"Thank you, Ahjussi," Taehyung bows as he hands a wad of cash to the driver. The driver's eyes widen but hesitates to take the money. 

"Oh! My goodness, son, no. I can't take that kind of money from you."

"It's okay, really!" Taehyung laughs as he shakes his hand at him, gesturing him to take it. "You got us here safely, and you were really nice to us. And after hearing your story about how you've been working all this overtime for your sick wife... Please, take it. For her," he insists, but this time more seriously.

It was clear to Taehyung that it wasn't this stranger's intention to gain any pity, he seemed very genuine. But he and Jimin both easily took notice how sickly the man looked, with dark circles under his eyes and an unkempt appearance.

He really didn't seem like he was feeling well, so naturally, they asked if he was getting a cold. They had no idea that for the rest of their trip to the train station they would listen to this poor man tell his heartwrenching story about how he was having to work 18 hours a day to pay for his sick wife's medical bills.

It hit Taehyung hard in the chest.

He knew what it was like to watch a loved one wither away in front of him, while he remained poor and helpless. To practically work himself to death to get his mother the treatments she needed.

He knew what it was like to not make enough, failing to save the most important person in his life.

The driver hesitates once more as he looks up at Taehyung. "Are you.. sure? Don't you need this?"

He seemed a little wary now, probably wondering where a man of his age got this kind of money. After all, Taehyung was handing over a tip that would equate to more than this man would make in a week or two. Like it was nothing.

"Absolutely. Trust me. I don't need this. Not like you do right now. Tsk... If only I had more cash on me..." Taehyung sighs at himself in disappointment.

"I.. don't know what to say. Other than thank you, son. I can't thank you enough." He says, eyes beginning to flutter as they water. He finally takes the money and Taehyung pats him on his shoulder in a reassuring way.

"I hope everything works out for you both."

"Tae, we should get going!" Jimin shouts from the back of the trunk, grabbing both their bags before rushing over to hand Taehyung his.

The driver thanks him once again before pulling away slowly.

"What was that all about?" Jimin asks as they walk briskly towards the entrance to the station.

"Nothing."

"You handed him a bunch of money, didn't you?"

Taehyung's eyes shift at the accusation. "No."

"Tae, you have to stop giving people money like that," Jimin groans with concern. "What are you even doing carrying that much on you? One of these days, someone's going to rob you. Or take advantage of you! You could get really hurt. It scares me."

Taehyung rolls his eyes like he's heard it a thousand times, but smiles at his caring best friend. "I know, and I'm thankful for your concern. I really am. But I can't help it. Helping people that really need it like that feels good. And I feel like it's what my mom would have wanted. She would have done the same thing."

Jimin sighs in defeat. He knows Taehyung's right.

"Fine. But just be careful flashing that kind of cash around, okay?"

"Okay, okay. I will."

—><—

Upon entering the train station, the two immediately begin to scan the large expanse of the main terminal.

An explorer at heart, the bustle and flow of travelers running about with their luggage in tow excites Taehyung.

Any time he's here or at the airport, usually picking someone up, he likes to sit around and just watch, making a game of guessing all the places around the world the people are going to, and imagining what it would be like if he could go, too. Because as much as Taehyung loves his city, he's always looking for a change of scenery.

"I don't see them, do you?" Jimin asks with searching eyes as they start towards the check-in area.

"No... that's weird though. Jeongguk said they were already here," Taehyung replies, shoving his phone in his jacket pocket, trying to keep his attention on staying right behind Jimin as they get in line for the check-in booth as he has a tendency of getting separated and lost in big areas.

"Man, there's a lot of people here today. We should have gotten here earlier," Jimin mutters, standing on tip toes to count the number of people in front of them. There's a lot, and it's making him nervous. "Think we'll make it?"

"Should I text him again, while we're waiting?" Taehyung asks, unintentionally ignoring Jimin's question, still too preoccupied on his phone in his pocket and the sweaty hand nervously clenched around it.

He feels off, again. Unsettled.

He'd hoped by now he'd been able to shake off the images of his dream, or how they've made him feel. But instead they've manifested an anxious, impatient energy buzzing through his fingers, like he needs to do something about it.

And suddenly he's sending Jeongguk a text. Nothing out of the originally. Just asking where they are.

However, he doesn't get anything back. Not even several minutes later when it finally becomes his turn at the check-in counter.

"Good morning sir, checking in?" The attractive clerk gleams at Taehyung.

"Yes, the one for 8:45," he replies casually, handing over his ticket and identification with a forced smile. He's lost in thought, wondering why he still hasn't heard back from Jeongguk.

Jimin watches from the side as the bashful young woman takes her time to scan his ticket. She seems a little intimidated by Taehyung's presence, but Jimin can tell she's forcing the interaction with the kind of confidence she thinks will make her seem more enticing.

"Okay Mr. Kim, you're all set. Enjoy your trip," she says, leaning unnecessarily forward as she slides everything back to Taehyung.

Too busy staring down at his phone, it takes him a moment to respond.

"Thanks...You, too," he mumbles with a curt nod, collecting his things afterwards.

The clerk giggles at him. "Thanks?" She repeats to herself with a confused look on her face.

Taehyung steps out of the line absentmindedly, frowning down at his phone in his hand, double checking to make sure he has adequate service while inside the terminal.

It's not like his phone service to cut out like this. Something must be up. Jeongguk really should have responded back by now.

With all of these unorganized thoughts wracking around in Taehyung's head, he distractedly takes a few steps in the direction he thinks Jimin is, and slams into what feels like a wall.

Taehyung lets out a weird sound as the collision causes him to lose grip of his phone. But before it can tumble and drop to the floor, the person he's run into catches it with a ninja-like response.

"I'm so sorry!" Taehyung sputters, hands on either side of his cheeks.

It only takes him a second to realize who it is he's bumped into.

Dark black hair. White hoodie. And a gorgeous, crooked grin.

"Found you," Jeongguk chuckles, still holding Taehyung's phone.

He wishes he had fallen. Then maybe he wouldn't look so stupid just standing there, rooted in place only a few inches away from Jeongguk.

All he can do is blink up at him until his heart crawls back up from the depths of his stomach.

"Sorry," Jeongguk winces. "That was a hard hit," he adds with a small laugh. With his thumb and the knuckle of his forefinger, he tilts Taehyung's chin up to study over his face and check for any injuries. "I thought you saw me. You okay?"

Taehyung goes to speak, but his mouth is dry and his voice cracks a little. "Yeah," he tries again weakly, willing his body to at least respond with a nod.

Why are you being so weird?! I said I wasn't going to make this weird. I am not going to make this weird!

"Been looking for you. What took you so long?" Jeongguk asks, holding out Taehyung's phone for him to take it back, but he can't seem to drag himself out of his thoughts.

He's trying hard not to make this a bigger deal than it really is, but that's becoming increasingly difficult when pressing Jeongguk up against the wall like he did in his dream plays through Taehyung's mind like an echo.

It feels as if he's standing in quick sand and trying to climb out. The more he thinks about it, the further he sinks.

"No—Yes." Taehyung accidentally blurts and Jeongguk looks at him curiously like a cute little puppy with its ears perked up. Taehyung coos internally. "I'm sorry—what was the question?"

"You didn't get any sleep again," Jeongguk says it like he knows, laughing through his nose a little as he slides Taehyung's phone into his pocket for him since he's apparently unable to take it for himself. His arms have been swallowed by the quick sand.

Simple interactions shouldn't be this difficult. Why is he floundering like this?

And why the hell did Jeongguk slipping his phone into his pocket make Taehyung's stomach do a barrel roll?

"We've been here. Where have you been?" he asks after a throat-clearing cough. He'll have to address the chaos in his brain and try to make some sense of it later. Until then, he's got to appear normal, and not like some sweaty teenager hopped up on anxiety and hormones.

"I sent you a text when Jimin and I got here, didn't you get it?"

"Ugh, sorry no. My phone died," Jeongguk huff. His mouth kind of does this twisty thing when he's disappointed about something. It's kind of cute, Taehyung thinks.

STOP

"That damn thing is always dying on me. It's too old."

"It's poor life was shortened because you're always creeping on those lame dating apps you use."

Jeongguk's face immediately goes taut with annoyance, but Taehyung is thankful for the interruption from the voice behind him.

Jimin strides over to stand next to the two and Jeongguk takes a step back, putting some space between them that allows Taehyung to breathe a little easier.

"Hey, at least he's getting some," another familiar voice chimes in from somewhere. Taehyung turns and sees their tall and overly handsome friend, Kim Seokjin, approaching them in his pink hoodie and black leather bag in hand.

"If by getting some you mean diseases, well then, you're right," Jimin says jokingly, but his eyes are casting judgement on Jeongguk.

"I'm not an idiot," Jeongguk narrows his eyes directly at Jimin. "I don't sleep with just anyone. And--I use...protection. Every time," he adds quietly, eyes flicking nervously to Taehyung.

"That's really good, Guk," Taehyung smiles at him with a sense of pride. Jeongguk smiles back, as if Taehyung's compliment instilled some sort of confidence back into him.

Jimin's mouth purses with skepticism. "Mmmhm."

"That reminds me," Jimin pipes up, voice inflection completely changing. "I'm pretty sure you were getting hit on a minute ago," he smiles with a suggestive elbow nudge to Taehyung's side.

"Huh? Who?" Taehyung inadvertently glances at Jeongguk, heart skipping a beat. Dammit, he had just gotten himself to calm down a little.

"The check-in girl. Tell me you didn't see the looks she was giving you?" Jimin raises his eyebrows at Taehyung in disbelief when he responds with a shrug. "I thought she might have been being too obvious," he laughs, "but apparently you didn't even notice. She's gorgeous, you should go talk to her."

To get a peek of the girl, Jin and Jeongguk lean slightly to peer around Taehyung, whose back is facing the check-in counter.

Jeongguk's interest ends rather quickly. He seems unimpressed, until he turns his attention back to a yawning Taehyung.

"I knew you didn't get any sleep," Jeongguk says softly with that sort of sparkly, adoring look in his eyes.

"Are you really not interested?" Jimin asks, pulling Taehyung's gaze from Jeongguk.

Taehyung sticks his hands in his pockets and shrugs again. "I don't know," he mutters. "You know I haven't been all that interested in dating lately..."

"You're not interested in anyone?" Jin chimes in with genuine curiosity. "I've seen you get hit on and get numbers from all sorts of nice, really hot people, and you always turn them down."

"Yeah, don't you miss going out with us to the clubs and bars? It's not as fun without you," Jimin pouts.

"Well, you know," Taehyung mumbles. He doesn't really feel like going into right this second. "I've just been into other things."

Jimin crosses his arms over his chest. "Sitting inside all day by yourself, playing video games? That's more fun than going out with us and meeting new people??"

"I'm not by myself, I play with Jeongguk," Taehyung defends himself and Jeongguk nods in support.

"Yeah, would you guys lay off? So he's taking time off from dating, what's the problem?"

"Jeongguk, he's young, and ridiculously hot. He can't let his good years go to waste playing video games with you," Jimin explains and Taehyung suddenly feels his cheeks go warm. "He's been through some shit, he should be out enjoying his life."

"But I am enjoying my life," Taehyung says tiredly. "Just because I'm not out hooking up with everyone, doesn't mean I'm not."

"You know I didn't mean it like that--"

"Look Tae, I won't lecture you," Jin cuts Jimin off. "Even though I technically can because I'm the oldest, and that's totally allowed. But I digress. All I'm trying to say, is that it's been forever since you've even talked to someone other than the six of us," he presses further. "What if your person is out there? Waiting for you?"

Jeongguk's name echoes in Taehyung's head like some sort of cosmic sign.

"She could be your person!" Jimin laughs, throwing a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the check-in girl.

Taehyung laughs, but it's because he already knows he's not interested in her. She's not really his type. It's not her fault, she's lovely. It's just that, Taehyung's simply not interested. But to get his friends to shut up, he turns and pretends to study her for a brief moment until he's interrupted by the loud thud of Jeongguk's bag dropping to the floor.

"She's not that pretty," he mumbles as he shoves his hands in the pocket of his hoodie and Jimin glares at him.

"Are you kidding me??" Jimin raises his voice, exasperated by Jeongguk's lack of support in getting Taehyung out of whatever weird funk he's been in for the last two years. "Or maybe you're just jealous that Taehyung got hit on and not you—"

"I'm not jealous," Jeongguk snaps back harshly. A nerve has been struck. "Sure, I don't think she's good enough for Taehyung. But have you considered maybe I don't want to push Taehyung into something he doesn't want to do?"

"Oh great, here we go," Jin mumbles under his breath as he picks up his bag and walks a few steps away to avoid the inevitable bickering that is about to occur. "I can't help these children."

"Please don't fight," Taehyung drones.

"You don't even know her!" Jimin's voice gets a little loud and it makes Taehyung uncomfortable. Their bickering is usually pretty mild and typically on the brotherly, playful side. But they are really at each other's throats this time.

"And you do??"

"No, but--"

"What makes you think they even have anything in common? She's not his type. What if she turns out to be a psycho stalker?"

Jeongguk is starting to get really worked up. This needs to stop before it gets out of hand.

"You guys—" Taehyung tries again, but his voice goes unheard.

"They don't have to have anything in common, Jeongguk," Jimin retorts and Jeongguk grimaces. He knows what he means by that.

"Taehyung isn't like that, Jimin."

"Isn't like what, Jeongguk?" Jimin snaps. "You?"

"Enough!" Taehyung throws his arms up between the two ready to attack each other.

"Whoa, what's going on here?" The tension in the air is suddenly cut off when someone comes up behind Jimin and unexpectedly drapes their arm around his shoulders. "Are you guys fighting again?"

Jimin turns his face to see who it is and meets eyes with a familiar brown-haired male about his height.

"Yoongi-hyung," Jimin drones as he wriggles free from his arm then moves to hide on the other side of Taehyung. "Why do you always have to put your arm around me like that?"

"I don't have to," Yoongi says with a lazy shrug. "I just like to. If you hate me so much, I won't do it anymore."

"It's not like that," Jimin responds with a less aggressive tone, feeling a little bad that Yoongi would think something like that. "I don't hate you. I just don't like people hanging on me. Especially when I'm not prepared for it," he adds and the corner of Yoongi's lip curls upward.

"Sorry," he says sincerely, then smirks. "I guess I'll try to prepare you better next time," he adds, knowing it will fluster Jimin.

"Excuse me," someone chimes in before Jimin can tell Yoongi off. "I'm looking for six guys, looking to party their asses off this week?"

The huddled group of friends all glance over to see the bachelor himself, Jung Hoseok, walking up with his arms out wide and beaming a huge toothy grin on his face.

"Aye, Trouble's here!" Jin happily calls out over the rest excitedly greeting the soon-to-be groom, ending up with them all jumping around like idiots in a circle, gaining attention and weird looks from the other travelers waiting in the lobby.

"Wait!" Hoseok blurts out, halting the celebration.

"We're missing someone. There's only six of us," he announces, causing everyone to silently perform a head count.

"Again?" Yoongi drolls.

"He's late. He's going to miss the train, isn't he?" Jeongguk asks nervously.

"Has anyone heard from him? He only has about five more minutes before we start boarding, he needs to get here soon," Hoseok panics, whipping out his phone. He tells them he's going to step away for a moment to call their missing friend, while the rest fumble around anxiously with their belongings.

It's only a moment later that Hoseok comes back to the group and informs them that Namjoon's phone keeps going straight to his voicemail. They have no choice but to start towards the boarding platform and hope that he shows up.

—><—

Once they're on the train and have their luggage stowed away, everyone gathers around a booth with a decently large table suited for group seating.

While the rest look out the window at the boarding platform in search of Namjoon, Hoseok anxiously taps his fingers on the table and continues to repeatedly call him. He gets more and more antsy with each time he's sent straight to voicemail.

A train attendant enters the car and moves down the aisle, announcing that the train is ready for departure and that he will begin his luggage and seating safety checks.

"Namjoon's gonna miss the damn train," Jin groans through his fist pressed to his mouth, shaking his head in disappointment.

The boys all begin to squish and lean over each other to look eagerly out the window when the train releases it's breaks and rolls forward a little bit.

"Maybe one of us should get off and wait for him," Jimin suggests quickly, springing out of his seat. "Will they let me off? I can wait for him."

"I'll wait with you, Jimin," Taehyung offers and Jeongguk immediately stands up as well.

"I'll wait, too."

"Excuse me, sir!" Jimin yells out to the train attendant moving further down the isle away from them, but the loud train whistle sounding off causes his call to go unheard.

"Well, fuck. I think it's too late," Yoongi says and silence befalls the group as the three standing up slump back down into their seats.

"He can catch the next one, right?" Taehyung asks quietly but Hoseok shakes his head slowly.

"The next one isn't scheduled for another week," he says and everyone remains quiet in their disappointment.

Everyone except for Jimin, who suddenly shoots up out of his seat again and urgently points outside. "Namjoon! N-Namjoon!" he shouts repeatedly, too excited to say anything else.

Sure enough, everyone looks out the window and sees Namjoon shoving through a sea of people as he dashes toward the train with his ticket waving high in the air.

"WAIT! STOP! I'M HERE! Please don't let that train leave!"