"Hey, Tae." Baekhyun pulled the boy into a hug once he walked out of the cafe.

"Hey." Taehyung laced his arms around him, but his eyes unwittingly scanned the place, searching for Jeongguk's car. A near-silent sigh seeped through his lips when he realized it wasn't there anymore.

"You ready?"

"Yeah."

Although Baekhyun noticed that something was bothering him, he decided not to say anything at that moment.

They took Baekhyun's car and went to a restaurant that was fifteen minutes away. Once they took their seat, they ordered and made some small talk, but the golden blonde boy could tell that he wasn't in a good mood at all.

"What's wrong?" Baekhyun asked in a soft tone as he wrapped his arm around his shoulders.

"Nothing." Taehyung faked a smile, not venturing to meet his gaze.

"I know you're lying. You're thinking about something." He leaned closer and placed a small kiss on his temple.

"It's nothing really, I'm just tired."

It was true. He was tired, but that wasn't the main reason of his sullen state, and he knew it. He couldn't stop thinking about what happened with the young CEO before. The words he said stung him deeply, and he also felt awful for making Jeongguk think that way.

"It's okay, you can tell me when you're ready." Baekhyun gave him a warm smile and pulled back as their food arrived. They ate in silence mostly as Taehyung was plunged into his thoughts, and Baekhyun didn't know how to make him feel better.

A while later, they left the restaurant and headed to Baekhyun's car. "I wanted to spend some more time with you, but since you're tired, I should drive you home."

"I'm sorry, Baekhyun, I know I wasn't a good company today," Taehyung mumbled as he lowered his head.

"It's okay, I had a good time anyway," he uttered as he slipped his arms around his nape.

"I had a good time too."

Baekhyun drew back just a tad, and a smile stretched on his face as he fondly peered at him. He closed the gap between them, linking their lips into a tender kiss. He tilted his head so he could deepen the kiss, but Taehyung didn't react as he expected; instead of giving in and parting his lips, he stiffened in his arms, something that made him frown.

"Not in the mood for kissing either?"

"I'm sorry, really." Taehyung groaned as he closed his eyes, frustrated.

"Let's go," Baekhyun said since he didn't want to pressure him and got into the car with Taehyung following him.

"Um, you can leave me at the bus stop close to the cafe."

"No, I can drive you home."

"But I don't have a home anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"The landlord raised the rent and it wasn't worth staying there anymore."

"And where are you staying now? Why didn't you say anything yesterday?"

"Jeongguk happened to know about that and offered me to stay at his house until I find something."

"Jeongguk, as in the rich CEO you hate?" Baekhyun asked, scorn dripping from his tone.

"I don't hate him anymore," Taehyung muttered almost inaudibly.

"Why? Because he's helping you?"

The question brought a scowl to Taehyung's face as he shot him a glare. "What are you implying?"

"I'm not implying anything. I'm just asking," he snickered.

"I don't hate him because he's not a cold-hearted monster. He's just been through a lot of shit. And I didn't ask him to help me."

"I'm sorry if I crossed the line."

"You can just let me get off here." Taehyung pointed at the first bus stop he spotted.

"No, I can drive you—"

"It's okay, I want to be alone."

"Fine," Baekhyun said once he stopped the car.

"Bye." He got out of the car without sparing him another glance, and when Baekhyun drove away, he took a look at the time and sighed as he realized he had missed the last bus.

He couldn't possibly walk all the way to Jeongguk's house with his injured leg, and he was afraid to roam around alone in the dark after what happened. There was only one thing he could do either he liked it or not. And that was no other than to call Jeongguk. 

"What?" He picked up the phone just three seconds later.

"Um, I know it's a lot to ask... and I would definitely walk to your house if it wasn't all dark and scary, but my leg hurts too and—"

"Where are you?"

"I'll send you my location," Taehyung mumbled, and not even a second later, Jeongguk hung up the phone. He felt bad for asking him to pick him up again and couldn't help but pout at the whole situation as he sent him his location and sat at the bus stop.

About half an hour later, Jeongguk's car appeared in front of him, and he got inside in a rush as he couldn't feel his hands from how cold it was.

Jeongguk didn't say anything but noticed the boy shivering, and he turned on the car heater before he started driving towards his house.

"Thanks," Taehyung uttered as he cast him a wary glance.

"I just don't understand why you were alone so late again." He sounded rather indifferent about the situation, but his grasp on the wheel was so tight his knuckles turned white.

"He just pissed me off and I told him to let me get off." He ducked his head as he recalled what the other boy said.

"What did he say?"

He hesitated since he didn't really want to talk about that with him. But he perceived how Jeongguk kept on throwing him glares and sighed. "I told him that I'm staying at your house, and he asked, 'Jeongguk, as in the guy you hate?' And I said that I don't hate you anymore, and he asked, 'Why? Because he's helping you?' And I got mad."

There was a moment of silence until the younger stopped at a red light and laid his eyes on him. "Sounds like a dickhead who doesn't know what he's talking about."

"No, I was just not in a good mood and took it personally. I'm sure he didn't mean it like that."

"It sounds like he meant it like that," Jeongguk stated in a cold tone as he started driving again.

"Don't say that. It wasn't his fault."

"Are you kidding?" he scoffed. "And who's fault was it?"

"Yours! I couldn't stop thinking about what you said and I wasn't in a good mood because of that. It was your fault, you coconut head!"

"Why was it so difficult for you to stop thinking about me?" Jeongguk raised a sly brow as he peeked at the furious boy.

"Not you! What you said, not your stupid face!"

"Why do you always end up calling my face stupid?" Jeongguk scowled at him and couldn't help but pout at his words.

"It's not my fault if you have a stupid face."

"Yah! You're the first person who has ever called my face stupid. It's not stupid. It's cute, I'm cute. I'm hot!"

Taehyung tossed his head back and cracked up upon hearing his words. He continued laughing and laughing since he didn't know what to say because if he talked, he would definitely agree with what Jeongguk just said about himself.

"At least you're funny," Taehyung chose to voice out as his burst of laughter quieted down.

"I'm a lot of things, I can show you." Jeongguk sent him an impish wink with his suggestive remark, making the other gasp and whisk his head away from him.

"I don't think I want to know what that means." Taehyung chortled, but he felt heat spread on his cheeks, something that had him panicking. He didn't want Jeongguk to notice, so he palmed his cheeks and made sure to keep his head down.

"I know you're blushing." Jeongguk's spicy tone only sent the boy into a deeper state of embarrassment.

"Shut up!"

"I'm just messing with you." He chuckled in sheer amusement. Honestly, he couldn't control himself. He wanted to flirt with him and tease him, although he knew Taehyung wouldn't think about him that way.

But he didn't know that his flirty behavior had a profound effect on him. It messed with his head and forced him to analyze what it meant to the point where he thought he would flip out by his extreme frustration. And this time he mulled over it endlessly as he stared out the window, sunk in his seat.

He attempted to banish his thoughts with a mild shake of his head and peeped at him. "Do you mind if I use your jacuzzi?"

"Do you mind if I join you?" A smirk tugged at his lips as he shot him a loaded look.

"Jeongguk! Are you serious?"

"What? I just want to relax a bit. I'm too stressed with the company and stuff." He shrugged as he opened the gates to his house. He then discerned the tentative expression on his face and continued. "It's big enough, and I won't even bother you. And of course, we'll be wearing boxers."

"Don't you think it will be weird?"

"Why?"

"I don't know. Do you usually use the jacuzzi with your friends?"

"No. I don't have any friends."

Taehyung giggled at his playful voice. It amazed him sometimes, really. He always had his ways to make him laugh. "Fair enough. But still... you don't find it weird?"

"No."

Taehyung stayed quiet as the other parked the car. They entered the house soon enough, but he suddenly froze in his spot, startling the younger. "I don't have clean clothes!"

"You scared me, you dork." He snorted as he shook his head. "I have a lot of clothes, you know. Of course, they won't fit you, but okay," he said as he walked towards his bedroom with the other trailing behind him. "Pick whatever you want and keep it too. I have too many clothes anyway." He then opened his ridiculously big closet.

Taehyung was too immersed in the sight in front of him to think about what to answer him. He had indeed so many clothes he felt as though he were in a freaking clothing store. "Why do you even have so many clothes?"

"I like shopping online. It's funny really, I have so many clothes, but I only wear a few of them regularly."

"It's funny really how I have only 20 pieces of clothes overall and you have 20.000 but still wear only a few of them."

"Exaggerating much? They're not 20.000."

"If you continue like this, they will be soon."

"Just pick whatever you want. I'm gonna go prepare the jacuzzi." Jeongguk offered him a mellow smile and headed to the bathroom.

Taehyung sighed as he returned his gaze to the clothes in front of him. He didn't even know where to start looking. I need something comfortable. He has like 30 sweatpants but only black, dark blue, and dark gray?

He shook his head with a snicker as he picked one and then searched for a shirt and a sweater in case he would be cold at night. He found too many plain white shirts and couldn't help but chuckle once again. Such a coconut head, he thought as he picked a random white shirt and the first sweater he found.

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Should I give you guys a double update today too? 🤔 Am I updating too much? I can't help it, I'm too excited to let you know what happens next😔💜