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⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚⊹♡⊹₊ ⋆ ₊˚
The problem with Jeon Jungkook was that he looked exactly like the kind of mistake mothers warned their sons about.
Not the dramatic kind.
Not the kind dressed in all black standing under flickering streetlights like a movie villain.
No.
Jungkook looked worse.
He looked charming.
The kind of charming that snuck up on people quietly.
A lazy grin.
Dark eyes that sparkled with trouble before his mouth even opened.
Tattooed hands capable of rebuilding entire motorcycle engines while wearing silver rings that caught the light every time he moved.
The kind of voice that sounded permanently amused, like the world existed solely for his entertainment.
And unfortunately for Kim Taehyung, that grin was currently directed at him.
“Pretty sure you’re not supposed to park a corpse here.”
Taehyung tightened his grip on his scooter helmet.
“It’s not dead.”
The scooter behind him made an awful choking noise as if offended by the statement.
Then it promptly coughed out a pathetic sputter and died completely.
Silence.
Jungkook stared.
Taehyung stared back.
The mechanic shop around them hummed softly with old rock music drifting from a dusty radio somewhere near the ceiling. Outside, evening rain tapped gently against the metal garage door while neon signs reflected across puddles in streaks of pink and gold.
The garage itself looked exactly like its owner.
Messy in a strangely attractive way.
Motorcycle parts lined the walls.
Toolboxes sat half-open.
Leather jackets hung carelessly from hooks.
The entire place smelled like gasoline, rainwater, and something warm underneath it all—coffee maybe.
Taehyung hated that it felt cozy.
Jungkook wiped grease from his hands with an already ruined rag before crouching beside the scooter.
It looked even more ridiculous now parked beside the enormous black motorcycles surrounding it.
Taehyung’s scooter was pale yellow with tiny flower stickers near the mirrors.
Jungkook bit the inside of his cheek.
Taehyung narrowed his eyes instantly.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Laugh.”
“I’m not laughing.”
“You’re literally smiling.”
“That’s just my face.”
Taehyung scoffed so hard Jungkook almost laughed for real.
Cute.
Annoyingly cute.
The kind of cute that made people instinctively want to bother him just to watch him get all huffy about it.
Jungkook leaned closer to inspect the scooter, dark hair falling into his eyes.
“What happened?”
“It made a weird sound.”
“That narrows it down tremendously.”
Taehyung crossed his arms.
“There was another sound too.”
“Excellent. We’re making progress.”
Taehyung glared.
Jungkook smiled wider.
God, he was pretty when irritated.
Pink mouth pressed into a pout.
Big eyes full of offense.
Soft-looking oversized sweater sleeves pulled over his hands despite the summer humidity.
Completely opposite from the rough atmosphere of the garage.
Jungkook had seen all kinds of people walk through these doors.
Street racers.
Drunk idiots.
Men with blood on their knuckles and too much anger in their mouths.
Taehyung looked like he belonged in bookstores and cafés with handwritten menus.
Not here.
Definitely not standing under flickering fluorescent lights looking moments away from kicking a broken scooter.
“You gonna keep staring or fix it?” Taehyung asked.
Jungkook blinked once before standing.
“Depends.”
“Depends on what?”
“You always this cute when angry?”
Taehyung looked genuinely offended.
Which somehow made him even prettier.
“I’m leaving.”
“You can’t.”
“I absolutely can.”
Jungkook pointed at the scooter.
“Not without divine intervention.”
Taehyung opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Then sighed dramatically enough to deserve an award.
Jungkook turned away quickly so the smile stretching across his face wouldn’t be too obvious.
Cute.
Cute cute cute.
This was becoming a problem already.
“You got a name?” Jungkook asked casually while reaching for tools.
“Why?”
“So I know what to scream if this thing explodes.”
Taehyung stared at him for a long moment.
“…Taehyung.”
The name settled warmly somewhere in Jungkook’s chest.
“Jungkook.”
“I know.”
That surprised him enough to glance up.
Taehyung immediately regretted speaking.
Because of course he knew.
Everybody within a five-mile radius knew Jeon Jungkook.
Owner of Dead End Garage.
Illegal street racer.
Walking bad decision.
Taehyung’s friend had once described him as “the human version of a leather jacket and poor impulse control.”
Unfortunately accurate.
Jungkook smirked faintly.
“Oh? Heard good things, I hope.”
“Mostly concerning things.”
“Fair.”
Taehyung watched him work for a moment longer than necessary.
That was the annoying part.
Jungkook looked too good doing ordinary things.
Even tightening bolts somehow felt unfairly attractive.
His forearms flexed beneath tattoo ink.
Silver piercings glinted when he tilted his head.
There was a tiny scar near his eyebrow that made him look permanently mischievous.
Taehyung hated noticing these things.
Outside, thunder rumbled softly.
Rain intensified against the windows.
Jungkook glanced toward the storm before looking back at Taehyung.
“You rode in this weather?”
“I didn’t know it would rain.”
“You also apparently didn’t know your scooter was dying.”
Taehyung huffed.
“I’m not a mechanic.”
“That’s tragic.”
“You’re annoying.”
“You’re cute.”
Taehyung blinked.
Jungkook said things like that too casually.
Like flirting was breathing.
Automatic.
Effortless.
It should’ve been irritating.
Instead warmth crawled embarrassingly across Taehyung’s cheeks.
Jungkook noticed immediately.
Oh, this was dangerous.
“Wait,” Jungkook said slowly, grin growing. “Are you blushing?”
“No.”
“You definitely are.”
“It’s hot in here.”
“It’s raining.”
Taehyung looked around desperately as if the walls themselves might save him.
Jungkook chuckled softly under his breath.
The sound did something strange to the atmosphere.
Made the garage feel smaller somehow.
Warmer.
More intimate.
Taehyung cleared his throat quickly.
“How long will it take?”
Jungkook crouched again beside the scooter.
“Few hours.”
“What?”
“Relax, princess. I’ll fix it.”
“Princess?”
“You look like you’d complain if I called you dude.”
“I would.”
“See? Princess.”
Taehyung muttered something under his breath that sounded deeply insulting.
Jungkook grinned.
Then—
The lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
And suddenly the garage went dark.
Taehyung startled slightly.
A beat later, emergency backup lights blinked on in soft amber hues, dimmer than before.
Rain continued outside.
Music still crackled quietly from the radio.
The storm wrapped around the garage in distant thunder and neon reflections.
The softer lighting changed everything.
Jungkook looked gentler somehow.
Less intimidating.
More beautiful.
Taehyung immediately hated that thought.
“Great,” he sighed. “Perfect.”
“Relax.” Jungkook reached into a mini fridge near the workbench. “Power does this every storm.”
He tossed Taehyung a canned coffee.
Taehyung barely caught it.
“I didn’t ask for this.”
“You looked stressed.”
“I’m stranded in a mechanic shop with a criminal-looking man.”
Jungkook clutched his chest dramatically.
“Criminal-looking?”
“You literally have a chain hanging from your jeans.”
“Fashion.”
“You have tattoos on your hands.”
“Art.”
“You own six leather jackets.”
“Seven actually.”
Taehyung stared at him.
Jungkook smiled proudly.
Something helpless fluttered inside Taehyung’s chest.
Which was deeply inconvenient.
He opened the coffee quietly.
The can was cold against his fingers.
“…Thanks,” he mumbled.
Jungkook nearly melted.
Oh no.
The soft voice was even worse.
“You’re welcome.”
For a few moments, silence settled comfortably between them.
Not awkward.
Just… quiet.
Rain softened outside into steady rhythm.
Jungkook continued working while Taehyung wandered carefully through the garage, gaze drifting across motorcycles lined like sleeping animals beneath low lighting.
One bike stood apart from the others.
Black.
Beautiful.
Glossy enough to reflect the dim amber lights above.
Taehyung stopped in front of it unconsciously.
Jungkook noticed immediately.
“That one’s mine.”
Taehyung glanced back.
“You race it?”
“Mhm.”
He moved closer carefully.
It looked expensive.
Dangerous.
Fast.
Very Jungkook.
“You ever crash?”
Jungkook leaned back against the scooter, studying him.
“Worried about me already?”
Taehyung rolled his eyes.
“You flirt with everyone this much?”
“No.”
That answer came too quickly.
Too honestly.
Something shifted briefly between them.
Tiny.
Fragile.
Taehyung looked away first.
Jungkook’s gaze softened without him realizing.
There was something strangely earnest about Taehyung.
No performance.
No trying too hard.
Just warmth tucked into sharp little reactions and expressive eyes.
Jungkook already wanted to see him again after tonight.
Which was ridiculous.
He didn’t even know the guy.
Meanwhile Taehyung crouched slightly beside the motorcycle, careful not to touch anything.
“It’s pretty,” he admitted quietly.
Jungkook smiled faintly.
“You’re the first person to call her pretty.”
“What do people usually call it?”
“Terrifying.”
Taehyung laughed unexpectedly.
The sound hit Jungkook square in the chest.
God.
It was warm.
Deep.
Beautiful.
Like hearing sunlight.
Jungkook stared openly this time.
Taehyung noticed.
“…What?”
“You laugh cute too.”
“There’s genuinely something wrong with you.”
“Probably.”
Taehyung shook his head, trying to hide another smile.
Outside, rain continued falling over the city.
Inside Dead End Garage, under dim amber lights and the scent of gasoline and coffee, Jeon Jungkook realized two very unfortunate things simultaneously.
First:
Kim Taehyung was absolutely his type.
Second:
He was already thinking of ways to break Taehyung’s scooter again just to make him come back.