Taehyung kept his word. Jungkook hadn't doubted that he would - rather, he actually forgot about it entirely. So it surprised him a little when Taehyung told him to get in his car right after their last class let out.

"Your car? Are we going somewhere for lunch?"

"No? The Fermata Pavilion, dummy."

"Ohh. Yeah, I am a dummy..."

The entire drive to the cafe was spent in silence, although Jungkook felt himself growing increasingly more anxious the closer they got to the location. He trusted Taehyung. But sadly that didn't cancel out his nervousness. 

"We're here."

"We're what?"

"Here. You can get out of the car."

"...this car?"

"I'm actually going to change my mind if you don't get moving."

"I am, look, opening the door...it's opened!"

"Now step out of the car."

"Which foot...?"

It took longer than it should have to get Jungkook to go into the cafe. As the other pushed him, he tried convincing Taehyung that maybe a waiter was a better choice for him, but then he had a twenty second debate with himself as to why he didn't agree with himself. Eventually, he was silenced at the realization the two were inside the cafe. Moreover, that someone was walking towards them.

"Tae! You're here!"

Jungkook recognized Hoseok but didn't know his name so he kept quiet.

"Where's the boss?"

"Right here," the server said proudly and pointed to himself, "just got promoted."

"I'm being serious. This guy wants to start working here."

At this, an overdramatized gasp was drawn from Hoseok's mouth, and he faced Jungkook with eyes widened to their full capacity. "You are?? That's-" He extended an arm and grabbed Jungkook's left hand, then began aggressively shaking it. "Welcome to the crew!"

"I-I haven't been hired yet-"

"Taehyung! There you are."

A new voice entered the conversation. Jungkook tensed up, his face draining.

"Mr. Oh, I was looking for you," Taehyung greeted, smiling slightly as he was smiled upon by the somewhat short, stout older man. "This is Jungkook, he's a music major at the same college I go to. Great performer, I think you should let him on stage with me. You won't regret it."

"Is that so, mm?" A hearty chuckle spilled from the man's mouth. He patted Jungkook's shoulder which only made the boy tense up more. "If that's what you think, who am I to argue? It's nice to meet you, Jungkook, I'm Oh Beomsoo. Everyone calls me Mr. Oh. Have you and Taehyung known each other for long?"

"A little while," Taehyung answered in his place. "So is it alright if he starts today?"

"It's like I said," Mr. Oh began, "who am I to argue with you, Taehyung? You're the reason business has increased here so by all means, this could be me returning the favor. I will need him to fill out a bit of paperwork for me, but that can wait till later today if he plans on staying."

"Thank you, sir." Taehyung then turned to Jungkook and gave his back two quick pats. "C'mon, stage is over there. Left foot, right foot, let's go."

With that, he started once again to guide Jungkook, who still didn't seem all there, this time towards the stage where a girl was currently playing a relaxing violin piece. Taehyung pushed him all the way to the small staircase then subtly to the backstage area - nothing big, just a small breathing space essentially with a couple chairs and random pieces of equipment.

"We'll wait here till she's done," Taehyung told him. He gestured at one of the chairs. "Go ahead and take a seat." The boy listened. "So what do you actually do, you sing, or play piano, or some other instrument? You said you could do one of those but never specified."

Sheepishly, Jungkook scratched the back of his head. Confidence escaped him. "I...I know how to play piano, and I sing a lot, too, I guess."

"Great, how about you take the mic and I'll do accompaniment?"

"What?"

"You know the lyrics to Wicked Game?"

"The...Chris Isaak song?"

"Wow, you actually know the artist, I'm impressed." Taehyung gave an approving nod. "Yeah. So you know the lyrics?"

"I do..." Jungkook said under his breath as he also nodded. "I used to listen to his music all the time. Wicked Game was my favorite song."

"Good taste in music. Maybe you're not so bad."

He didn't know whether or not Taehyung was being serious, but nonetheless the comment made him blush, and a smile slipped onto his face and temporarily made him forget about being anxious.

Then the violinist finished her song.

"That's our cue," Taehyung said. "Let's go."

Jungkook's heart sank. "Right...now?"

"No, yesterday. Yes, now."

It hit him suddenly again, that wave of anxiety that made him lose feeling in his face and fingertips, but he tried not to show it as Taehyung urged him onto the stage overlooking the crowd of cafe guests. For the most part, they all had kind looks on their faces, as did the girl who happily greeted both boys and informed them she'd be heading home now that they were here. Jungkook smiled at her and out at that crowd.

He watched with unblinking eyes as Taehyung slid across the piano seat and gracefully hovered his fingers over the white keys. They made eye contact, and Tae gave a nod.

He started to play. Jungkook stood in front of the microphone, his sweaty hands gripping the stand as though his life depended on it. Ironically, in that moment, he swore his life flashed before his eyes.

The room didn't look clear. Why were the people all blurry?

He couldn't look forward anymore. His head facing down, eyes hardly open, Jungkook strained himself to force out the lyrics to a song he knew by heart but there was nothing.

His hands dropped to his sides and he ran off the stage.

It took a moment for Taehyung to realize, as with songs he had committed to memory, he had a habit of closing his eyes as he played. He focused better that way. But it struck his ear in an odd way when no voice could be heard along with the music as it should have been.

Not to mention Jungkook made quite a bit of noise hurrying down those steps to get outside.

It drew attention. Obviously it did. And for that, Taehyung felt even worse for the boy, so he acted quickly in speaking to the crowd. "It's alright, everything's alright, everyone, I'll be right back."

With that, he hurried down the steps and across the cafe till he reached the door. He pushed it open and stepped outside.

He found the boy sitting on the ground right beside the door.

Drawing in a deep breath, Taehyung lowered himself gradually until he was sitting right next to Jungkook, just out of the way so that the cafe door could still be opened by visitors.

"...everything okay-?"

"I'm so sorry, Taehyung," Jungkook blurted. His voice trembled as he struggled to find it in himself to raise his head. "I'm so sorry, I probably embarrassed you, I don't know what came over me, I-"

"No, I'm sorry," the other interrupted. Hearing apologies hurt more than giving them right now, and Taehyung had never really been a fan of that feeling. "It's my fault."

"Your fault??"

"I shouldn't have just rushed you out there," he said, voice coated in frustration. "I didn't really think about it...I mean, I do this all the time, I've worked here for a while and I'm used to it, but I threw this all in your face without considering how you might feel. So yeah, 100% my fault."

It warmed his heart to hear. Although he didn't fully agree with Taehyung, regardless, Jungkook liked how soft the boy's voice sounded when uttering these words. Not cold, not forced, but genuine.

"If you don't wanna go back up there, I'd completely understand," Tae added after some time, "and I'll explain to my boss it was just nerves if you wanted to try again tomorrow or something. So...just let me know, I guess."

"That would be really sweet of you."

Taehyung made a face at the comment. "I'm not sweet, that word doesn't fit me."

"I think it does," Jungkook chuckled.

"I'm just trying to not be a jerk, ya know?"

"Mm. It's working."

"Is it now?"

"Mhm. If you keep it up, I might even fall for you."

It almost hurt to say, but Taehyung's reaction, the little tint of purple on his cheeks that he angrily tried to wipe away as he scoffed at Jungkook, that lighthearted reaction made it okay. Jungkook smirked at him.

"I'm teasing, don't hate me."

"You're getting cheeky is what you are."

"No, I just like seeing you blush, that's all."

"Stop. Remember whose apartment you're currently lodging in."

"You're right, you're right..."

He laughed it off. While the mood was still something comfortable, Jungkook chose to poke fun at matters he wished he could say with more confidence. But at the moment, he feared breaking this tender attitude Taehyung had acquired towards him, so silence was kept.

With some encouragement and a whole lot of internal commitment, Jungkook decided to give performing another go. He had nothing to lose now that he had already made a fool of himself. Everyone had seen him run off, and he was sure he concerned them and perhaps even ruined their hopes of uninterrupted live music. That was one of the main reasons the Fermata Pavilion stood out, after all. Nothing could match the performers. Jungkook was new, and being aware of this and this opportunity he received only through Taehyung, he didn't want to take things for granted or let anyone down.

Especially not Tae.

"I'm sorry, everyone," he said regretfully the moment he stepped up to the microphone again. "Everything's okay, we're going to start again."

He bowed to the guests. Then turned to Taehyung and did the same.

"What are you bowing to me for??"

"Just 'cus. You can start playing now."

*

At the end of the night, Jungkook had a better feel of performing in front of a live audience, although Taehyung admitted - because the other asked - that the boy still did seem stiff. However he assured Jungkook it wasn't anything to be discouraged about. He would get used to it.

Moreover, his voice had impressed Mr. Oh enough that the owner practically begged for him to come to the cafe more often with Taehyung - frequently, he stressed, if possible. Apparently a handful of customers made comments to him about the boys and that they would love to hear them again. It pleased him, and even made Jungkook feel better about the incident, too.

Arriving back at the apartment was a relief, though. Jungkook felt oddly exhausted, though he knew it to be more so from the anxiety rather than from the physical exertion of singing.

Not to mention he had other things on his mind that chose now to resurface.

"I'm gonna get a shower," Taehyung announced soon after they got back. Jungkook had already taken a seat on the living room couch. He must have been really exhausted, Tae thought, because he didn't show the slightest reaction at the other's words. "Did you wanna get one, too? Or would you rather wait till tomorrow?"

The boy didn't appear to be listening. His eyes seemed to be trained on something that wasn't there, perhaps something in his head that Taehyung couldn't see. Whatever it was, it painted across Jungkook's face something akin to dejection.

"...Jungkook."

"...mm?"

"You look depressed. What's up with you? It's not 'cus of you panicking and running off stage earlier, is it? I thought you recovered..."

"No, it's not that," Jungkook said in a soft voice. Still, he looked to be distracted. That bothered Taehyung.

"...then, is it your old job?" He asked tentatively. "Are you still hung up on that?"

Jungkook didn't answer this time. He pursed his lips, displeased in one way or another.

That expression. For whatever reason, Taehyung wanted it to go away. He would rather the boy be his annoying, weird self over this despondent, vague character he saw now.

"Kook-"

"Kook? I get a nickname??"

"You reacted way too quickly to that."

A shy laugh. "Sorry, I like it."

"Mm."

"Can I call you a nickname, too? Can I call you Tae?"

"Only if you tell me why you were fired from your other job."

The atmosphere fell again to something dismal and unpleasant, and so abruptly did that eager light in Jungkook's eyes fade. He turned from Taehyung to look at the floor in front of him. Something was wrong. Even his posture looked guilty.

"Do you really not want to tell me?"

"It's not that I don't want to tell you," Jungkook said, almost too quiet to hear. "It's just I'm afraid you'll get mad like you did before."

"Mad?" Like before? "Why would I get mad?"

"You told me not to stand up for you. You said it would only get me in trouble, and you were right. It got me in a lot of trouble."

Raw emotion caused his voice to quiver. Taehyung felt his own heart move a little.

"Don't tell me you got into a fight with someone."

"...I won't tell you then."

Conflicting feelings billowed up inside him, a strong presence of anger, but it was lined with sympathy towards this boy who clearly was fighting back another round of tears.

"Jungkook, what did I say to you before??"

"Please call me Kook now, it'll hurt less when you yell at me."

It hurt Taehyung, undeniably. The boy appeared to him as a child, genuinely regretful for something he had done, not stable enough to handle another voice raised at him when he had probably done enough of that himself, internally if not externally as well. Truly, Taehyung's chest ached because of it.

At times like these, he hated himself for being so quick to anger.

"Was it Daewon?" He asked once his temper finally stowed itself away. Jungkook nodded in response. "I knew it..."

"Tae, I'm so sorry," the boy whispered, sniffling. "I'm so sorry, but I remembered the panic attack you had when he showed up before, and, and he was just saying awful, awful things, about me, but more about you, and I couldn't take it, I hated it...I'm sorry, Tae..."

The nickname sounded nice.

Quietly, Taehyung made his way over to Jungkook and sat beside him on the couch.

"It's okay. I'm not mad at you."

"You don't have to sugarcoat it..."

"Do you want me to be mad?"

"I deserve it..."

"Enough with that." Taehyung sighed, exasperated but not certain whether with himself or Jungkook. "Listen, how about we do something to take your mind off it, huh?"

To Tae's relief, it caught Jungkook's attention in a positive way. The boy actually looked at him. "Like what?"

"Like, I don't know..." Think. "We could...hang out. Maybe go to a mall...if that's what you want. Or you could pick something else, I don't care."

"We could really do that??"

Though still tearful, some of Jungkook's pep sprang back into him, his eyebrows shooting up as he shifted his hopeful gaze over to the other. Made Taehyung's heart skip a beat, it did, though he discarded of the thought.

"Yeah, why not? Let's hang out tomorrow."

*
*
*

end of chapter fifteen.