Summary: - Taehyung and Jungkook meet at a club after Taehyung is upset because of college work
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The pretty pastel magenta clouds in the sky hardly did any work in comparison to the neon pink lights of the club. Man did find more peace in artificial these days after all. While the outer sweet atmosphere mocked the student for always being gloomy, the adulterated walls of Shidax provided unspoken solace with extra perks of hard drinks and a certain philosophical eye candy.

"Mix me the strongest."

"Not till you decide which is the strongest dose you can take."

Kim Taehyung was completely not in a mood to be as elaborate as his appearance showed off, but then he did the needful by cracking a sinister smile.

"Isn't that your work? To know who can take what?"

"That is true. You seem the hard type, pretty sure looking at your decent appearance after downing random ten complementary shots. But like, wanna talk?"

"Drink please..."

"Hmm..."

The bartender turned around sighing, he didn't like stubborn customers who just treated his dear drinks as if temporary medicine. He made them with so much of patience, mixing just the right amounts and shaking ever so carefully. His long locks covered the edges of his temples, shading his contact-shielded eyes. The apron tied around his waist just made it pop further, the open buttons on top giving leeway access to the sight of his sinful collarbones, that seemed to appear and disappear with every move. His twilight black tux was probably a shade lighter than his eyes, just reflecting their actual depth. Funny how the beauty had such a voice and didn't hide his thick accent in spite of being in the city, working in such an uptown place. To say that Taehyung was already coping up with his unneeded stress would be an understatement. He liked seeing people work meticulously and even more if their actions were just apt and beautiful- not more, nor less.

"How many years mixing here?"

"three here, three in the downtown pub meant for them bullies. Not to the taste of a young man such as yourself."

"You don't seem old enough to be working for six years."

"What about it? Haven't heard of cradle robbing situations? Gotta make ends meet even if it ends you sometimes. It's a shame you didn't have to make way for yourself, it gives true experience."

Taehyung immediately got defensive, he was tired of people mistaking him to be a father's pet. He had been provided for but never was one to take undue advantage.

"I beg your pardon? You trying to throw shade?"

"That's exactly what you wouldn't have thought if you actually grew on your own. Y'know, when you don't have anyone to back you up, you start backing people up to feel the need to survive. You don't feel defensive, but play the angst like its your instrument, high one moment, tempo falling the next. But never taking any load."

Taehyung was struck. Never had anyone replied with something that actually made sense, more like mirroring his own principles as soon as he even let loose a bit.

"You got me, but now I got your point, give me the pint, I need it please."

Taehyung was cut off as a lady popped onto his lap out of the blue. She wore a low-cut black latex dress, the material just enunciating her dips and curves more than it already was.

"Hi sweetheart" she spoke through her glossed lips, the mole beneath her lips not lying, standing for the point that she was exceptionally sultry and beautiful. But her eyes spoke of countless deeds of sweet crimes and drudgery. Taehyung didn't want to trust his instinct that told him to not trust the lady. The male attending to his thirst saw his dilemma, smiling knowingly. That's where the people always went wrong.

"Sorry ma'am, I'm pretty sure I'm too inexperienced to serve such beauties as you, but a drink is something I could indulge you with."

The lady's eyes widened, so did the other male's. they hadn't expected that turn. The pretty bartender smiled, he couldn't be more of a gentleman.

The lady swiped her hands sensually about his thin waist before winking at him and bidding him later.

"just a minute sir?" said the bartender before he removed his apron and ran behind the woman, soon out of sight and ear shot.

"Gimme his wallet back Jae Ri, not him." Said the man, smiling apologetically, it was his sister's work to pick pockets and seduce. Extra pocket money for the struggling siblings.

"Heeeeeeeh, Jeonggukie? Are you sure you aren't high of the drinks you make?"

"Absotively, poselutely, not him please ..."

The lady, Jae Ri, looked at him for a second before handing over the wallet and strutted off, Jeongguk mesmerised by his sister's beautiful hips. He wanted to have those luscious lips and sinful hips, he envied her but at the same time, admired her.

Jeongguk returned to the counter, to see Taehyung drinking one of the drinks he had been making, swirling the alcohol in it with such patience even as a storm brewed in his eyes. His facial features were so calm but the aura he exuded made Jeongguk worry for the male.

"Stop drinking. Its enough for tonight. My shift gets over in ten minutes, I'll take you somewhere..."

"To mug me like she did? You think I can trust you just because you brought my wallet back?"

Jeongguk was taken aback. Had he noticed what had happened? And actually let it go? Exactly what was going on in the man's mind?

"eheheheh, busted?"

"She got good skills I must say. She would do well... You would do well, you are good too..."

Jeongguk finally saw the dark swirling in the ethereal stranger's mind. That's when he realised the situation's depth. This was not good in the least. After all, it was the suicidal darkness that once had shrouded him too.

"You don't care about money anyway, do you?"

Taehyung smiled.

"Bingo?"

"You need to get out of here."

"Take me?"

And the two were out in a jiffy, on the way to the older and more dingy places of the town.

"Y'know, It sure is fun to look at people talk as if they know their partners well. What makes them think so?"

"Hmm, maybe their trust?"

"Isn't that as much of a farce as the idea of love itself? Its just that people like to turn blind eyes towards things."

"what exactly happened?"

"Someone thought that I'd let them win a demo case just because of my adoration towards them. They were upset because I stood my as well as my client's ground."

"A law student?"

"Yea."

They then walked silently. Jeongguk liked the cynical approach Taehyung had. It drew him close and Jeongguk knew the male's appearance was simply a catalyst to his downfall.

"Wanna take your mind off this?"

"You are offering services now?"

"Though I'd prefer the term help, we'll go with the more practical one."

It had been three months since that night, and Jeongguk liked his waist and lips more. Probably because they were always ornamented with pretty bruises and ghosting touches of a certain male, probably because of the quiet poetry someone recited to praise his perfection.

Taehyung was way more light-hearted these days-probably because he had been taught by someone to not listen to the shit others gave him, probably because he had someone to call his now, look after and caress when he was upset now.

Three fateful months.
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