달다┆sweet
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the same feeling came with uploading every time. it didn't matter that it's been years and several videos later, that sick and nervous emotions clawing up his throat was always there while he watched the bar continue to load until his new creation was ready for the world to see and judge.

taehyung had a love-hate relationship with youtube. there was that adoration for his viewers and creating new content that was the reason why he followed this as a career, but the hate of judgment and fear of failure was always there too. 

"just a peek." he tried again. "come on." it was almost a beg now, the way his hands stretched for the device that was being held out of reach.

"no." jimins voice was firm and he meant it. there was a little part of him that was curious to peek also, but he couldn't, no matter how hard it was not to see if any comments were about his newly dyed silver locks.

they had a rule. after posting a new youtube video is was against the rules to worry about feedback like numbers and views and comments. that's not what the point of posting was, not when effort and time was put into the production just for it to be torn down by a few rude remarks made by those hiding behind screens.

"let's do something then so i can stop worrying." taehyung stopped trying to pry his phone from the others hands. now they sat on the couch and stared at nothing in particular, neither really knowing what to do.

the silence didn't last though, not when they looked at each other and spoke at the same time. "pet store?"

smiles followed and soon their shoes, both boys screaming a goodbye to their roommate before slamming the door behind them.

it was a short walk to the pet store, only around the corner and few stores down past the grocery market. taehyung had a bounce in his step and jimin continued to stare at everything in the windows they passed, only to be tugged away by his best friend who was too eager to look at the gerbils than the pastry display.

"can we get some brownies on the way home?" jimin asked, "yoongi hyung likes them. even when he says he doesn't."

taehyung nodded, pushing open the pet store doors and hearing the little bell above them. "of course, i think we have vanilla ice cream too." he was planning their late night dessert now, not paying attention to much else.  jimin now took the lead, holding his friends hand through the aisles and maneuvering around the glass enclosures with rodents and reptiles.

it smelled like sawdust and sushi in there. taehyung was trying to find the gerbils and their fun spinning wheels when he lost his best friend. he was more absorbed in the little furry friends to see his own talking to someone else.

jimin had recognized that familiar dark attire and shaved undercut. he walked up behind him and tugged out one headphone, knowing the response would probably be a threatening glare that would only soften when the guy saw who it was. jimin was right, of course.

"oh." one syllable, which was a lot for the other.

"hi." jimin smiled at his friend, "getting treats?" he asked, seeing the familiar red pouch in his friends hands.

jungkook nodded, "it'll be a nightmare if i ever ran out." he said, a quiet chuckle following before he dropped the treats in his basket. they were the variety kind, since his little guy at home was picky and didn't seem content with only one kind of treat when he deserved them all. "why are you here though?" he wondered, knowing very well that jimin had no pets.

"oh me and my friend like the gerbils." jimin said, looking over his shoulder at the boy with his nose against the see-through enclosure. it looked like the gerbils were sleeping, and taehyung had a pout.

jungkook only nodded again, "hamsters are better." he said, finally shoving the headphone back into his ear even though nothing was playing. "i gotta get going." he said.

"okay see ya." jimin waved and smiled small, walking over to his roommate and seeing how he looked up confused. "who's that?" taehyung asked.

"that's my friend." jimin pointed at the tall guy walking away, headphones in and head hung low while he walked. it was funny to see him public, considering he never left his home. jimin smiled while he awkwardly paid and left as quick as he could.

taehyung seemed to not care much about the stranger, since he was already moving on the look at the geckos. "do lizards tan?" he asked, watching one in particular laying stretched across an artificial branch under a lightbulb.

"do they like brownies?" jimin added on his own question, "i know i do."

"jesus shit, fine let's go." taehyung groaned dramatically and headed for the door again, ignoring how content jimin looked that they were actually getting dessert now. the younger wanted to make some snarky comment or shove his friend playfully, something to show his annoyance — but he knocked the wrong person, not looking where he was going and getting a face full of chest and cologne up his nose.

"oh- sorry." taehyung stepped back and looked up at the man, seeing the same guy from before with his narrowed eyes and dark hair shaved on the sides.

"don't worry about it." jungkook said. his words didn't match the tone he used, coming across rude anyways as he walked back inside the pet store.

the register lady was expecting him, her eyes lighting up in recognition as she reached below her counter to pull something out. apparently jungkook forgot his card. taehyung watched him get it and shove it into his jean pocket, the plastic bag with treats inside swinging whenever he moved aggressively.

"back so soon-" jimin grinned at his friend heading for the door again, but he grunted something that was suppose to be a response and left.

things like that didn't bother jimin, not when he liked people enough to excuse their behavior. he knew jungkook too, and he was used to the coldness that only came from sudden moods and bad days. it wasn't who he really was, and jimin was one of the lucky people to see that.

"brownies?" jimin said, snapping his best friend from his thoughts.

taehyung nodded with a smile, holding his arm out to link with the shorter males.

the two boys left the store, the bell ringing above them and door closing behind them — just for another to open and the sweetness of pastries and bakers work filling their noses and empty stomachs with promises of tasty treats to bring home and share with their hyung.

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