Work Text:
Hoseok takes a dance class once a week. It's a beginner's class and he's definitely not a beginner so Jimin keeps asking him why they even still go together, since neither of them actually need it and Hoseok doesn't even go to the high school anymore (he always argues that it's technically open to everyone - just paid for by the school.)
There's a few reasons they go in Hoseok's opinion.
Reason One: dancing is fun as hell.
Jimin vaguely disagrees with this one. From his point of view dancing alone or in a different group - anywhere far away from Jung Hoseok, really - is fun. Jimin loves dancing.
But dancing with Hoseok sucks.
Because Hoseok is an incredible dancer but a shitty teacher. So if Jimin ever needs to go over a step that he couldn't get, he just goes straight to their actual teacher - regardless that it's Jungkook who's two years younger than him because no matter how sort of humiliating that is, it's better than learning from Hoseok whose idea of going over a step is showing him it at full speed once and then wondering why he didn't get it.
Hoseok denies all evidence of this ever happening.
Reason Two: Meeting cute boys.
Now, this is a point Jimin can't argue saying it's the reason he met his cute boyfriend. Although technically Yoongi didn't come to dance at the class, just to watch him. During which an embarrassing incident occurred involving his red hair (which he's since changed to black) that Jimin will supposedly never ever tell Hoseok.
Regardless, it's convenient for Hoseok that many, many cute boys come to these classes, because it's in his nature to flirt with them and it makes his life so much easier that he can use the iconic 'need help with this step' trick.
It's unfortunate for Jungkook though because they usually don't stay in the class after that.
But Hoseok can't help it. He doesn't see himself as the type to be anything but vague when it comes to dating and feelings and that worries Jimin, who keeps telling him he's gonna run out of boys.
But Hoseok doesn't care. He'll move onto girls, then.
It doesn't matter, really.
It hasn't mattered in a long time. Somewhere around the time when Park Jimin told him that he had a boyfriend now and Hoseok congratulated him - but made a mental note to rip up the stupid 'confession letter' he'd written for him that he thought was just stupidly cheesy enough to work and throw all the pieces out when he got home.
Those sorts of feelings haven't mattered in a long time to Hoseok. And confession letters would never, ever matter again. Fuck The Notebook for making him think letters were romantic.
And it definitely doesn't matter that when Min Yoongi's entire being illuminates upon seeing Jimin it makes Hoseok shudder with the knowledge that he once reacted the same way.
Hoseok's long since over it, but the butterflies, the romance, the infatuation.
None of that ever came back.
So that's why when the boy that starts this week is the cutest he's seen in a while Hoseok thinks nothing of it except why he was so rushed to get into the class.
Jungkook was telling him how adamant he was about being let in even though they were full (for the first time since Hoseok's Boy-Chasing days started.)
He doesn't seem to even have an interest in dance, from what Hoseok's observed today. He always looked confused or bored or exhausted and every time Hoseok stared for too long the boy locked eyes with him - almost like he was waiting.
Hoseok doesn't like it, he decides after thinking it over again. Doesn't like him.
Why did he take the class if he doesn't like dancing?
This reminds him of Reason Three: but Hoseok promptly forgets it as soon as the new boy swings his heavy sports bag over his shoulder with ease and runs his hand through the damp tangles in his hair.
And then he catches his eye, for what could easily be the tenth time, and he smiles at him.
It's aggravatingly beautiful and strangely alluring.
Hoseok shivers slightly.
He forgets Reason Three but refuses to think of it as anything more than a momentary distraction thanks to the boy's beauty.
That's happened before, probably. He's seen plenty of pretty boys. Plenty of handsome ones too.
He does not want to linger on how this boy is both. More, even.
For a second. One tiny fraction of a moment, Hoseok wonders if it's possible to have emotions you thought you lost all together come seeping in again in an instant.
With an uncharacteristic stroke of good luck, he's saved from thinking any more of it as Jimin smacks his shoulder, the fact that it's bare only making the impact sting more.
"Ready to go?" He asks chirpily, rubbing the spot he slapped when Hoseok gives him an offended look.
"Sure, but," his words are drawn out distractedly as he glances over his shoulder at the boy, "one thing first."
He really needs to know why he was so desperate to get in.
A shot of adrenaline races through him as he makes a move to turn and ask him.
But it withers away alarmingly when they make eye contact and the boy smiles. Again.
Hoseok watches as his eyes drift to Jimin and how they both happily exchange shouted farewells over the unpaused music of the class.
And then Hoseok watches the stupid knowing look Jimin gives him once the boy leaves.
"That was Kim Taehyung. He's in my English class. Said he's taking dance because he needs an extra curricular."
Extra Curricular was Reason Three.
But Hoseok doesn't remember that until he's driven half way to his house and he can have coherent thoughts other than "That was Kim Taehyung."
He didn't even get to ask him what he's doing in his- or, Jungkook's class.
But why does he care?
He doesn't.
Seriously.
...Hoseok has a bad feeling about this.
--
An important fact about Hoseok is that, unfortunately, his bad feelings are notorious for being not completely ridiculous.
Taehyung has been in the class for precisely 5 weeks now but Hoseok has had only minor interactions with him. He tells himself that he's grateful for that because he's pretty sure every conversation (if a few words can even count as a conversation) deducts about three years off of his life.
However, the annoying, boy-hungry side of him is, contrastingly, disappointed.
From the small bits of information he's been given Hoseok's worked out that Taehyung:
- lives close enough to the school that he walks home after practice
- can't drive (also another reason for the first fact)
- is a senior in Claire-Marie High like Jimin but wants to go to Lake View university like Hoseok (He's hoping that doesn't happen)
- And has a dog called Soonshim whom he brings to school sometimes and keeps in one the empty classrooms with a bowl of water and canteen leftovers that Taehyung smuggles from one of the cooks when he asks (Hoseok didn't question this.)
Small conversations, evidentially. Hoseok barely pays attention really.
However, the thing that Hoseok finds most intriguing (read: annoying) is that Taehyung, when practising, religiously pins his hair back with a hair clip.
Today is no different.
It's also the day when the bad feeling is finally given justification as Jungkook has to leave early one day after class and gives Hoseok the keys to lock up.
And Taehyung, of all people, is the last to leave.
Hoseok waits for awhile, watching him, just hoping he'll leave and never come back because he doesn't like how he makes him question things that shouldn't be questioned (especially anything concerning dating).
But he doesn't go.
And Hoseok gets tired of waiting, so he stops spying on the boy, who's been repeating the same step over and over again for five minutes now, doing it very wrong every time, and opens the door to the studio.
He makes a half-yell, half-growl sound and kicks the air in front of him and Hoseok hates hates hates how there's a flicker of something in his chest close to fondness. He wants to stamp it out with the routine he learnt that time he went to tap dancing classes.
He makes sure to close the door as loudly as he can so Taehyung stops doing that to him.
The kid looks up like he's just been caught red handed and he immediately moves his hand to his hair which results in his bangs promptly falling down after a soft click.
His fist clenches around a hair clip.
Hoseok's eyes flicker from his hand to his face to his hand.
It's got a butterfly on it.
Hoseok doesn't say anything about it.
Taehyung visibly relaxes and grins, fist uncurling around the hair clip. As he laughs there's a small sheepish tinge to it.
It's not cute.
"It gets in my eyes so-"
Not cute.
"You're having trouble with one of the steps?" Hoseok interrupts, unapologetically because he needs to lock up and go home and not risk falling into something he can't climb back out of.
He acknowledges that the fact he won't even name it might be a hint that he's already started to but he interrupts his thoughts as well
Taehyung falters for a second, looks down at his feet and then looks at the clock on the wall.
Hoseok jingles the keys in his hand.
"Oh! You have to lock up, right? Ah, sorry I-"
"Which step was it?"
Taehyung's expression quivers into an, albeit confused, glare but he shakes it off and shrugs.
"Um, this one."
It's not a completely awful version of it - Hoseok can tell which part it is, at least - but it's absolutely not right.
And then he gets his feet tangled up and just stares at them as if he's waiting for them to say "sorry, my bad!"
Hoseok's head is chanting 'not cute, not cute' like he's warding off a spirit.
"You're going out of time. I'll show you the count again but then I have to-"
"Lock up - that's okay."
Taehyung looks pleased with himself that he managed to surprise Hoseok with his own interruption. Hoseok just scowls a little.
"Exactly," he mutters and the bitterness in his tone surprises him because Hoseok's not an asshole.
Namjoon might say different, but he's not an asshole to strangers. He's actually normally very patient with people. He likes talking to people! They used to call him sunshine, for god's sake.
There's just something about Taehyung that riles him up
He almost feels bad - because it's not exactly his fault - but then he grins at him in that taunting kind of way or touches his arm for whatever reason and Hoseok just kind of wants to kick him.
He shows him the steps, counting clearly so Taehyung can follow and in the reflection of the studio mirror he can see his mouth drop open a little.
"Wow," he says in a low voice once Hoseok's stopped and turned around. He grins inwardly because the look on Taehyung's face is enough to tell Hoseok that he did it well.
Okay, maybe he made it a little harder than it actually is. But it wasn't to impress him. Just mess with him.
"You try," Hoseok almost demands of him, and Taehyung straightens up a little as Hoseok counts him in without warning.
In short, he doesn't get it.
On his third try Taehyung flops down onto the floor and laments "I don't know what I'm doing wrong," spreading out like a really, really exasperated starfish.
Hoseok kind of regrets making it more complicated now. He has somewhere to be.
His Friday nights are not wished to be spent with Kim Taehyung. In any situation, really.
Hoseok thinks about his alternatives. All the fun he could be having right now.
...Like going home and being blanked by his workaholic lawyer parents (he swears he's been born of two justice-defending machines) or going to Jimin's house and having to third wheel him and Yoongi (it's 'movie' night. Hoseok shudders just thinking about it.)
Hoseok flops down beside him - Less 'exasperated starfish', more 'uncomfortable snow angel'.
"I guess I'm not a great dancer, huh?" Taehyung says defeatedly, as if he's already convinced that this is it for him. That he's the world's worst dancer and that's all.
He hasn't seen Seokjin's Traffic Dance with four shots of tequila in him.
"Nope," Hoseok replies bluntly. He wants to complete the sentence with "but you'll get better" but his brain won't let him. He can feel Taehyung's head snap left to look at him but Hoseok keeps his eyes fixated on the ceiling.
He knows that if he looks over at him he'll see the same stupid puppy eyes that he probably used on Jungkook to get into the class - the ones that Jimin keeps warning him about.
"They're irresistible, trust me." Jimin had told him, "There've been many, many times that I've done Kim Taehyung's homework because of his magical puppy eyes."
Hoseok doesn't know if their power stretches to manipulation of human emotions but he's not taking any chances.
"Ah, isn't it good manners to sugarcoat these things for your students?"
Hoseok accidentally (sort of) looks over at him and sees the infamous eyes and damn it.
"I'm a student too."
Deflect, deflect, deflect.
"Not dancing like that you're not. I don't remember Jungkook showing us anything near that complicated."
Uh oh.
Hoseok hums in an attempt to sound indifferent but he can tell from Taehyung's tone that he's onto him.
"You were trying to mess with me, right? Are you trying to get me to give up?" Taehyung sounds genuinely offended that Hoseok might have such intentions but then Hoseok chuckles with a small vibration of his shoulders and, cautiously, Taehyung's furrowed brow softens.
"No. I was just doing it right. It's not my fault you can't do it."
And thus returns his pained expression.
"Ouch..."
"Besides," Hoseok continues without hesitation, "I taught Jungkook the choreo. It's mine. I told him to tweak it for the class if he likes but my version's still correct."
Taehyung's eyes widen, fairly impressed as he says "Wow. You choreograph well."
Hoseok's silent for a second, biting back any snarky comebacks. He's being nice, complimenting his dancing: the way to Hoseok's heart, he thinks, but then realises the topicality of it and takes it back with vigor.
The way to Hoseok's heart crumpled along with that stupid letter. Times are tough.
"Thanks," he mumbles, suddenly shifting to get to his feet before he lets his 'guard' down too much.
However, Taehyung is incredibly persistent, to his misfortune.
"I still really need to learn Jungkook's version though..."
Hoseok has his back turned to him as he rolls his eyes into a glare.
"Yeah, well, sorry but I have to lock-"
Taehyung grabs his arm as Hoseok begins to walk away and he turns him around, revealing the excited look on Taehyung's face as if he's had a revelation.
"How about next week? After class? It won't take long." Taehyung reassures when Hoseok opens his mouth with a sigh, "Um. Okay, it might."
Spend time with Taehyung instead of being ignored at home or ignored at Jimin's?
Surely he has something else to do.
Hoseok waits.
He doesn't.
"Alright."
As Hoseok locks the door after Taehyung's finally gone, he wonders what made him say yes.
He decides that maybe something in the air makes him want to not be such an asshole anymore.
He disregards the warm feeling in his stomach at Taehyung's brush off his shoulder as he said goodbye.
--
Taehyung collapses onto the floor in a sweating, panting mess of exhaustion.
This is unusual for Hoseok because it's definitely not the usual circumstances in which that would happen.
He's surprised Taehyung even got the routine in the end - when he did he laughed obnoxiously after Hoseok asked him to do it again and fell to the floor - but he still got it.
It took them a total of two hours to get it all done properly and the fact that Taehyung isn't rushing home makes him wonder if he goes to school at all.
Isn't senior year supposed to be insane? Hoseok barely had time to breathe in between assignments and dance practice last year.
Taehyung looks up languidly at him.
Maybe he's a flunk.
"Do you want to go get iced-tea?"
Definitely a flunk.
Hoseok quirks an eyebrow at him and Taehyung manages an exhausted chuckle.
"There it is! The Eyebrow," he points a finger in the general direction of Hoseok's face, grinning like an idiot.
"What are you talking about?"
Hoseok notices his eyebrow is raised and promptly tells his mind to stop that.
"That's the thing you always do when you think I'm being dumb."
He suppresses a laugh. Taehyung does a lot of dumb things so he guesses that he does it a lot.
"Aren't you?" Hoseok says challengingly, making sure his eyebrow does not raise this time and in fact stays level with the other. He thinks Taehyung notices.
"Am I? I just want iced-tea," Taehyung, from where he is on the floor, attempts to tilt his head but it really just looks like he's even more tired than he was before and just needs some damn iced-tea.
"Go get it yourself," Hoseok tells him because he has places to be. He has a paper due midnight that he hasn't started.
It's six thirty!
"I don't know the area."
This is unbelievable.
"It's down the street! You live here!"
A corner of Taehyung's mouth twitches upwards as he looks away and stretches his body out, saying passively "I'm not good with direction," as if Hoseok can't argue.
And... he can't really.
Maybe that's one of the reasons you're so bad at dancing, Hoseok wants to say. But he doesn't. Somehow he stops himself and just groans at Taehyung's developing tiny little pout.
"I'll show you it," Hoseok says begrudgingly.
"Ah, thanks, hyung!"
He tries not to cringe at the 'hyung' and ignores Taehyung's expectant hand held in mid-air for Hosoek to help him up.
"I'm not staying, though."
Taehyung gives him that teasing look that makes Hoseok want to kick him.
--
Hoseok does stay. Taehyung tells him about this new Cherry and Caramel tea they do and the combination is so strange it makes Hoseok's taste buds hurt a little before he even orders it.
So he has to try it, obviously.
"You have to get it with the lemon jellies, too."
"No, thanks."
He does. In the shapes of stars. It's really cute.
But it tastes god awful, although Taehyung likes it and strangely that's enough.
Hoseok's tired, he reasons, he would've felt the same about anyone.
Taehyung sips happily on his and Hoseok slides his over to him, watching the elated look on the kid's face when he does.
"You don't want yours?" There's a disbelieving edge to his tone which is disbelieving to Hoseok because no, it was disgusting.
But he doesn't say that because Taehyung even paid for his (not that Hoseok didn't try and pay for his own approximately fifty times).
"Sugar makes me feel sick after practice."
Taehyung's eyes widen and he looks down at their cups as if they're personally making Hoseok sick on purpose.
"Really? That sucks, I always get tea after practice."
Hoseok doesn't even call him out on how he said he didn't know where the shop was.
Taehyung's eyes flicker with mischief when Hoseok simply quirks The Eyebrow at him.
And then his eyes flicker with something that looks faintly like a lightbulb.
"I know! Why don't you help me with our routine every week and then come with me after practice? Maybe we can break your sugar curse."
Hoseok falters. How does he have time? Hoseok definitely doesn't; his professor gives him an essay almost every practice day - he swears he does it on purpose.
How many variations of 'the technicalities and physics of dance' can the man give him?
Regardless, he nods at Taehyung.
"Great! Next week is hot chocolate."
Hoseok smiles despite himself.
"I know a place."
--
Over hot chocolate they exchange numbers and it's during the first Saturday that Hoseok has no work to do in a long time that Taehyung spam texts fifteen messages to Hoseok and calls him twice before his eyes can even adjust to the light pouring in from his bedroom window.
On the third ring, he finally picks up.
"Hyung! At last."
Hoseok tries to be mad but his body is still booting up and nothing makes sense to his brain except Taehyung's voice.
"You know, I didn't give you my number to wake me up at-" he looks at the clock and dies a little, "-eight thirty."
He stayed up late last night working on a new routine. He planned to sleep until three.
"Yeah, you said emergencies only but this is an emergency."
Hoseok straightens up slightly in his bed.
"It is?"
"Yes!"
"Well, what's wrong are you okay?" He hates the concern inching into his voice and the way he's low-key thinking about the quickest route to Taehyung's house in case he's been stabbed or something.
"Jimin and I were supposed to go to the zoo today but he cancelled on me."
Hoseok falls completely at a loss for words. This. That's the reason why he's awake at eight thirty.
"Taehyung."
"Okay it's not an emergency but you're the only other person I have don't make me go by myself."
Hoseok hates the zoo.
It's a hot day and he's sweating and trying not to fall asleep every time they stop walking.
But he's here on a 'friend-date' as Taehyung called it (though he didn't even really recognise them as friends) and Taehyung looks great.
Not that Hoseok noticed for any other reason than he looks like a sweaty, uncomfortable, broke-ass college student in a loose tank-top and shorts he probably would've worn in Second Grade, while Taehyung is glowing and looks like he just walked off of his private jet into The Bahamas.
It also doesn't help that Taehyung keeps trying to hold his hand.
"What if we get separated?" Is his reasoning.
"I'm not lucky enough," Is Hoseok's reply.
He has a good time, although he doesn't want to admit it. There's an unfortunate incident with holding a snake that Hoseok's scarred for life because of - but all in all it's fun.
Taehyung talks more about himself, more about his dog, and asks way too much about Hoseok as they sit on an evening boat ride around the park.
Taehyung doesn't try to hold his hand this time, but it feels like the right moment. If he tried Hoseok might've let him.
Hoseok makes Taehyung laugh a lot and Taehyung makes Hoseok laugh a lot and he feels so strange today. Happy, even.
Not that he's usually melancholy but Jimin says he's reserved, lately.
And he definitely doesn't feel reserved as he doubles over in loud, obnoxious laughter, the sun setting photogenically behind them.
Once the night does fall properly they, unsteadily, make their way out of the boat. Hoseok can't figure out how they managed to spend 12 hours at a zoo. Taehyung explains that it's the world's third largest. Hoseok just thought that it being never ending was his imagination (he gets called out for saying this because Taehyung knows he liked it.)
Hoseok doesn't tell him that it was 80% because of him.
Taehyung falls asleep in the car. Hoseok puts his jacket (that he totally didn't need because, wow, heat) around him, but when Taehyung questions him about it the next morning he pretends he has no idea what he's talking about.
Taehyung, Hoseok decides, isn't as bad as he initially thought.
--
Hoseok isn't sure how but after-practice-with-Taehyung becomes a solid thing in his life.
He sort of looks forward to it.
Every week he goes to practice, every week he helps Taehyung for two hours, every week they try something new and every week Hoseok watches in his car until Taehyung walks out of sight. Then he hits his head onto the steering wheel and lets out the goofiest grin into it that he'd been keeping in all night.
Smitten. That's what Jimin keeps calling it.
He is smitten with Taehyung.
"You basically go out on a date every week," he tells him one day after practice as everyone except Hoseok and Taehyung prepare to leave.
Jungkook gives him the keys every week now, he's ecstatic about getting to go home early - now that is a senior with concern over academics.
According to Jimin he just goes home and plays video games.
Hoseok likes to think differently.
"It's not a date. I don't date." He leaves off the 'anymore' that almost slips out and focuses on something else besides Taehyung's smiling face across the room. He's just saying bye to Jungkook but it pulls on oh, say, about eighty of, Hoseok's heart strings.
"Maybe Taehyung could be the one?"
Hoseok doesn't dwell on how he thought that about Jimin once, but instead he just looks on at Taehyung who's practising the routine all by himself and not doing so badly.
There's something similar to pride bubbling in Hoseok's chest.
"Maybe it's time to stop all the hookups?"
Taehyung's hair clip sparkles in the studio lights.
"Maybe you could... actually like him?"
He messes up a step and looks like he's about to throw himself onto the floor, but he catches Hoseok's eye the in the reflection of the mirror and smiles, trying the step again.
He gets it.
It's pride that's hammering in his chest, really. Pride.
"Yeah, maybe," Hoseok replies distantly, doesn't notice Jimin's surprise, doesn't notice how Jungkook's trying to tell him to not forget to lock the windows, doesn't notice that his phone vibrating in his pocket is the fifth message from his mother of 'when are you coming home tonight'.
He notices Taehyung wink at him in the reflection and mouth 'chai tea tonight?'
Hoseok bursts into a badly concealed smile and nods.
--
When he's in a less enchanted state of mind, Hoseok thinks about what Jimin said for an entire week.
He could like Taehyung. He was capable of liking people before and it's not like he's had a mechanical brain transplant of anything.
It's possible.
And while most people would react with joy to this, Hoseok's pretty sure it just makes him even meaner to Taehyung as he realises that he hasn't been so mean to him lately.
Somehow, Taehyung doesn't seem to mind.
They're sipping ginger and white chocolate milkshakes when Taehyung finally says it.
"Do you know what I think, hyung?"
"What's that?" Hoseok asks, expecting some revelation about his dance abilities or something completely random like 'dinosaurs probably lived until they were pretty old, right?"
"I think you're just acting mean because you want to scare me off."
Not that. He wasn't expecting that.
In Hoseok's mind, the words echo around the room. Windows shatter and dogs howl.
The atmosphere shifts to something absurdly serious for them and it weirds Hoseok out.
The world's slipping into winter and there's condensation on the windows, on Taehyung's glasses from the heat of the store. It's quiet, no one really wants a milkshake at seven o'clock on a cold December night.
Their voices are low and quiet and it makes everything seem so much more substantial and meaningful.
Hoseok swallows. It sounds like it's been projected through a megaphone.
Nobody, not even Jimin or Seokjin, has ever said anything like that to him. And here's Taehyung who he's known for no more than a few months and he's seen right through him.
"Jimin says you used to be the kind of guy that made flowers bloom" he's told him the same thing, "and then one day you just started... snapping at people and breaking hearts and being all.."
"All what?" Hoseok prompts, the bitterness Taehyung's referring to burning into his tone. He knows what he's going to say: mean, rude, an asshole. Jimin's told him all of this a thousand times.
"Heartbroken."
That. That's new.
The words cut into the atmosphere like the way the snapping of a twig or a bone would.
Hoseok swallows again. It sounds even louder this time.
"Something happened, right? I can tell by the way you reacted."
He waits a beat. Two. Three. A whole minute passes and Taehyung's expression dulls as if he thinks Hoseok's closed up on him entirely.
"Yeah."
Taehyung's head shoots up, almost electrified, and he shuffles closer in his seat, leans across the table.
Somehow, it reminds him of an excited puppy.
"Are you gonna tell me?" He rushes out before he seems to realise and he brushes a hand over the back of his neck, shuffling away again from him slightly, "You don't have to, obviously."
Hoseok shakes his head and Taehyung deflates, though Hoseok himself isn't really what he meant by the gesture. He doesn't think he could get the words out of he tried. Maybe if he did everything would come crumbling down because, alright, whatever he said about him being over it wasn't really true. Jimin is not his and Hoseok doesn't even want him anymore but that doesn't mean it doesn't sting.
But at the same time, Taehyung looks at him with sympathetic, 'tell me all your secrets' kind of eyes and, crazily, it works.
And when Hoseok takes them both back to the studio to get their bags and lock up, he tells him the entire story, spread out beside him on the dance studio floor.
He's smitten.
A while later, they're still just laying on the floor, staring at the ceiling - the conversation having ended a long time ago. But the silence is comforting, something Hoseok hasn't felt in a short lifetime.
Taehyung sits up and smiles down at Hoseok suddenly. The lights on the roof glow around him.
The mantra of 'Not cute. Not cute. Not cute' starts up again - but then he stops himself.
He's beautiful.
"Do you wanna get ice-cream next week?"
Hoseok does.
He makes a mental note to tell Jimin that he was right all along - liking Kim Taehyung was sort of inevitable.
--
If Taehyung's noticed Hoseok's change in attitude he doesn't say anything apart from a few 'you're happy today's and a one-off 'your garden must be full of flowers recently.'
However Taehyung gives him a look as he says the second one and Hoseok knows that he's noticed and he knows that Taehyung knows he's the reason.
There's a lot of knowledge, and Hoseok's just glad to not be feeling around in the dark anymore to be very poetic.
Then one day after practice Taehyung tells Hoseok that he can't do anything with him today, not even their own practice because he's gotta be somewhere else.
Hoseok's sad because it was frappé week but he tries not to show it. They both wait behind and lock up for Jungkook anyway, because it's pretty much a national crime to disappoint Jungkook. He looks too sad and it's too cute.
Plus, Hoseok really wants to soak up any extra Taehyung time he can.
By the time they lock up it's raining a ridiculous amount. Torrentially. Thunder clouds and everything.
Taehyung's expression of frustration is nothing short of adorable.
"Yoongi always brings an umbrella for Jimin when it rains. What is this?"
Hoseok feels sheer glee shoot through him because he compared him to Yoongi - Jimin's boyfriend.
He can do one better, Hoseok thinks.
"I'll give you a ride."
Taehyung smiles gratefully - something bright and iridescent -and definitely doesn't argue with him. The gesture reassures Hoseok because he had a strange idea that Taehyung had been acting kind of off today.
"Hey nice car!" He says, without wasting time to admire it because he doesn't want to get absolutely drenched.
"Workaholic lawyer parents," Hoseok says and Taehyung nods in understanding.
The rain mutes slightly when they close the door. It's relaxing after a long practice. Romantic.
Hoseok shakes his head, pretending to rid himself of the rain but it's really to get rid of that thought.
Asking someone out in what'll probably be a five minute car ride isn't something you'd see in a classic romcom movie.
"Where to?" Hoseok asks, having realised he's started driving with no destination.
"Lake View University."
Ah, wrong way. Taehyung laughs at him as he makes a U turn.
Wait. That's his university. Taehyung's in high school.
"Oh really?" He says as casually as he can, because what reason could he possibly have? He hesitates before he asks "What are you going there for?" hoping he doesn't sound like a super intrusive creep.
Taehyung sighs deeply and says "My boyfriend wants me to watch his stupid football game."
Something gets stuck in Hoseok's throat.
He has a boyfriend.
Hoseok thinks back to all the time he's spent with Taehyung in the form of a whirlwind slide-show in his mind.
He has a boyfriend?
Hoseok waits for Taehyung to say he's kidding.
He doesn't.
Suddenly his umbrella comment earlier made more sense. He was comparing his own boyfriend to Yoongi. Not Hoseok. And the off-ness that he sensed earlier's evident in his features as Taehyung slinks down into his seat.
"Won't it be cancelled if it's raining this hard?"
Please, please say yes.
"The stadium's got a roof. Do you even go to this university?" Taehyung says it as a joke but for some reason it stings. Hoseok figures he could've said 'your hair looks nice' and it'd still sting.
"Oh, yeah."
The window wipers squeak.
"So, you have a boyfriend?"
Taehyung's confused for a second before he shrugs and says "Yeah, I thought I mentioned him. Guess not."
Yeah. I would've remembered.
"What's he like?" Hoseok's waiting to hear all about him. How lovely and kind and special he is and he's getting the sickest sense of deja vu.
First Jimin, now Taehyung.
This is why Hoseok doesn't date.
Taehyung hums and Hoseok holds his breath because he knows he's trying to pick the perfect word because he loves him, right? They're probably in love.
"He's an asshole."
What.
Hoseok almost slams down on the break.
"Oh."
Taehyung doesn't hear the hope in his voice.
"He's crazy popular at my school and here and thinks he has some credibility over me because of it."
Hoseok doesn't notice he's pulled into the university parking lot until he hears Taehyung say 'here.'
"He treats me more like a fan than a boyfriend," Taehyung laughs but he doesn't sound like he finds it funny.
The only thought that's running through Hoseok's head is how the hell could someone not appreciate every inch of Kim Taehyung?
Maybe Hoseok can't have him but the difference from the last time is that he still doesn't want to give up.
There's more hope this time, he supposes.
Maybe that's because there's no taking Park Jimin from Min Yoongi - they are absolutely 100% destined for each other - but it might also be that Hoseok really, really likes Taehyung.
Just maybe.
But he honestly can't help what he says next.
"Wow, that sucks. You should break up with him."
It's out of his mouth before he even realises.
Taehyung has some form of amusement on his lips before it disintegrates and he just folds his arms across his chest.
"I mean, uh-"
The younger does something close to a giggle and puts his hand on Hoseok's thigh and he hopes that he can't hear his pulse because it's sky rocketed.
"You always cheer me up, Hobi."
Hoseok bites back the 'then date me instead' and just smiles at him, disregarding the fact that the only reason he made Taehyung laugh when they first met is because he was so easily wound up by him.
"You seemed down," Hoseok says simply, noticing how the rain isn't letting up yet and briefly wondering if Taehyung controls the weather.
"Yeah. The Boyfriend Effect as Jimin keeps calling it."
"I've never seen Jimin act like that because of Yoongi."
Really. They're power-couple of the century.
"Yeah, he says it's just my boyfriend," Taehyung half-laughs and it sounds so solemn and unlike Taehyung that Hoseok almost shivers. It's unnerving.
"Oh." Hoseok almost says it more seriously this time 'you're too good for him, don't date him.' But Taehyung lets out a long, tired huff of breath and mutters "Ah, you know, he's sweet sometimes."
No, he doesn't know, really. Settling for 'sweet sometimes' honestly doesn't suit Taehyung because he is so, so perfect and beautiful and incredible and he deserves someone who treats him right.
Like Hoseok: Converted asshole turned sunshine.
Taehyung looks out towards the stadium, resting his chin against the palm of his hand, and hums "plus he's a hell of a good kisser, so it's worth it."
Hoseok chokes a little.
"Really."
Taehyung shrugs, "A little bit."
And then he catches his smirk in the reflection of the window.
Oh. Okay. Hoseok understands.
He thinks.
Hoseok leans back in his seat and says as nonchalantly as he can "well, I mean, there's lots of good kissers out there - you shouldn't settle for just anyone."
Taehyung laughs under his breath.
"Are there?"
Hoseok nods his head, "many, thousands even."
"Like who?" Taehyung doesn't look at him, but Hoseok can hear the little tiny sliver of a flirtatious tone in his voice.
"Well, luckily for you I happen to know a phenomenal kisser."
"Wow that is lucky!" Hoseok can see him smile into his hand. "Is he an asshole as well?"
"He pretends to be. But really he's very caring and considerate." Hoseok waits a second before he adds on in a quiet rush, "And extremely handsome."
Taehyung's looking at him now with an unmistakable grin, "What's his name? He sounds perfect."
"You already know him actually, he goes to our dance class. Everyone says he's the best dancer on campus."
He isn't sure what they're doing but it vaguely feels like a game of how long they can keep this up.
Hoseok might only be playing so he can kiss him. Or maybe so his boyfriend can't.
"Even better than Jungkook?"
Hoseok feels slightly bad with that one.
"Way better. He made the routine we're doing."
Taehyung stifles a laugh before he composes himself and says, "Oh him? I heard he's an asshole," in an unbelievably blunt tone that immediately sparks a glare with Hoseok.
"He's not."
"He yelled at me in front of the class earlier."
Hoseok groans, they've had this argument three times now. "I didn't yell- I mean"
Taehyung eyes glimmer with silent victory and he gasps "It's you? You're the phenomenal kisser?" voice dripping with sarcasm.
Hoseok shrugs with an air of confidence.
"Well, unfortunately, I don't think I believe you. It's too good to be true." Taehyung says, disheartened, and Hoseok doesn't mean to but he definitely frowns.
"Why?" He almost whines.
"Well, you're absolutely all of those things - but a good kisser too? No way."
Hoseok doesn't know what to say for the first time in what feels like forever (full of sarcastic remarks and sharp rebuttals).
Taehyung clicks off his seatbelt as the rain eases and Hoseok thinks that maybe that means he's cheered up somewhat if he does secretly control the weather. He sees their silly game fading away down the drains along with the water in the streets and something starts up in him synonymous with desperation. Before he can plan any of it out he grabs Taehyung's face in both of his hands to stop him.
"I'll prove it," he says slowly, almost asking for permission. Taehyung's mouth falls open and he nods ever so slightly.
Hoseok doesn't think twice before he presses his lips to Taehyung's open mouth and matches them so perfectly he's convinced that this is what they were created for.
Taehyung smells intoxicating and tastes like heaven as they deepen the kiss - so, incredibly pure and warm; until he moans quietly and no, no, definitely purgatory.
Hoseok wants to climb onto his lap and never, ever leave.
Taehyung mutters something about someone seeing them but Hoseok doesn't care. Then he mentions that he'll be late to the game and Hoseok pulls back for a second while Taehyung glances outside.
Seconds tick by but it seems like hours to Hoseok. He can literally see the internal cogs working in Taehyung's brain of 'Hoseok or my boyfriend?'
When Taehyung looks back at him his eyes are coaxing and dark and it sends a chill through Hoseok's body.
"The rain held me back," He says, partially to himself, and he reaches over and unclicks Hoseok's seatbelt, pulling him by a fistful of his tank top, until Hoseok gets the hint and manoeuvres himself onto Taehyung's thighs.
He refrains making a joke about 'the rain' being his nickname because he thinks that may kill the mood.
--
"Jimin-ah, this is the fourth time can you just pick it up and tell him to stick his phone up his ass?"
He considers it, he definitely considers it but when he picks up Hoseok sounds hysterical yet also kind of on some kind of euphoric high.
Just like Jimin should be right now. Hoseok definitely owes him one.
"What's up, Hobi?"
Yoongi makes a disbelieving sound from above him and moves to sit down on Jimin's lap instead.
Jimin sends him a look of some sort and with the one he receives back he's really glad Hoseok didn't want to video call.
"Um Hoseok could you maybe condense your story down into about fifty-" Oh, okay Yoongi's kissing his jaw alright "thirty words."
Hoseok shivers audibly through the phone.
"I kissed Taehyung."
Jimin bolts up so suddenly he knocks his forehead against Yoongi's. Yoongi groans and rubs his head but Jimin somehow didn't seem to feel it.
"God damn it, Hoseok," Yoongi mutters, leaning back into the couch, as far from Jimin as he can because high-strung Jimin has more than once in the past been a trip to A&E for Yoongi.
"Hoseok!" Jimin stresses in a shockingly high pitched voice that makes even Yoongi cringe slightly.
"You weren't supposed to kiss him - he's got a boyfriend!"
Yoongi makes a face to match Jimin's. Not that boys having a significant other has bothered Hoseok in the past but... He presses the speaker button and leans in closer (still at a safe distance from Jimin).
"We actually made out it wasn't just-"
"Hoseok!" Jimin says even higher and louder than before, so much so that they can hear Hoseok knock his phone slightly as he jumps.
"Jimin, my neighbours are gonna complain again." Yoongi says passively, knowing that no man can stop Park Jimin in this state.
"His boyfriend is captain of the university football team!"
"So?"
Yoongi and Jimin share a brief frustrated glare.
Jimin falls back into the sofa, exasperation bouncing off of the walls, "Han Youngsoo!" He says like that makes anymore sense to Hoseok, "He's a blackbelt in like five martial arts! He's been doing Hapkido since he could walk!"
"Oh my god," Hoseok mumbles, fear setting into his voice, "I'm screwed aren't I?"
"Yes!"
Ever supportive best friend Jimin.
"Why didn't you tell me that earlier?"
"I didn't know you'd kiss him! I just wanted you out of your weird rut," He should've known considering it's Hoseok. "And if you did I thought he'd tell you!" He definitely should've known considering it's Taehyung. He gets too excited and forgets things.
"He didn't tell me who it was!"
Jimin's eyes threaten to roll into the back of his head and he holds out the phone for Yoongi to take. He gladly does.
"Hoseok, it's Yoongi. Take Taehyung with you and move to somewhere far, far away. Change your names and never call us again." He disconnects the call and chucks the phone onto the coffee table beside them.
"It's not so bad, right? He'll be fine," Jimin says, hysteria dissolving slightly in a pool of reassurance he probably should've given to Hoseok.
"He's screwed," Yoongi says plainly. He's seen Youngsoo a few times at the University Sports Day. He looks like a typical pretty boy but he still watched him flip the school's top three wrestlers over consecutively in a 'test your strength' amateurs vs professionals competition.
"I've never even wrestled before!" Was what he said as his victory speech.
One of them broke his wrist when he landed. Youngsoo didn't even apologise.
"Yeah," Jimin says, seemingly recalling the event himself (he came to cheer Yoongi's basketball team on but it was postponed because most of the team was watching Youngsoo.)
"Speaking of which..." Jimin says, moving back to where he was before. He cards a hand through Yoongi's hair and it's as if Hoseok never even called.
Yoongi's genuinely ecstatic he made it through a JiHope dilemma still in one piece. He shifts back onto Jimin's lap and grins as he kisses him.
--
Sometimes, Hoseok thinks that University is no different from High School.
He got absolutely no reassurance from Jimin when he called him the night before, but Yoongi also hasn't killed him yet so he guesses that's a plus.
He's spent the entire day looking over his shoulder in case Han Youngsoo comes to twist his arm off.
He called Jimin again between his first and second lecture (he's much more rational when not near Yoongi or in hysterics) and he confirmed that this was entirely possible.
Unfortunately, after lunch he got too comfortable with his imminent death and now Youngsoo has him pinned against the Science Block wall.
Hoseok's been pinned by many, many people against this wall; this is not like those times.
A professor passed by and congratulated Youngsoo on demonstrating a perfect headlock.
Now, there's a modest crowd gathered around them. Hoseok's pretty sure no ones cheering for him though since a lot of them have had their man-stolen by him or been man-stolen by him and his reputation is very much a man-stealer on campus.
So when Youngsoo launches into the backstory of why he's about to kick Jung Hoseok's ass (kinda like an evil villain, he thinks) the crowd are very much for it.
Some of them have shouted words of encouragement like "beat him up", "shove your fist down his throat" and "shove your foot up his ass" and Hoseok kinda agrees - he probably deserves it for something. But Taehyung likes his face, and so he wants to keep it for him, thank you very much.
Speaking of which Youngsoo tells him how it turns out Taehyung didn't come to his game at all, mysteriously, (they went to Hoseok's dorm since they were so close) and then he heard from someone else that Taehyung had been hanging out a lot with Hoseok lately - in fact they were in the parking lot around game time (Hoseok has no idea how they didn't see what they were doing in the parking lot but he's thankful.)
And Youngsoo is all but 0.3 seconds away from punching Hoseok in the face when a masked hero saves his damsel-in-distress ass.
Taehyung unwinds his scarf from his face (he looks really cute in it), Youngsoo's fist firmly held in his other hand. Hoseok can feel their combined warmth right in front of his nose.
Youngsoo's eyes shift uneasily from the crowd to Taehyung and he laughs, sounding strained.
"Hey, babe. What are you doing here? And where were you last night?"
It's fake. So fake. Hoseok wants to say this but Youngsoo's other hand is gripping rather tightly around his throat.
"I came to break up with you."
Hoseok imagines a mic drop as Taehyung lets go of Youngsoo's hand and takes his instead, removing Youngsoo's other hand from Hoseok's throat with ease because he's so shocked that none of his muscles are working, apparently.
They walk hand in hand pleasantly for a minute as the crowd disperses disappointedly and Youngsoo stares blankly at the wall and Hoseok pretends they're walking off into the sunset, flipping Youngsoo off as they go (he doesn't, Taehyung doesn't let him.)
But things don't go so swimmingly.
"Taehyung!"
They turn reluctantly to see Youngsoo running up to them with a look that says 'I will happily kick both of your asses simultaneously' and Hoseok is very ready to run for his life but Taehyung squeezes his hand and everything is great. Even as death is coming towards them.
"Taehyung, you're kidding right? You're taking the piss."
Taehyung doesn't look like he's taking the piss.
He launches into a stream of words, almost like a lecture, in which every pause he steps closer and closer like a menacing game of traffic lights.
"I can't believe you said that in front of everyone don't you understand how bad that is for my reputation - well no you're just a stupid kid you probably don't."
Hoseok feels his own jaw tighten at that.
"Youngsoo," Taehyung says with little to no expression in his face. Hoseok normally finds his blank faces adorable but right now it sends a chill down his own spine.
"Shut up, God you drive me insane you know that? You didn't even come to my game the other night!"
Everything happens very, very quickly in the next few seconds.
And before Hoseok knows it Youngsoo's holding his jaw with a Taehyung-fist-shaped-print on it and Taehyung is pulling him across campus with inhumane speed, an echo of "Run!" trailing behind them.
It's really not the most romantic place to end up (behind some dumpsters outside the canteen) but Hoseok isn't fussy. He also needs a lung transplant.
They stay quiet for a minute until they're sure Youngsoo isn't going to body slam them into next week and then they break into uncontrollable laughter. Possibly delusional from lack of oxygen.
"So..." Hoseok says casually but without any sense of casualness at all, "No boyfriend now?"
Taehyung looks at him out of the corner of his eye, head back against the wall and laughs, brimming with fondness.
"No boyfriend."
"I see..."
Taehyung waits a few seconds and then his head shoots forward with a scandalised look.
"Come on Hoseok I didn't dance my ass off for three months with no interest in it at all just to not get asked out by the person I signed up to meet."
Hoseok gives him The Eyebrow completely genuinely because wow, okay.
"You signed up... for me?"
"Well see I heard your reputation as a phenomenal kisser and-"
"Taehyung."
He sighs, looking oddly shy as he refuses to meet Hoseok's gaze.
"Yes, okay, I've had a huge-ass crush on you for ages now and Jimin was tired of hearing about it and made Jungkook let me in."
Jimin pretends to be uninterested in Hoseok's romantic endeavours yet here he is playing Cupid.
"Adorable." Taehyung thumps his shoulder.
"Okay, okay." Hoseok's mouth upturns so much that it feels painful, "Would you like to go out for something not a drink or snack sometime?"
Taehyung's face glows, "Like a date?"
It sounds like he said something in a completely alien language to Hoseok. His stomach gargles with butterflies.
"Yeah. A date."
Taehyung has officially restored Jung Hoseok to his previous Sunshine status glory like in a kid's movie when the curse is lifted at last. Hoseok won't miss the boy-hungry side of him.
"Great," Taehyung confirms, eyes sparkling with a reflection of his smile, Hoseok's pretty sure nothing else could be that bright. Then he has a sudden realisation and taps Hoseok's arm, "Oh, I completely forgot - there's one step I'm still not getting."
Hoseok laughs because oh, evidentially he has some interest in dance after all.
"Which part?"
"This one." Taehyung leans over and ever so slightly kisses Hoseok. When he pulls back Hoseok can see stars.
Nope, he still doesn't like dancing.
"Okay, that's pretty good," He says, butterflies going wild in all of his organs now, "but we should practise a little more to get it perfect."
Making out behind a dumpster isn't ideal, but Taehyung makes it feel like home.