodded without hesitance, moving his body to position himself in between the raven-head's legs. Turning over, his back was pressed against Jeongguk's chest with the boy's free arm wrapped over his upper body. This was probably the most comfortable they've been in such a long time.

Just like that, they drowned in each other's embrace. The TV was going on in the background with the two boys staring at the screen, zoning off into their own thoughts. It was probably not a good idea for Taehyung to be left with the buzzing ideas in his head...

He found himself thinking about a lot of things.

He just couldn't get over the fact that he was here right now. Not in Japan, not away from his parents... but here, in Jeongguk's arms. Just thinking about it, months ago, they couldn't be this free with each other. No matter how nice the raven-head was to Taehyung, he still couldn't break up with she-who-must-not-be-named.

But now, this boy had basically left his entire life behind to come to Japan just to be with Taehyung. He's living in this crappy apartment for Taehyung; he's working at that busy restaurant with an equally crappy pay for Taehyung; he's just here... for Taehyung.

And then it hit Taehyung... after all that Jeongguk had done for him, didn't he owe it to the raven-head to be honest with him? He remembered the promise they made to each other when they arrived in Japan. The first night they spent here, wrapped up in each other's arms, burning with want from being apart from each other for so long in the past.

"Let's only be honest with each other," were the words spoken that night and the two boys agreed to it. That is the thing about being in a relationship right? Honesty and trust. Taehyung really shouldn't be keeping his worries to himself when Jeongguk is right there to help him get through it all.

I have to tell him.

Taehyung's thoughts were cut off when he felt Jeongguk's thumb gently smoothing over the shirt over his chest, casually. The raven-head's hand was right above Taehyung's heart. He wondered if Jeongguk could feel his heartbeat right now. Slowly, he brought his hand over Jeongguk's inked one, running his fingers over the boy's knuckles.

He's never felt so safe before and suddenly he wasn't afraid anymore.

"Jeongguk." He turned a little so he was able to face the raven-head behind him.

There was a hum in response to his call as Jeongguk was still watching whatever was on the TV, not really giving much attention to what his hyung was about to ask him.

"We only have about three weeks left before we have to go home." This straight away got a hold on the younger boy's attention as his eyes were a hundred percent focused on Taehyung now.

He nodded. "That's right. We do have three weeks left..." Jeongguk's onyx eyes narrowed studying the older boy's serious expression. "Why? Is there something wrong? Are they making you stay here longer or something?"

Taehyung quickly shook his head. "N-no, it's not that." He got up into a sitting position.

Oh boy, why was he suddenly so nervous?

"Hyung, what is it?" Jeongguk was clearly worried now as he sat up a little as well.

The blue-haired boy kept his gaze down. How the hell was he suppose to start? "I- uh..." He licked over his lips nervously.

Okay, he was starting to second-guess this whole speaking the truth thing because he just couldn't get the words out. Why was it so fucking hard?

A hand came over his, for the hundredth time, offering comfort to him. He hesitantly looked up to see Jeongguk with an assuring smile. "Hey, it's me. You can tell me anything, remember?"

Taehyung nodded his head weakly before sucking in a deep breath.

Ugh... here goes nothing.

"I- I was just thinking about... about how things are gonna change when we get back to Korea." He started to get scared as the raven-head had a dead-serious look on by now.

Jeongguk made a thinking face before he spoke out. "What change?"

"You know... I'm sure you'd have to deal with certain things, like with your parents and all... I mean, you left with me in a haste and I don't think they're too pleased about that." He squeaked out, bringing his gaze down to his hands on his lap.

Just the thought of Jeongguk's parents telling Taehyung to stay away from him again loosened the faucets handles behind his eyes a little. Damn it, please don't start crying now.

"Hyung you don't-" The younger boy sighed. "Look at me."

With his heartbeat pounding in his chest, eyelashes already a bit wet now, Taehyung lifted his head hating that he got emotional way too fast over the littlest things. What more was there to say? He was easily frightened and overreacted a lot... the smallest things scared him.

Jeongguk's expression morphed into one with a shocked and sympathetic look. He was very alarmed of the tears about to trail down his hyung's flawless skin, making him to subconsciously move closer to the other boy.

"What is it? Why are you crying Hyung? You don't have to worry about my parents. They won't say anything to you-"

Taehyung shook his head, sniffling. "I guess I'm just afraid t-that they're gonna make you..."

He swallowed hard.

Jeongguk was now very still, waiting for him to continue.

Oh god, just say it!

"...leave me."

To say that Jeongguk was surprised would be a huge understatement. The boy was actually left speechless, the tension between them raised to an unimaginable height.

"Why on earth... would you think- oh god." The raven-head shook his head in disbelief, slumping back onto the couch a little, eyebrows furrowed as he was deep in thought for a while. It looked like he was trying hard to figure out what could have possibly got Taehyung to think this. "How could you ever think that I'd leave you?" He asked after that.

Taehyung leaned forward, feeling the need to take Jeongguk's hand in his. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please don't get mad, I just can't stop myself from having these thoughts." He chewed on his bottom lip, studying the younger boy who was looking at him with a slightly hurt expression. "I think about these things sometimes... and I know that you're always saying you'd never leave me but what if your parents-"

"Stop." The dark-haired boy kept his eyes on his hand that was in Taehyung's. After a few seconds (that felt like forever to Taehyung), he finally lifted his heavy gaze to face his hyung. "My parents are not in the picture anymore. Things are different now and I won't let them come between us with their meaningless threats and warnings."

The older boy felt his heart swell a little.

But Jeongguk didn't stop there.

He pulled the blue-haired boy closer by his hand. "Remember what we said to each other at the airport before we came here? You said that you wanted it to be just the two of us..." Taehyung nodded at that, remembering the unforgettable memory of when they were finally united in the airport before coming here.

"...you told me that you didn't want us to hurt anymore and I promised you didn't I? I gave you my word that nothing is ever going to break us apart again."

Suddenly Taehyung was feeling insanely stupid for even bringing this up. The raven-head's words were enough to calm him down... to give him comfort.

"I'm sorry..." He said, looking down again.

"Don't be. I understand why you keep having these thoughts. You've come such a long way from who you were before this..." A hand under Taehyung's chin lifted his head up and he was faced with a smiling Jeongguk. "...it's still hard for you to completely trust me but it's fine because I'll be right here for you. We can figure all this out together, yeah?"

In this moment, these words seemed to have made a much bigger impact to Taehyung that he thought it would. He just realized that every time he freaked out and went to Jeongguk with a problem, the younger boy always showered him with some new compliment but this time the boy actually highlighted something else...

Yeah, Taehyung did have serious trust issues before this.

This was the main reason why he kept doubting everything.

But like the raven-head had said, the blue-haired boy had come a long way from the person he was before this. He definitely changed for the better. His problems; anxieties, paranoia and insecurities obviously still had not gone away but he was improving right?

And the one person that deserved to be thanked for all this was right in front of him.

Without another second to waste, he leaned forward to wrap his arms around Jeongguk's neck, making the younger boy slide down to his original lying-down position on the couch. On top of him, his hyung's head was next to his as he could feel Taehyung's breath over his ear, repeating two words over and over again.

"Thank you..."

The first step to getting over his fears and problems was to accept them first and Taehyung knew that these insecurities and complications would never really go away. They would probably stay within him forever but these things, as much as they made him miserable, they were what defined the blue-haired boy.

It made him who he was.

And as he pulled his head back to face the gorgeous face of his boyfriend below him (yes, boyfriend), Taehyung felt all of his worries fade away in that moment cause once again, Jeongguk had done it; he had made the older boy feel safe and secured again.

"I love you." Taehyung leaned closer, already moving his eyes to the raven-head's irresistible lips in front of him.

Jeongguk chuckled. "I love you more."

In the next second, their lips met for a kiss. What meant to be a short, maybe five-second kiss turned into a full-blown make-out session. And Taehyung was the one actually leading the kiss, his eyes shut tightly with his hands moving up the back of Jeongguk's head, fingers running through the boy's smooth raven locks. All of his focus was on the kiss.

Maybe it was because of the events prior to this that built up this incredible desire within Taehyung; the desire to completely melt into Jeongguk's warm and strong body. He just knew that he wanted Jeongguk so bad right now that he felt like he would die if he spent another second not touching the other boy.

Meanwhile, the dark-haired male under the blue-haired boy was trying to get into a better position with his one hand gripping his hyung's waist and his other one reaching out blindly to the side to place his fucking beer bottle away on the coffee table. After frustratingly trying for like, seven seconds, Jeongguk finally managed to do so.

And when he did, he straight away used both hands to pull Taehyung closer to him, properly so now the older boy was straddling him. They finally break apart from their supposedly ever-lasting kiss. Both panted like crazy and before Jeongguk could even get the chance to get a good look of his hyung's face, he felt a pair of moist lips on the side of his neck.

This certainly took him by surprise. "Hyung..." He raised a hand to the back of Taehyung's head, feeling the silky straight blue hair caressing his fingertips. He nearly released a groan when the older boy bit down on that one sweet spot.

The heat kept rising and Taehyung just needed more; more of Jeongguk, every single inch of the raven-head's body. He just needed to show how much the other meant to him. It wasn't bravery that was leading him on to what he was doing right now.

No, it was just love.

The dangerous and intoxicating love that had possessed Taehyung's hands to trail down to Jeongguk's shirt, undoing the buttons as his lips now moved down to the boy's collarbones. In his mind, he had no idea what was going to happen next but he was certain about one thing...

He wanted it.

He wanted all of it.

When the raven-head's shirt parted, the first thing that caught the blue-haired boy's attention was the shiny silver chain hanging around the boy's neck. It was the one that Taehyung had supposedly left Jeongguk in the hospital, months ago. The raven-head kept it and wore it everyday after that. The pendant of the letter 'T' mirrored the sparkling stardust swirling within the older boy's eyes right now as he stared lovingly at the boy below him.

Then, his eyes moved down where the dark-haired male's glorious abs were coated in thick beautiful strokes and patterns of ink that made Taehyung almost, almost choked on air. Jeongguk's upper body was filled with tattoos, only leaving certain spots of his fair skin that had been unmarked. In all the time that they've been together, he hadn't really properly looked at the perfectly sculptured body of his boyfriend except for the occasional times Jeongguk walked around shirtless at home.

So there Taehyung was, straddling Jeongguk, his eyes locked onto the boy's naked chest. With his heart racing, mind spinning in a whirlpool of love and lust, his hand slowly moved to touch the smooth skin in front of him.

However before he could, a warmer hand closed around his, stopping his action. He straight away lifted his head to see Jeongguk there, hair sexily tousled from his fingers running through them earlier, one side of his neck covered in hickeys, red lips glossy from the kiss. And most important of all, the raven-head's eyes were glistening with a similar sheen of want that Taehyung had.

Jeongguk was breathing a bit heavily, his hand tightening its hold on his hyung's hand. "Tae-" He stopped, voice completely wrecked. "Hyung, I don't think I can stop myself if we continue... maybe we should-"

"No." Taehyung swallowed hard; shoving down his anxieties and fears at the moment. Bravely, with his eyes glued to Jeongguk's dark ones, he slipped his hand out of the other boy's. He first continued with his plan to touch the raven-head's bare chest but stopped half-way.

He thought of something else.

As his chocolate eyes kept a strong hold onto the dark eyes staring at him, Taehyung lowered himself until his shiny wet lips came in contact with the hard defined abs on Jeongguk's body. Slowly, he littered little kisses all over the other boy, all the while his gaze was locked onto Jeongguk, who shuddered under the older boy's touches.

"Oh fuck..." An almost-moan left the dark-haired boy, his eyes never leaving the boy on top of him. Soon, he let his head fall back, entire body tingling with sensations and urges... oh the things he wanted to do to Taehyung.

After deciding that he couldn't take anymore, the raven-head forced himself to get up into a sitting position, taking Taehyung up along with him. His hyung had a confused look on, lips parted as he was in a daze and struggled to process what was happening, more importantly... why did they stop?

Jeongguk raised his hand to cup one side of the blue-haired boy's face. "Please... you don't know what you're doing to me right now." It sounded weak. The raven-head's voice actually sounded strained and powerless at the moment.

Damn, did Taehyung really have that much of an affect over him?

"I don't want to stop." The blue-haired boy admitted, moving his face closer.

Jeongguk stared at him with furrowed brows for a few good seconds. He could not believe what he was hearing right now.

"Hyung, what are you saying-"

"I mean... I-" Taehyung bit his lower lip, everything suddenly moving painfully slow as he realized what he was actually going to say.

The younger boy waited patiently there, his thumb caressing the spotless skin on the other boy's cheek, urging him with comfort to continue.

Just say it already!

"I want to..."

It didn't take long for Jeongguk to catch on to what Taehyung meant by 'he wanted to' (yes, sex) causing his eyes to widen tremendously as he searched his hyung's face for signs of hesitance and force but the blue-haired boy was only blushing like crazy. The apartment fell silent with both of them just looking at each other, as if having a telepathic conversation or something.

Finally, the raven-head broke the deafening silence with, "are you sure?"

This caused a smile to invade Taehyung's lips. It looked like Jeongguk was more worried on the older boy's behalf if they were going to do this. It was so obvious that he treasured and cared for his hyung so much and didn't want the boy to feel pressured into this.

This gesture... along with everything else that Jeongguk had ever said and done for him was more than enough for Taehyung to say:

"Yes."
_________
feels like it's been ages since i wrote some----- iykyk!????

Chapter Text

Okay, so there was a minor problem.

Let's just get straight to the issue for there was no point in delaying the fact that neither boys had any condoms or lube. Well, could you blame them? Taehyung never really had a reason to carry these things around with him in the past and even now. Jeongguk on the other hand, also had no reason to possess these items, cause like, who was he going to sleep with if not with Taehyung, who wasn't ready before this.

But he was ready now.

Which explained their current situation. The raven-head had left to go get the- uh, 'supplies' while Taehyung waited in their apartment. The boy sat at the edge of the bed and wondered to himself exactly when did he and Jeongguk suddenly become the 'type of people' who went out to get condoms for urgent sex like this. But it wasn't really urgency right?

It all just felt right.

Ugh, please don't judge them. This wasn't some cliche gay love story where condoms and lube magically appeared out of thin air whenever the two leads were about to have sex.

A few minutes later, Jeongguk had returned, casually shrugging off his jacket and cap with the front door closing behind him. Straight away, Taehyung's heart kick-started its rapid pace as he stood up from where he was. It was all going to happen now.

He shyly made his way to the younger male, finding the courage to not be scared and overthink this like he did with everything else in his life. But when Jeongguk's eyes found his and they stood in front of each other in the middle of the apartment, everything just seemed better and he felt safe.

"Hyung, you don't have to force yourself if you don't want to do this. I can wait-"

The red head took the other's hand in his, keeping his eyes on it. "I'm ready," He then lifted his head up to look at his boyfriend. "When I'm with you, I know I'm ready for anything."

A heartwarming smile made its way to Jeongguk's lips as he snaked an arm around his hyung's waist, pulling him closer. "Okay." They both simultaneously closed their eyes, forehead pressed together, as if savoring this moment now to never be forgotten. Ever.

Taehyung felt the tip of the other's nose ran down his cheek (in the way that Jeongguk loved to do) and then in the next moment, a pair of soft lips landed on his.

Two strong hands slid under the Taehyung's thighs, effortlessly lifting him up as their lips stayed on each other. On instinct, Taehyung wrapped his legs around the other male's wait, his hands already making their way into the dark and soft luxurious locks of his boyfriend.

The tiny spark flickering between them was growing now into a whole bright orange flame as they kissed each other harder, not really feeling the need for oxygen... yet. Jeongguk's tongue was inside the older boy's mouth, teasing him with each stroke and lick. This had Taehyung's already sensitive body rolling against the other.

After that, they finally parted momentarily. They were panting like they had just ran a marathon or something, foreheads pressed together, eyes shut tightly with the puffs of their breaths mingling together. When Taehyung's eyes peeked open, he found these beautiful pair of black glass beads staring back at him. Oh god... he could die right now just by the way the raven-head was looking at him.

"I love you." Jeongguk felt the need to say.

It was like one more assurance the boy had to give the red head before they were going to finally have sex. Taehyung took this short moment to adore the glittering lights swarming within the glossy surface of Jeongguk's eyes; he looked ethereal.

"I know you do and I love you too."

Nothing more was exchange after that as they connected their lips once again. Taehyung pressed down harder, deepening the kiss, also automatically making his grip on the other boy's hair tighten tremendously (not that Jeongguk was complaining or anything). Meanwhile, Jeongguk was walking towards the bed, having been familiarized with their shabby apartment plans.

The raven-head soon pulled away from their kiss to gently put his hyung down on the white sheets of their bed. He stood back up and took a while to stare at the older boy, lying on the bed there, his blue hair a complete contrast to the snow white sheets. Taehyung was looking up at Jeongguk with pure innocence, awaiting the other's move.

In a blink of an eye, suddenly, the image of the red head naked, soft skin glistening in sweat, bangs stuck to forehead, whimpering and moaning out in utter pleasure entered Jeongguk's dark mind. This single picture ignited the sexual intentions that he'd been keeping within him from the very first moment Taehyung and him kissed.

Oh how the raven-head had been holding back this entire time... Every time they touched each other before this, it was hell for him to control his urges. He loved and respected his hyung too much to pressure him into anything close to sex.

But now... it was really fucking happening.

The raven-head peeled his shirt off before tossing it to the side, setting his gorgeous body on display again. He sunk one of his knees onto the mattress first before slowly making his way closer to his hyung who was lying there. Soon, Jeongguk hovered over the red head and the thing that seemed to be holding Taehyung's attention in that moment was the shiny silver chain that dangled down in mid-air from around the younger boy's neck.

It was like a symbol to the older boy... that Jeongguk was his and only his.

Suddenly feeling this new wave of confidence take over his mind and body, Taehyung lifted a hand, his long bony fingers hooking themselves over the chain, tugging on it, gently. This caused Jeongguk to lower himself onto the other giving the red head a chance to steal another long blissful kiss.

Their lips hungrily molded together with equal passion and want. Like a rhythm, each time the kiss got deeper, Taehyung's body arched off the bed a little with his arms secured around the raven-head's neck, loving the feeling of warmth radiating off the bare body of the other male. He wasn't heavy so it was all too easy for Jeongguk to hold the weight of the red head clinging onto him like that.

Eventually, they broke apart for air with Jeongguk getting back onto his kneeling position in front of his hyung who was back to lying on the bed. Just this small fraction of time annoyed the blue-head as he was feeling the adrenaline rush within him cloud his mind with this drunk lust causing him to get off his back and mimicked the raven-head's kneeling position.

Without so much as a warning, he dipped his head down to leave little kisses over the hard chest of his boyfriend. His hands were all over the smooth skin of Jeongguk, not realizing that the other had his jaw clenched, trying hard to control the sound that was scraping at the back of his throat aching to come out. Finally he couldn't stand it anymore.

"Hyung~" His voice was wrecked and weak for the second time today.

When Taehyung heard that sound, his gentle kisses turned into a whole lot of biting and sucking. He had his tongue over one of Jeongguk's nipples when he felt a handful of his hair at the back of his head being tugged on. Another hand presented itself on the side of his waist, trailing up and up, reaching under his t-shirt causing him to whimper lightly, unintentionally putting a pause to what he was doing.

This 'momentary pause' was all Jeongguk needed to slightly pull back and rip the shirt off his boyfriend. It all happened really fast and in a blur for Taehyung's hazy mind to process. The next thing he knew, his back was once again against the soft mattress with Jeongguk's body pressed on top of him, in between his legs.

A loud groan left Taehyung as the dark-haired male had pinned the older boy's hands above his head and was leaving harsh kisses down the side of his neck. Maybe this was Jeongguk's response to all that teasing...

The flame from before was now practically a scorching wildfire, spreading through their bodies, leaving a trail of fire on every limb and fiber within them. Taehyung struggled against the restraint on his wrists over his head when Jeongguk's teeth sunk into 'that one spot' on his neck that had his toes curling in pure delight.

"Jeonggu-" The blue-head moaned but his voice was muffled by a haste kiss to his lips.

"I can't get enough of you..." Jeongguk slid down to his hyung's chest, planting a few kisses here and there. He purposely licked over one of the blue-head's nipple (just as he had done before) causing Taehyung to squirm, his entire body arching off the bed again. Oh fucking hell! He needed to touch the other boy.

Finally, after a whole lot of sucking and biting on the older boy's rosy buds, Jeongguk released his hands. And what a relief that was for him indeed. With his heart threatening to burst out of his chest, Taehyung's hands flew in the air to tangle his fingers through the pitch black curls of his boyfriend.

One last bite onto his already swollen nipples had the blue-head completely undone as his eyes shut tightly, head falling back with a loud groan. "Jeongguk~" He was panting.

With his eyes closed, he failed to realize Jeongguk now watching him with all seriousness. "Sweetheart, you don't know what that voice does to me." The raven-head husked as he placed a single kiss onto his hyung's glossy lips. He then moved lower, now positioning himself in between the older boy's legs.

Hesitance crossed over Jeongguk's mind for a split second as his hands froze inches above the blue-head's waistband. He took a quick glance to see that Taehyung was not stopping him so he went for it. The raven-head's fingers hooked over the stretchy material before pulling it down, along with the boxers underneath it.

The cold air suddenly touching Taehyung's exposed lower region kicked a gasp out of him. Through his lashes, he peeked down to see Jeongguk there completely stripping off the last of his clothes off his ankles. This was it... he was wholly naked in front of the other boy now. Weirdly, all of his insecurities seemed to have flown out the window. He was just comfortable here... with Jeongguk.

The burning blood streaming through his veins only seared hotter when he absorbed the dark intense gaze of his boyfriend directed at his leaking cock. All sorts of arousing sensations entered the older boy. Damn it... why did he have to stare like that-

As if he was snapped out of a trance, Jeongguk's gaze flickered up to Taehyung for a brief second until a smirk formed over the younger boy's lips. He ducked his head down and was soon leaving little kisses over the blue-head's inner thighs.

This action had the red-haired boy shifting in his position, little beads of sweat already starting to form at the sides of his head. His hands covered his face, toes unintentionally curling down every now and then. Jeongguk then bit down harder at this one spot that was sure to leave a mark later.

With all this going on, Taehyung's leaking cock was starting to ache painfully. Without thinking any further, he moved one of his hands down there to touch himself. Just any sort of friction, really. That was all he wanted. However before he could do so, his wrist was grabbed with a pair of pitch black orbs looking back at him.

Just the way Jeongguk was looking at him, again, if it was possible, had his cock throbbing more. "Jeongguk, please~" He wasn't really sure what he was asking the raven-head to do but the words just came out. Also maybe he shouldn't have moaned out those words because that seemed to have triggered something in Jeongguk and then-

"Please what?"

Fuck.

Taehyung's eyes grew wide. What was this other side of Jeongguk? He had only seen this 'teasing' side of the raven-head a few times before with a little dirty talk here and there. But was there really more to how much dirtier these things could get? The blue-head wouldn't know; this was his first time after all.

But one thing was clear.

He liked it- no he fucking loved this side of Jeongguk.

So he tried to answer. "U-Uh... um I-" He stuttered and then stopped. Why was it so hard? Taehyung would like to swallow the little to non-existent pride he had left in him seeing as how he was completely naked under Jeongguk right now but still... the words were tough to get out even if it was just the two of them there alone.

On the other hand, his cock was practically twitching with the lack of attention it was being given at the moment.

Oh fuck it.

"Touch me..." A small voice, nearly close to a whisper left the blue-head.

Upon hearing those sinful words, Jeongguk's hold on his hyung's wrist tightened. His eyes darted away from Taehyung's momentarily, feeling the bulge in his pants grow, before he sighed. Then in a raspy voice, "Hearing you say that makes me want to fuck you right now..."

Oh my god.

What do you even say to that?

With his heartbeat pounding in his ears, Taehyung kept his eyes on the raven-head who released his hand and was quickly reaching to the side for something. Through his dazed state, he managed to catch the sight of a tiny bottle in Jeongguk's hand. The blue-head had literally no idea what that was. He was still clueless when a faint sound of a 'bottle cap opening' was heard.

The raven-head stopped what he was doing with the bottle of lube in a hand, about to pour some of its content out onto his fingers. "Hyung, do you want to stop here?" He asked softly.

"No..." Taehyung almost whined. Why on earth would he want to stop now?

This was all Jeongguk needed to proceed with his action, hurriedly squeezing the bottle to get the transparent fluid onto his fingers. The raven-head watched the blue-head squirm, a hand reaching out to stroke himself. His hyung was getting really impatient...

"Not yet, sweetheart..." He said-more like commanded and he didn't even need to grab the boy's wrist again because Taehyung straight away obeyed (what a good boy).

With his hands gripping fistfuls of the bed sheets on either side of him to suppress the need to touch his cock, the blue-head's attention was suddenly completely diverted away to something else; something cold poking against his hole. Taehyung sucked in a sharp breath, realizing what the other male was intending to do.

Oh man, it was going to be like the last time when they were alone in the apartment after the bake sale. With a whole new wave of excitement coursing through him, the blue-head bit down on his bottom lip hard, eyes shut, focusing on the feel of the other's fingers slowly entering him. It was different this time, with the slight discomfort emitting from the wet lube.

But the discomfort was quickly erased when the raven-head's fingers prodded deep inside him. Taehyung gasped, head falling back. "Jeongguk~" He cried out.

"You'd tell me if it hurts, yeah?" The younger male asked his hand itching to start plunging his fingers into his boyfriend's flushed pink hole.

"Yes!" Taehyung almost screamed as his body was moving down onto Jeongguk, wanting to feel the blissful pleasure already. The raven-head smirked taking this as a sign to move and so he did.

First starting with one finger, the blue-head was already panting hard. He felt like he was on the verge of losing his mind right now. How could something feel this good- that's when another finger entered his tight hole. In and out, Jeongguk's skillful fingers went with the occasional swirling here and there, building up the wonderful sensation inside the older male as he felt his sensitive prostate being pounded at.

"Oh god... Jeongguk!"

The loud moaning did one thing to Jeongguk but to see his hyung push down onto his fingers, the other's insides clenching around him turned him on even more (if that was even possible). And slowly, he saw what he envisioned earlier; Taehyung a moaning mess, naked, body covered in sweat...

Thump, thump.

Jeongguk's heart almost leaped.

In one swift motion, he managed to flip the older male around using his other hand. With Taehyung's front now against the mattress, there wasn't much time for his foggy mind to understand what was going on until he felt a warm chest pressed against his back, the fingers still moving in him.

A kiss was planted onto his shoulder. The blue-head turned his head to the side to see Jeongguk there, leaving sloppy kisses from his shoulders to the side of his jaw. The pace of the fingers inside him only quickened causing another moan to form inside the older male's mouth. However before the sound could've come out, he pushed his face against the pillow there, muffling the sound of it.

Clearly, he should NOT have done that.

Because not a second later, there was a hand over his throat, under his chin, tilting his head up. With his sweaty flawless body moving back and forth from Jeongguk's fingers moving within him, Taehyung's eyes were starting to water as his breathing got caught in his throat from straining his neck like that. But fuck... it was the kind of pain he'd come to actually love. Then he felt the warm breath of the raven-head fanning over his ear.

"Don't do that. Let me hear you..." He whispered with one sharp jab into the blue-head's prostate, making his entire body weak to the core.

"Hah~" His voice came out wrecked.

In that moment, Taehyung felt completely surrounded by the warm embrace of the other boy. He just couldn't wait anymore. If even this felt this good, how was it going to feel when Jeongguk was fucking him? He wanted it so badly.

As a matter of fact, he wanted it now.

"Jeongguk..." He called out causing the other male to stop his actions. The raven-head pulled his fingers out and turned his hyung around, giving him all his attention. When their gazes locked, it was as if they could really telepathically communicate with each other. Maybe it's true about what they say; if you spend time with someone and form a strong bond with them, soon enough you'd be reading each other's mind all the time.

That's how Jeongguk knew what the blue-head wanted without Taehyung even having to say it. With a smile on the younger male's lips, he reached forward to swipe away the tear shining in the corner of Taehyung's eye. "Okay." The raven-head nodded.

Every second that passed after that was nerve-wrecking to be honest. The older male watched Jeongguk start to unbuckle his belt. Soon his pants were off and just... woah. The raven-head was so breathtakingly gorgeous. He continued to ogle his boyfriend in all his nakedness, watching the slight blush tinting Jeongguk's cheeks from the stare he was giving.

His eyes then stayed on the other's cock. He was big. Oh man, did Taehyung really just think that in his head? Meanwhile, Jeongguk had already unwrapped a condom and squeezed out more of the lube to cover his erected cock with.

After that, they faced each other. In the heat of the moment, no words where exchanged but their eyes spoke a billion words to each other. It was time...

With all readiness, the blue-head kept his eyes on his boyfriend who hovered over him for a moment before leaning down to kiss him on the lips. Their lips moved in a slow and passionate rhythm.

"I love you." Jeongguk mumbled into the kiss.

Taehyung hummed in response, looking up at the beautiful boy above him with starry eyes. "I love you too Jeongguk."

And then with no more delay, the raven-head moved away to position himself in between the older male's legs. A tiny gasp left the blue-head when he felt the other's tip poking at his entrance. With a deep breath, he braced himself, hands in fists... until finally Jeongguk's cock was in him.

The tears building up behind Taehyung's eyes finally strolled down as he absorbed the feeling; the feeling of someone being inside him. And this wasn't just someone... it was Jeongguk. The same boy he'd met months ago at that coffee shop, the one who showered him with endless compliments and rarely got mad at him; the same person who brought him out on secret dates and gave him so much attention; the same boy who dumped his girlfriend and took a beating for him only to end up in that fucking hospital... the same boy who dropped everything in his life to come here to be with Taehyung.

Through his teary gaze, he watched Jeongguk grip his thighs before starting to move within him. There was a hint of discomfort, again, but that pain melted into what Taehyung could only describe as pure ecstasy.

The heavy pants of the younger male filled the air as he was subconsciously snapping his hips more faster than he'd realized, quickening the pace. A few grunts left him when his hyung's tight walls closed around his cock, filling him with this new sensation of pleasure. Jeongguk would be lying if he said he had never imagined fucking Taehyung before but all those dirty thoughts were basically nothing compared to how real this felt.

The connection they had, it was one of a kind. The raven-head was certain he'd probably never find someone else like Taehyung; someone who was the very definition of perfection. He knew the older male had flaws but even his flaws were perfect to Jeongguk.

"Jeongguk, ah~" A loud moan broke the train of thoughts whirling around in the younger male's mind, diverting his attention to the boy lying under him. His dark eyes roamed through every part of his hyung; from the way his mouth slightly parted, to his upper body that inhaled and exhaled making his rib cage pop up and down.

With the amazing pleasure surging through Taehyung's sensitive body, he was just about to release another moan when he felt his chin being grabbed as a pair of lips captured his. Straight away his eyes fluttered shut as the two of them made out like that with Jeongguk's cock plunging in and out of the older male.

"You're my everything Hyung," Jeongguk whispered as their lips detached from each other. "You're the only one that matters to me in my life, I hope you know that."

Those very words were Taehyung's limit. He just couldn't believe again. Just- "How did I ever get so lucky?" The blue-head whispered out, tears falling endlessly as he cupped Jeongguk's face with both his hands.

A small smile made its way to the raven-head's lips as he shook his head. "No, I'm the lucky one."

And then the older male snaked his arms around Jeongguk's neck, pulling him down into another kiss. A few more strong thrusts, made both of their bodies to mold together as one, moving in a rhythm with Taehyung's back occasionally curving off the sheets like that, mixed sweat showering them both with a sweet scent dancing around in the air; they knew they were reaching their climax.

In a hasty manner, Jeongguk flipped them over to the side so he was spooning the older male, the pace of his cock sinking and rising in and out of his hyung getting more faster than ever. At the same time, Taehyung's own cock was begging for its own release. Oh man, he'd been waiting so long that he'd completely forgotten about it.

Exactly then, from behind, a hand reached out and began to palm his dangerously erect cock. The red-haired boy's head fell back onto Jeongguk's shoulder as a moan escaped his lips. The younger male had his thumb over Taehyung's slit, causing his hips to buck forward only for the other's cock to hit his prostate at the same time.

"Jeongguk~" He didn't know what to focus on. His mind was scattered everywhere.

The strokes over the length of his cock quickened and with the pounding behind him, everything was rising higher and higher right now; leading up to something. It was going to be the greatest release they'd probably ever had.

In the next few seconds, white strings of cum shot out of Taehyung's cock causing him to literally scream out while Jeongguk snapped his hips a few more times for him to also reach his release inside of the older male.

The air in the apartment was filled with heavy breaths now, the atmosphere of post-sex still raw and intoxicating. After pulling out of his hyung, the raven-head straight away took Taehyung in his arms, acknowledging how weak the older male must be right now. He watched the blue-head's peaceful breathing and ran his hand through the other's soaking red hair.

"I know you often worry about us breaking apart but Sweetheart, that'll never happen because we'll be together forever... just you and I."

Taehyung's eyes weakly fluttered open at those beautiful words. He did feel different; he felt complete now. This wasn't just sex for him, no. It was someone loving him so fucking much to the point where they'd continuously fill him with pleasure, taking him into another world to make him forget about the sucky reality that sometimes threatened to break him.

Jeongguk was that 'someone' to Taehyung;

Jeongguk was keeping him safe from breaking;

"Forever..." The blue-head smiled back at his boyfriend above him.

Just you and I.

Chapter Text

The apartment was quiet now, save for the soft hum of the television that neither of them were really watching. Taehyung lay wrapped in Jeongguk's arms, his blue hair slightly damp and tousled, falling across his forehead. He felt different somehow—more complete, more certain of the path ahead.

Jeongguk's fingers traced lazy patterns on Taehyung's shoulder, his touch gentle and reverent. "You know," he said softly, his voice still carrying that rough edge, "I meant what I said earlier. About us. About forever."

Taehyung shifted slightly so he could see Jeongguk's face, those dark eyes that had become his entire world. "I know you did." His voice was quiet but steady. "I'm sorry I keep doubting us sometimes."

"Don't apologize." Jeongguk pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Your fears are valid, Hyung. After everything you've been through, everything we've been through... it makes sense that you'd be worried."

The blue-haired boy bit his lip, thinking about the letter that had arrived earlier. Three weeks. That's all they had left before reality came crashing back. "Jeongguk... when we go back to Korea, things are going to be hard, aren't they?"

There was a pause. Jeongguk's hand stilled on his shoulder, and Taehyung felt the slight tension in the other boy's body. But when the raven-head spoke, his voice was firm and unwavering.

"Probably," Jeongguk admitted honestly. "My parents aren't going to be happy. They'll try to interfere, try to make me see 'reason' or whatever they think is best for me." He turned Taehyung's face toward him, their eyes meeting. "But here's what they don't understand—you ARE what's best for me. You're the only thing that's ever made sense in my life."

Taehyung felt tears prickling at the corners of his eyes again. "What if they threaten to cut you off? What if—"

"Then they cut me off." Jeongguk's answer was immediate, no hesitation. "Hyung, I don't care about money or status or whatever else they think is important. I care about you. I care about waking up next to you every morning. I care about coming home to you after work, even if that home is this crappy apartment with the dangerous balcony."

A small laugh escaped Taehyung despite his emotions. "It really is a terrible apartment."

"The worst," Jeongguk agreed with a grin, but then his expression grew serious again. "But it's ours. And wherever we end up when we go back, as long as we're together, that's all that matters to me."

Taehyung reached up, running his fingers through Jeongguk's longer dark hair. "Your friends... they're probably worried about you. You left so suddenly."

"I'll talk to them," Jeongguk said. "Some will understand. Some might not. But real friends will accept that this is my choice, my life." He pulled Taehyung closer. "And you're my choice. Every single day, I choose you."

"I choose you too," Taehyung whispered. "I just... I'm scared of going back to Daegu. Of living with my parents again, especially my mother. She's going to hate this." He gestured vaguely to his blue hair. "She's going to hate everything about how I've changed."

Jeongguk was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Then don't go back to Daegu."

Taehyung blinked. "What?"

"I mean it. When we get back to Korea, we find a place in Seoul. Get an apartment, even if it's small. You can commute to work or look for opportunities there. I'll find a job at a restaurant." Jeongguk's eyes were bright with possibility now. "We don't have to go back to the way things were before, Hyung. We can build something new."

The idea sent a thrill through Taehyung's chest. "Could we really do that?"

"Why not? We did it here, didn't we?" Jeongguk smiled. "We figured out how to live together, how to take care of each other. We can do the same thing back home."

Taehyung thought about it—really thought about it. A life with Jeongguk in Seoul, away from his mother's critical eyes and suffocating expectations. Away from all the people who had hurt them both. It wouldn't be easy, but nothing worth having ever was.

"What about your dream?" Taehyung asked. "You want to open your own restaurant someday."

"And I will," Jeongguk said confidently. "But I'm twenty-two, Hyung. I have time. Right now, what I want is to be with you, to build a life with you. The restaurant can come later. We'll save up, I'll get more experience, and when the time is right, we'll make it happen. Together."

"Together," Taehyung echoed, liking the sound of that word more and more.

Jeongguk shifted, sitting up slightly and bringing Taehyung with him so they were facing each other. The silver chain around his neck—Taehyung's chain—caught the light from the television. "Listen to me, Kim Taehyung. I know you're going to have moments where you doubt this, where your anxiety tells you I'm going to leave. But I need you to remember tonight. Remember that I'm choosing you over everything else. Over my parents' approval, over an easy life, over everything."

Taehyung nodded, his blue hair falling into his eyes. "I'll try. I promise I'll try to trust this, to trust us."

"That's all I ask." Jeongguk cupped his face gently. "And when you do have those moments, tell me. Don't keep them bottled up like you did today. We promised to be honest with each other, remember?"

"I remember." Taehyung took a shaky breath. "Jeongguk... thank you. For everything. For being patient with me, for understanding my mess of a mind, for—"

"Stop," Jeongguk interrupted gently. "You don't have to thank me for loving you. That's not something you should ever feel grateful for—it's something you deserve."

And there it was again, that overwhelming feeling of being seen, being valued, being loved exactly as he was. Taehyung had spent so much of his life feeling like he wasn't enough, like he needed to change or be different to be worthy of love. But Jeongguk had never made him feel that way.

"We're going to be okay, aren't we?" Taehyung asked, needing to hear it one more time.

"We're going to be better than okay," Jeongguk promised. "It won't always be easy. We'll fight sometimes. We'll have bad days. But at the end of every day, we'll have each other. And that makes us stronger than anything they can throw at us."

Taehyung leaned forward, resting his forehead against Jeongguk's. "Three weeks," he murmured. "Let's make the most of these three weeks. And then... then we'll go back and face whatever comes."

"Together," Jeongguk said firmly.

"Together," Taehyung agreed.

They stayed like that for a long moment, just breathing each other in, finding strength in their closeness. The television continued its soft murmuring in the background, the world outside their tiny apartment kept spinning, but in this moment, nothing else mattered.

Eventually, they lay back down, Taehyung's head resting on Jeongguk's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was a sound that had become home to him—more than any building or city could ever be.

"Hey, Jeongguk?" Taehyung said sleepily.

"Mm?"

"When we get our apartment in Seoul... can we get a better couch? This one is terrible for two people."

Jeongguk laughed, the sound rumbling through his chest. "Anything you want, Sweetheart. We'll get the comfiest couch in all of Seoul."

"And maybe a balcony with railings that aren't trying to kill us?"

"That too."

Taehyung smiled against Jeongguk's skin. "Sounds perfect."

As sleep began to pull at him, Taehyung felt something settle in his chest—something that felt a lot like peace. There would be challenges ahead, he knew that. His mother would be furious. Jeongguk's parents would try to interfere. There would be judgment from people who didn't understand, obstacles they couldn't predict yet.

But they would face it all together.

And somehow, that made all the difference.

"I love you," Taehyung whispered, already half-asleep.

"I love you more," Jeongguk whispered back, pressing a kiss to the blue strands of hair beneath his chin. "Forever and always."

Forever and always.

Taehyung let those words wrap around him like a blanket, warm and safe and real. For the first time in a long time, when he thought about the future, he wasn't afraid.

Because wherever they went, whatever they faced, they would face it together.

Just you and I.

END.

Author's Note

Hello, my beautiful readers! ✨

I can hardly believe I'm writing this, but here we are—at the end of this incredible journey. As I sit here typing these words, my heart is so full of emotions that I don't even know where to begin.

When I started writing this story, I had no idea it would grow into something this big, this meaningful, or this special. What began as a simple idea has transformed into a story that has touched not just your hearts, but mine as well. Taehyung and Jeongguk's journey has been one of pain, growth, love, and ultimately, hope. And sharing that journey with all of you has been nothing short of magical.

I am so incredibly happy and grateful for each and every one of you who has taken the time to read, comment, and support this story. Your words of encouragement kept me going on days when writing felt difficult. Your reactions to plot twists made me smile. Your love for these characters reminded me why I fell in love with writing in the first place. You've made this experience unforgettable, and I cannot thank you enough.

This story has become so much more than I ever anticipated—it grew, it evolved, and it took on a life of its own. And while this feels like the right place to bring this particular chapter of Taehyung and Jeongguk's story to a close, I want you to know that this isn't necessarily goodbye forever.

I'm considering writing special chapters or even a second installment to address some things that still need closure—their return to Korea, facing their families, building their new life together in Seoul, and all the challenges and beautiful moments that await them. There's still so much more to explore, and if you'd like to see more of their story, please let me know! Your feedback means the world to me.

For now, though, I'm giving you this ending—an ending filled with hope, love, and the promise of a future where Taehyung and Jeongguk face everything together. Because that's what this story has always been about: two people choosing each other against all odds, and finding strength in their love.

To all my wonderful readers: Please, please stay connected with me! I have so many more stories I want to share with you, and I'd love for you to be part of those journeys too. Follow me, subscribe, or reach out—whatever platform we're on, I want to keep this beautiful community we've built together.

And here's something exciting: I would absolutely love to hear your ideas! If you have plot ideas, tropes you'd love to see me write, or character dynamics that fascinate you, please drop them in the comments or message me directly. Who knows? Your idea might inspire my next story! I write for you as much as I write for myself, and knowing what you'd like to read makes this creative journey even more fulfilling.

Thank you for laughing with me, crying with me, and feeling every emotion alongside Taehyung and Jeongguk. Thank you for believing in their love story, even when things seemed impossible. Thank you for being the most amazing readers an author could ever ask for.

This story will always hold a special place in my heart, and I hope it holds a special place in yours too.

Until we meet again in another story, another world, another adventure—

with all my love!

P.S. - Don't forget: Taehyung and Jeongguk's story might be paused, but their love goes on forever. Just like my appreciation for all of you. 💙

"Forever and always. Just you and I."