"Something definitely isn't right"

"Totally"

Jin's offense dies on his lips behind hoseok's comment when they kept staring at Jeongguk. Their eyes flicker from the boxer, in his favorite sweatpants, grey and notorious to his black tee.

To his leaned back state against namjoon's worn out garage couch and back to his closed eyes.

And back again. They sigh in unison. eyes growing in a trudged manner when they stare the boy down. "Is he taking drugs? when I saw him drive that ballet dancer home yesterday i didn't believe my eyes!"

Hoseok exclaims in a quiet manner to not wake up the mentioned.

"Right? He doesn't let anyone ride his motorbike! not even me and i'm his closest friend"

Hoseok looks at Jin with a perfectly on point expression of a disappointed father. "I have known him longer, what the hell are you talking about?"

"That doesn't even matter when he likes my company better than your boring shit"

"You fuc-

"I don't like either one of you, so shut the fuck up and let me sleep"  Jeongguk muttered. Throws an arm over his eyes in hope it would, in a mysterious way throw back their bickering in the garage.

Hoseok quickly killed his cigarette on the table and smirks, jin merely followed along because messing with Jeongguk was their favorite hobby.

"So Jeongguk, when will you let me ride your motorcycle?"

"Shut up hoseok" Jeongguk only rolls his eyes, he sits up instead after his fail attempt of sleep, back up against the concrete wall and took the lighter from the other to ignite his own cigarette between his fingers.

But a further smirk grows on his friends face, settled on Jeongguk. And he was having none of it.

"I saw you give that Taehyung kid a ride home yesterday. He's pretty, you wouldn't mind me-"

"You finish that sentence and I'll rip you a new one."

Jeongguk cuts him off in a warning tone.

Hoseok whistles, his eyebrows raised. finding this more amusing than he probably should "Never seen you get that worked up over someone"

"The fuck are you on? I would care less for a rich brat like him" Jeongguk mutters. Like he'd ever be caught dead in a damn space with a blonde boy who probably likes baking fucking cookies in his spare time.

Kim Taehyung wasn't someone Jeongguk would care less about, Taehyung who only smiled so softly, with a little annoying sparkle in his eye. And that stupid nickname.

Ggukie

The nickname had been straining his ears and it was goddamn frustrating the way it left his lips. He let the smoke fill his lungs before blowing out a stream. His hand running through his dark strands.

Hoseok fixes him with a stare. Watches
Jeongguk grab his gym bag, throwing a pair of bandages inside for training.  And a dark hoodie over his head.  His head lilts in a strong skepticism.

He would believe him, Jeongguk. That he does in fact care less about anyone. After the years they had spent together he knew that very well.

But that was the problem. Jeongguk doesn't give someone a ride home, wouldn't care to get so worked up over someone and stress his hair off in such a manner that he wouldn't even notice how much he's grumbling over a single boy.

Jeongguk has never had a partner quite like them, who goes out of his way to spend more than just a few hours with someone when they are out.

And initially, he's always been like that, having no interest in being bound with anyone because no one is ever that good without an ulterior motive. He likes it with no strings attached.

But around Taehyung, Jeongguk isn't himself and it was eating him alive.

Hoseok doesn't say anything more after that.

Only watches Jeongguk swing the bag strap over his shoulder and step towards the door. The usual wave of hand over his shoulder as he passes through the doorway didn't occur this time - didn't even bother to look back.

Hoseok was glad he suppressed his urge to go further, by the way such the little mention of Kim Taehyung's name got him so worked up.

The brewing exhales grow even thicker after Jeongguk's departure. His eyes shift from the door which Jeongguk just left to Jin's side. Who's eyes are rooted to his cellphone. His amused gaze had dripped and now standing disturbed over the phone.

And Jin briefly considers going after Jeongguk when he looks up from the screen, but doesn't.

"What have gotten you so damn serious?" Hoseok muffles out between the nicotine in his lungs.

Jin is quiet for a few seconds, before opening his mouth, frown visible on his lines and voice unsure of himself when he meets the other's eye.

"He's back"

-----

The front door opens and Taehyung shuffles in to the studio, ballet shoes in hand and a soft smile playing on his lips.

Last night's event playing in his head.

"You look awfully happy for someone who should be missing me"

A voice beams. The moment Taehyung straightens out at the voice and notices who's standing in the studio he freezes, eyes wide. "Hyun.." He sounds breathless.

"Hyun!"

"You're really back!" Taehyung exclaims, breaks out into a smile the moment a jibe seems to snap Taehyung out of his daze as he glows at the elder.

He's up and across the room in a split second. Doesn't have time to set down his shoes properly before he stumbles over his steps, into the training studio and into his familiar arms.

Taehyung grins cheekily. Feels as if it's been ages since he's last seen his best friend.

Hyun is someone dear to him. He can remember him just by the close of his eye. His skin is sun kissed from living out in the country the past year, a stark contrast compared to other's but not to his. His hair, a dark shade of brown, is kept and clean. He likes to crack jokes and loves to walk in the courtyard. Taehyung finds many similarities in him in himself, a complete contrast to Jeongguk.

It's a bit inconvenient because right now he craves ice cream. Remembers their share of ice creams through their friendship in middle school and despite the chill of fall he wouldn't mind his fingertips numb under the ice cream cone.

Because it's the first time since a year that Taehyung has ever seen Hyun again.

He can't remember the last time someone was so important in his life. He's spent the last eight years seeing faces, but Hyun is a strong sense of light in his life just like Jimin.

"I'm glad you seemed to miss me" Hyun chuckles when Taehyung pulls away, his glow on his face not faltering and he can still not believe his eyes.

"You never came and visit you jerk, of course we missed you"

Taehyung grumbles, tries to let his brows grow mad but the light excitement in his features won't falter. And his cheeks start to hurt.

"If you had called me, I would come right back for you" The elder teases. Turns to his smirk but it soon falters from his features. Shifts on his steps after the air grows quite.

"You seem happier, is there something you want to tell me?" Hyun's tone sounds friendly, but there's a hint of breaking  bullets in his eyes.

Taehyung doesn't notice, not when his cheeks grow red, and gaze falters down to his white socks.

His mom told him the same thing in morning, and he feels his insides turn.

Now, something stigning rests on his tongue. He looks down to his fidgeted fingers; feeling vaulted.

Maybe he is happier. In a way that he didn't start noticing himself. When did he last feel like this? Maybe from his first day of seventh grade when he was a peculiar child who was told he was to good at making friends, but never to good at liking someone. Because when he do, he loses his boldness and his heart and he doesn't understand.

Maybe it's now and not seventh grade.

How even though Jeongguk mostly didn't seem to enjoy any of his company, Taehyung had harbored and found his heart beating to frequently for someone he would never believe himself possible liking.

What started as some fragile form of talking to the boxer became terrifying. That Taehyung finds himself never know someone the way he does now.

In the beginning, he had convinced himself that it's okay to talk to him.
That even with the trouble jimin had warned him about, he could stay away from it. But now, he thinks that no one really warned him about staying away from Jeongguk himself.

He was never to easy to stop thinking about.

At some point, he forgot what he was doing. At some point, Taehyung started to like him.

A warmth begins to slowly seep into the ballerinas heart as his fingertips tingle. He can't help but smile a little. "I guess.."

He thinks about Hyun and his mom. He thinks about the way he had blushed when his mom had asked is there someone you like? and he thinks of the way he can't hide anything in the eyes of others. Not even himself.

Maybe he was to deep in his daze that he didn't notice that Hyun hadn't said a word.

Only having his eyes fixated on the blonde. There's no uncertainty in the way hyun breathes out, and he thinks that right now, Taehyung has never looked more unsure. Taehyung, who is bold, knows his balance and his words looks small.

He looks vulnerable in his eyes.

_

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