Boy By The Sea • taekook

Seven

The house is dark as usual when he gets back that day. Jeongguk spots the dim basement light in the surrounding darkness right away, followed by the faint melody drifting in the air. His heartbeat quickens, but he reins in the scattered thoughts and makes his way down the stairs slowly. The music is of a melancholic female voice, alluring yet with such sadness, singing of hidden fears and broken love.

I've seen the world
Done it all
Had my cake now
Diamonds, brilliant
And Bel Air now
Hot summer nights, mid July
When you and I were forever wild
The crazy days, city lights
The way you'd play with me like a child

Will you still love me
When I'm no longer young and beautiful?
Will you still love me
When I got nothing but my aching soul?

The bar lights are dimmed in the basement, casting everything in warm glow and fragmented shadows. He's seated away from Jeongguk, with a half emptied bottle of Glenfiddich Gran Reserva next to him, amber liquid glistening in the tumbler in hand. As he turns to face him, Jeongguk traces the dark silhouette of his face, each feature familiar yet distant.

"Missed me much?" The voice is sharp and teasing as usual, but with a touch of gruff that gets under his skin. Taehyung's eyes are bloodshot, and there's stubble on his chin.

"Where have you been?" Jeongguk takes a deep breath and walks towards him, taking stock the smell of alcohol reeking off his body. He frowns when he spots a thin long gash scabbed over on the side of Taehyung's face.

"Oh you know, here and there." Taehyung gets up and shrugs his shoulder carelessly.

Jeongguk clenches his jaw. Taehyung's worn out state and nonchalant way stir up frustration deep within, feelings that he can't even quite understand himself. He wants to wipe the weariness off his face and reprimand him for not taking care of himself.

But what angers him more, is himself. The feeling of spiralling out of control every time he sees Taehyung, it gnaws at his heart and makes him feel irritatingly weak.

Yoongi's words echo on his mind, deafening and impossible to ignore - this whole thing, you and a kid, it just seems so wrong.

Jeongguk gulps and keeps it all inside. He purses his lips and speaks flatly, "so you talked to Yoongi."

Taehyung doesn't answer him, but instead, grabs another tumbler by the bar and fills it with ice cubes. As he pours the amber liquid slowly, the ice crackles in the dim light. The pungent fragrance of the alcohol is mixed with faint notes of oak, and surrounds the two of them as Taehyung hands the drink to Jeongguk wordlessly. The first sip is strong and bitter on the back of his tongue, fuelling the fire within. Jeongguk frowns and stares into his eyes.

Taehyung cocks his head to the side, letting a few soft strands of hair fall haphazardly, "Yoongi? Oh, the pretentious asshole that works with you, I remember now."

Jeongguk's voice turns low, "he's my business partner, a good friend. You could show some respect."

"Fuck, why don't you tell him to back off first." Taehyung scoffs and stare at him, not backing down, "you know what he said to me? That if all I wanted to do was to scam some money out of this whole thing, then I could've just asked."

Why would you care what he said? Jeongguk thinks inwardly, fists clenching. He takes a deep breath and responds flatly, "You could've just talked to me instead. No need to run away and get all of us - Jimin all worried."

"God, stop treating me like a kid all the fucking time. There's no running away. I don't stay at a place for long, I come and go, that's just how I am." Taehyung waves his hand superfluously and paces in irritation.

You are a kid. A really messed up one. I should have nothing to do with you. Jeongguk thinks to himself and slams the tumbler down on the counter. The ice cubes crackle and hiss.

Taehyung runs his hand through his hair frantically and continues, "you know what, if you want me gone forever, I don't have to be here, should've know coming back is a mistake, what was I thinking-" he suddenly turns toward the stairs, lips twitching.

Jeongguk's breath hitches and his mind goes blank. Before he can stop himself, his hand reaches out to grab Taehyung by the wrist. There's a glint of vulnerability in Taehyung's eyes, and his wrist feels thin and frail, a sharp contrast to his strong words. Jeongguk feels something in his heart shift.

Taehyung eyes his hand begrudgingly, voice quiet but fuelled with exasperation, "Yoongi also asked me if I'm a friend or something more. What was I supposed to say, Jeongguk? What am I? Do you even know?"

Jeongguk stammers and exhales sharply. The dark ambiance surrounding them feels surreal, as the wistful music drifts in the air and seeps into his mind. Taehyung's questions eat away at him, unraveling his anger and frustration slowly, and replacing them with feelings he's too afraid to name.

When the words finally tumble out, they are softer, "you don't look well. Just stay for the night. Jimin can pick up more meds in the morning. You can leave in the morning."

He loosens the grip and hears a long sigh, as Taehyung pulls back his arm slowly, still looking upset but pausing in his steps.

They stand in the dark, letting the music fill the space around them, until Jeongguk finally speaks again, "what happened with Yoongi won't happen again. I give you my word."

Taehyung scoffs, but his shoulders relax and droop, "whatever, he can only intimidate people of your own kind. It wasn't a big deal."

"So that's not why you left."

Taehyung bites his lower lip and answers, "no. I told you, I'm not used to sticking around. This place is not me, I feel-I don't know, I did have a life before this-it was fucked up but still..."

Jeongguk speaks slowly, "it's what you make of it, you are still free. If you don't want me to be around-"

"No-"

Taehyung's hand reaches out to touch him on the arm, interrupting his words. And quietly, he adds, "no, you are fine. I'm just-messed up, too much on my mind." A self deprecating smile hangs on the corner of his lips. His head lowers as he withdraws into himself, into the dark.

Jeongguk touches his hand with his own, "it's ok. Things take time to figure out."

Taehyung looks at him, and deep within those dark orbs, Jeongguk sees the same small flame that flickered and refused to be dimmed the first time he saw Taehyung on the street.

Taehyung's lips quiver, and to both their surprises, he inches closer and reaches for a stiff hug. Jeongguk smells the alcohol radiating off him, and feels the tension in his torso.

His hands pause awkwardly midair, before eventually landing gently on Taehyung's back. He hears Taehyung's voice beside his ear, barely a whisper, "maybe just a few days. Haven't slept well for so long..."

They stay in the hug as the world slows down around them. Jeongguk closes his eyes and succumbs to the melodic music, sinking deeper and deeper into a haze of dissonant notes and mangled thoughts.