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like most things, it starts with taehyung.
jeongguk is currently cowering in a corner at a very loud college frat party because he’s supposed to be wingmanning for his best friend, who really doesn’t need a wingman anyways because kim namjoon, english linguistics and music production double major now working on his master’s degree extraordinaire most likely already has a phd in astrophysics or whatever with the way he stares at taehyung like he hung the moon and stars in the sky (jeongguk knows that the sun is a star too, thank you very much). also, jeongguk hates parties and unfamiliar places and loud places and strangers so he’s not exactly certain how or why he let himself get dragged out of the apartment when he knows taehyung would’ve just let him stay if he whined and pouted and went doe-eyed a little more.
but here he is, slumped against the wall in the corner of this house party, nursing a drink that’s more alcohol than mixer and juice in one hand and holding his phone in the other, scrolling through tiktok even though he can’t hear the audio.
he could leave. there’s really nothing stopping him right now. he’s just going to have to deal with taehyung whining at him for ditching. jeongguk has stuff to do for his junior seminar and his other classes. taehyung probably has things he should he doing for his senior seminar and capstone project.
maybe he should just leave and deal with the consequences later. he looks up to find taehyubg and namjoon, still in the same place they were nearly an hour ago, bright eyes and smiles and jeongguk knows they’re both blushing.
“you’re either a really big fan of exo or you’re thinking really hard about something.” a sudden voice startles jeongguk back into the present. he straightens immediately, glancing down at his phone, and oh yeah, that’s just a clip of love shot looping on his tiktok. he blinks, once, twice. then he lifts the cup to his lips and downs the rest of the drink in two gulps.
“both,” jeongguk admits, turning his phone off to pocket it, setting his now empty cup on the ground.
“random push pin i found on the ground for your thoughts?” jeongguk looks up to the owner of the voice and oh wow that is the prettiest man he’s ever seen in his life.
pretty and sleepy looking feline eyes, lined with kohl and glittery eyeshadow that just makes his already intense gaze smoldering, an elegant face with a very nice jawline and slightly rounded cheeks that are dusted with a faint blush, a pretty subtle peach pink that stands out against his pale skin, a slender nose and pretty lips and holy god good lord his dark hair is pulled back into a half ponytail, a couple strands curling tastefully around his face.
and don’t even get jeongguk started on what he’s wearing, because that racing jacket over the fitted white shirt tucked into the waistband of black ripped skinny jeans and the belt and the boots is not good for his mental or physical health. and oh gods, the earrings and rings and silver and leather bracelets too. he think he might be a bit emotionally unstable too, right now. maybe he shouldn’t have chugged the rest of his drink.
“um,” jeongguk says, intelligently, still staring wide-eyed at this beautiful stranger. he gets an elegant eyebrow arched at him and jeongguk can feel his ears going red. “just. thinking.” jeongguk cringes. great. this guy probably thinks he’s an idiot.
a soft snort reaches his ears and the stranger shuffles to lean against the wall, about a half meter or so away from jeongguk, and he catches a whiff of bergamont, maybe vanilla, and something a bit spicy. jeongguk can’t help the way he just stares like an idiot at this man, can’t really believe that someone this pretty exists. and he knows pretty people and people who know that they’re pretty.
“see something that you like?” he doesn’t sound cocky or confident like others that jeongguk have met, he sounds shy, a little uncertain, and jeongguk feels like he’s been punched in the gut when he spots a pink tongue flick out to run over a plush and pouty lower lip, almost like the other man’s nervous. he reaches out, as if to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear, but because most of it’s tied up, he can’t and his hand falls back to his side. jeongguk’s pretty sure that the other man’s actually blushing.
“yeah,” jeongguk blurts before he can think better of it. “um. you’re really pretty.” he flushes, probably right down to his chest, pulling his lower lip through his teeth, the rings clicking against his teeth. “sorry. was that too forward?”
the stranger blinks at him, a little wide-eyed and startled and his lips suddenly turn up into a big toothy and gummy smile and a hoarse, coughing, wheeze-like laugh escapes his throat. jeongguk can hear it over the thrumming base of the music filling the house. it’s quite possibly the nicest sound he’s heard in a while. it’s also very possible that jeongguk has fallen in love at first sight with this stranger.
“no,” the stranger laughs, sounding sheepish as he clasps the back of his neck. he shifts a little bit, closer to jeongguk and he feels himself burn burn burn. he wipes his palms against his pants. “i did ask.”
“you’re very pretty.” jeongguk says honestly, figuring that he probably can’t embarrass himself further.
“thank you.” the stranger says, sounding shy, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. he glances over at jeongguk and he burns even brighter when his gaze sweeps him from head to toe, slow and deliberate, eyes lingering on jeongguk’s lips and shoulders. “you’re not so bad yourself.” jeongguk can’t fucking stop blushing. “what are you doing hanging out in a corner alone?”
“avoiding people.” jeongguk shifts against the wall, back sliding a little further down in lieu of sitting down. there’s that little wheeze-cough again. “what about you?” he asks, shuffling nervously, only to end up sliding a little further down the hall.
“also avoiding people.” the stranger admits. “i was dragged to this party from my studio against my will.”
jeongguk blinks. “you look like you’re dressed for a party.” the stranger arches a brow, and as if he wants jeongguk to go into an early cardiac arrest, he reaches up to tug at the half ponytail free, his hair falling into his face, curling around his features. pretty pretty pretty, so effortlessly pretty. it’s also then that jeongguk notices his nails are painted, with what looks like little cat faces.
“this is my normal, everyday clothing.” he says, gesturing to himself. “although i did this in the car on the way here” he gestures to his makeup next.
“that’s impressive.” jeongguk says. “you must have steady hands.” steady and pretty hands that jeongguk wouldn’t mind having all over his body and wow he’s really starting to wonder just how much alcohol was in his cup. “i can’t even get my hands steady enough to do my makeup when i’m sitting down and stationary.”
he feels the heat of the other man’s gaze on his face, roaming over his features and really really hopes it’s dark enough in here and that the strobe lights are erratic enough that his blush isn’t obvious. his face feels like a beacon.
“i think you did a really good job,” he says, and his voice has gone all low and gravelly and jeongguk can feel it in the pit of his stomach and he’s really glad that he’s basically just doing a wall sit because the swirl of arousal in his gut gets stuck there.
“thank you.” jeongguk isn’t sure what else to say.
“where you also dragged here against your will?”
“yeah.” jeongguk licks his lips, nape burning when the stranger’s gaze follows the movement. “i’m supposed to be wingmanning.” the stranger blinks. “my friend does not need a wingman, the guy he’s into is also very into him and so now i’m just here.” jeongguk gestures with open palms to the party.
the stranger huffs, sounding amused. he straightens up, turns just slightly towards jeongguk as if to ask him something else when he suddenly stumbles forward, someone shoving past him abruptly to slip back into the fray of the party. as cliche as it sounds, it’s like it happens in slow motion (it could be the alcohol, too, jeongguk’s brain is a bit of a mushy gay mess right now) but the next thing jeongguk knows, he has a near lapful of very pretty and very nice smelling young man as the stranger trips into him.
jeongguk instinctively braces himself harder against the wall, muscles tensing as he holds their collective weight, one of his hands darting up to gently press against the stranger’s back, over the jacket, feels hot hot hot all over when hands, pretty hands and long, slender fingers curl around his shoulders. he hears a cute little squeak, a noise of surprise as the stranger falls into him, the hitch of breath when jeongguk’s hand steadies him, the other just barely holding onto his thigh, pinky grazing the skin exposed by the tears in the fabric. he’s so warm beneath jeongguk’s fingertips.
“oh,” the stranger breathes, peering up at jeongguk with those intense feline eyes, fingers flexing on jeongguk’s shoulders. jeongguk swallows thickly, tongue barely swiping out to wet his lower lip and his breath catches in his throat when the stranger’s eyes dip down to follow the movement, mimicking it. jeongguk can feel his heartbeat in his ears. “i should probably move.” he says, fingers curling against the material of jeongguk’s denim jacket, fingertips just barely brushing the nape of his neck.
“yeah.” jeongguk rasps. neither of them make a move. the stranger shifts, just barely and jeongguk’s right thigh jumps, muscles flexing as he adjusts to the weight, his right hand readjusting to grip the other man’s thigh, just a little bit tighter. there’s a sharp inhale.
“is this even that hard for you?” the stranger asks him. jeongguk blinks up at him. shakes his head. “fucking hell,” he breathes. jeongguk really wants to kiss him.
the current song playing fades and a new one, with an almost militant drum beat, snares (jeongguk thinks) begins and a cheer rises from the crowd. jeongguk’s not sure if he imagines the way the stranger tenses up in his lap. the beat is almost funky and mostly catchy and it’s something that jeongguk’s sworn that he’s heard before and he knows that his sober self is going to hate him for not remembering this. the partygoers have started chanting something, slurred and out of beat with each other and jeongguk briefly wonders how the hell half of these people are in the music programs.
he thinks they’re chanting agust d, agust d, which makes sense, jeongguk recognizes the song now, because whoever is behind the name is a musical fucking genius and jeongguk sort of really wants to politely ask to pry into their brain and know how they come up with, well, their everything that they produce.
“i’m getting a headache.” jeongguk says. the stranger turns towards him, still perched in his lap. jeongguk’s vaguely aware of the way his thighs are starting to burn.
“me too,” the stranger admits. “wanna get out of here?” jeongguk doesn’t know where out of here means, but he’s very happy to follow the pretty man and nods. when the stranger finally extracts himself from jeongguk’s grip and when he finally relaxes against the wall, jeongguk just slides down until his ass hits the ground and blinks up at the pretty man, tilting his head back.
“i’m tired.” he says. there’s a hint of that gummy smile again, and the stranger offers him a hand. jeongguk takes it, noting the way that his hands are smaller in the pretty man’s, the surprisingly strong grip that he has as he pulls jeongguk to his feet. jeongguk stumbles a couple of steps, bumping his nose against the stranger’s shoulder before he straightens. he might be standing crooked. “let’s go,” jeongguk starts tugging the stranger through the crowd, despite not knowing where they’re going or where exactly the door is.
they eventually make it outside, the two of them breathing a sigh of audible relief as the door falls shut behind them and the shouting of slurred lyrics is muted. jeongguk releases the stranger’s wrist and tucks his hands into his pockets, turning to look behind him, and wow, okay, he’s even prettier in the natural light.
“um. thank you.” the stranger says, and jeongguk did not realize he said that out loud. “you’re really drunk, aren’t you?” there’s an amused smile tugging at his lips.
“did i say that out loud too?” jeongguk whispers, hands pressing to his burning cheeks.
“yeah.” the stranger laughs, not unkind, soft and sweet. he shifts his weight, eyes skimming over jeongguk’s figure before he straightens up. “you’re cute.”
“not cute,” jeongguk mumbles, pouting.
“gorgeous,” the stranger continues, jeongguk’s breath hitching in his throat. “i didn’t think it was possible for someone who looks like you to exist.”
“oh,” jeongguk whispers, cheeks burning bright and heart fluttering. “i- are you also-” he stumbles over his words.
“no,” the stranger shakes his head, almost wryly. “i only had one drink. it takes a lot more to get me even close to tipsy.”
hot.
the stranger’s cheeks go pink and he ducks his head and oops, there’s a very high chance jeongguk said that out loud too.
“i know a place we can go,” jeongguk says, kicking at the sidewalk.
“how do i know you’re not going to murder me?” the stranger asks. jeongguk blinks at him.
“you’re the one who asked if i wanted to leave. what if you’re trying to murder me?” jeongguk frowns, nose scrunching in contemplation.
“i don’t think i stand a chance.” comes the wry answer, accompanied with a pointed look at his shoulders and arms.
“i’m a lover not a fighter,” jeongguk mumbles, fingers tangling with the hem of his jacket with one hand while the other one rubs idly over his bicep. he works out because it makes him feel good, and because he likes staying fit and healthy and he likes working out.
“good to know.” his voice is suddenly so much closer and when jeongguk lifts his gaze from where he was staring at his shoelaces, he finds that the stranger’s just a couple steps away, gorgeous and so fucking ethereal and jeongguk really wants to kiss him but he wonders how inappropriate it would be to just kiss someone out of the blue after meeting them probably fifteen minutes ago and oh jesus christ jeongguk doesn’t even know this man’s name. “you’re thinking really hard there, bun.”
that jolts him back to the land of the living.
“huh? bun?”
“you. you scrunch your nose up like a bunny. just like that. hey, don’t give me that look. when you smile you look like a bunny. it’s really cute. and i’m also realizing now that i don’t know your name.”
“jeongguk. jeon jeongguk.” jeongguk tucks his chin to his chest, staring down at his shoes, suddenly shy. “and you…?”
“min yoongi." the now not-stranger says. jeongguk blinks. he thinks he’s been doing a lot of that lately. the name sounds familiar, but jeongguk’s alcohol-muddled brain is struggling to find a memory. at least the cooler air outside is helping him sober up, at least a little bit.
“it’s nice to met you, yoongi-ssi. i want water. those two things are not related.” jeongguk pauses. “or maybe they are. i met you when i was drunk. and now i need water.” he nods, satisfied.
“let’s go get you some water, jeongguk-ah. maybe some food, too. and you can just call me hyung.” yoongi gestures with his head for jeongguk to follow.
“okay, hyung.” jeongguk says happily, skipping the few steps to make it to yoongi’s side and the two of them start walking down the sidewalk and past other townhouses throwing parties until they reach a quieter stretch of campus.
jeongguk’s humming something in his throat, a song maybe, he doesn’t really know, maybe they’re just random noises. yoongi doesn’t seem to mind, he just casts jeongguk a fond look and keeps walking. jeongguk hears the faint thrumming bass in one of the houses nearby and hears a drum beat and gasps.
“what’s up, gguk?” yoongi asks and jeongguk momentarily sparks out at the nickname.
“i just remembered, before we left,” jeonnguk says, realizimg he feels a little more awake now, “that song playing.” he thinks yoongi’s shoulders stiffen. “do you know what it was called?”
“agust d,” yoongi says, after a few moments of silence. he’s biting at his nails. jeongguk blinks at him.
“i know the artist’s name,” jeongguk frowns. “they’re really cool and i admire them.”
“the song,” yoongi sounds embarrassed. but why would yoongi be embarrassed? “it’s called agust d. by agust d.”
“oh.” jeonnguk says. then, “what do you think agust d means by tongue technology, hyung?” yoongi chokes, stumbling to a sudden halt and dissolving into a coughing fit. jeongguk turns around and thumps yoongi on the back.
“that’s probably up for interpretation.” yoongi gasps out, and oh wow, he’s definitely red. yoongi clears his throat, offering jeongguk a shaky smile now that he’s recovered. “uh. how did you hear of agust d?”
“it’s hard not to when the whole music department worships them.” jeonnguk explains. he also heard that there was a rumor that agust d was supposedly a student at their university, too.
“him,” yoongi says. “uh, agust d, i mean.”
“i didn’t want to assume,” jeongguk rubs the back of his neck. “do you know him, hyung?”
“uh, something like that.” yoongi mumbles. “we’re here.” jeongguk looks up, and oh yeah, they’re at the door of the convenience store.
jeongguk makes a beeline for the cold drinks, opening one of the doors and ends up just standing there, the cool air soothing. he doesn’t realize he’s zoned out until he feels a gentle hand on the small of his back and jumps, looking down to find yoongi staring up at him, looking concerned.
“you okay, bun?”
“yeah.” jeongguk snags a bottle of water and then a pocari and before yoongi can drop his hand, jeongguk snags it, linking their pinkies together.
“did you want to eat anything? hyung will pay.” yoongi’s nose crinkles a little when he smiles up at jeongguk.
eventually, they make their way to the tables, their instant noodles and drinks in hand. yoongi gently pushes jeongguk down into a chair and says he’ll go prepare their food, so jeongguk just watches as his new hyung goes through the motions. he has a bit of a waddle. it’s devastatingly cute.
“so, jeon jeongguk.” yoongi says, when he returns with two steaming bowls. “what do you major in?”
jeongguk lights up.
he chatters away, telling yoongi that he’s a vocal performance and dance major, but how he really really loves making music too. he tells yoongi that he’s a transfer student, that it’s awkward because he came over in the middle of his sophomore year from another school because their students weren’t being given equal opportunities.
yoongi never interrupts, just watches and listens to jeongguk as he talks, sometimes pausing to practically inhale hot noodles, chew and swallow and continue right where he left off. yoongi has long finished his own food and coffee by the time jeongguk has come to a lapse in his talking, and then it hits him.
“oh my gosh, hyung!” jeongguk exclaims. yoongi startles, those pretty cat eyes blinking at him in mild alarm. “i’ve just been talking about myself this whole time.”
“it’s okay. you have a very nice voice to listen to.” yoongi shakes head, though the gesture is fond. “i like learning about you, gguk-ah.”
“hyung’s voice is also very nice to listen to.” jeongguk says seriously before he uncaps the bottle of his pocari and downs it all in one go. “what does hyung major in?” he asks, licking his lips when he puts the now empty bottle down. yoongi’s staring at him.
“i majored in music production and composition. now i’m getting my master’s degree for it while interning at a company nearby.” yoongi says eventually, and then it clicks.
“wait, you’re like, the min yoongi?” jeongguk stares. yoongi blinks at him. blinks again. he looks like a cat. all he needs are the whiskers, tail and ears.
“uh, i’m the only min yoongi that i know of.” yoongi tilts his head to the side.
“you’re like, a prodigy, or something, in the music department.” jeongguk tells him even though he probably doesn’t have to. “everyone wants to work with you. or worships the ground you walk on. or both.”
“ah, i wouldn’t say that,” yoongi protests, cheeks tinging pink. he lifts his coffee can up to his lips, even though jeonnguk knows it’s empty
“hyung, i’ve heard so many things about you but i don’t know what to think about what i’ve heard mostly because i’m a transfer student and i barely know anyone here other than my best friend and he’s my roommate and my other roommate is cool too and he’s also a dancer like me and when they learned that i’m a vocal performance major and like mixing and producing music they mentioned your name and they made it sound like you’re some huge celebrity here on campus and everyone always talks about you in such high regard and now i’m realizing that i’m sort of a nobody but you saw me and came to hit on me and oh wait, where you actually flirting with me because i don’t want to assume you were but i also feel like you were and i really don’t remember where i was going with all of this.”
jeongguk stops talking abruptly, staring at his empty cup of noodles. there’s silence for a few moments, other than the girl group pop tune playing over the convenience store speakers and jeongguk assumes (for his own sanity) that yoongi is just taking time absorbing jeongguk’s word vomit.
“well, i guess i’m known in the music production program but it’s because i’ve worked hard and poured in countless hours to get to the point where i am now.” yoongi’s deep voice and the set of pretty hands appearing in jeongguk’s line of vision to gather up their trash has his eyes flicking back up. yoongi looks flustered, if not a little pleased. “and i was. uh, flirting with you. if that wasn’t clear.” yoongi tacks on at the end.
“cool.” jeongguk says, then cringes. “i was flirting with you too. or trying to. i don’t really know if it worked. i’m not very good at talking to people normally, especially without alcohol.”
“oh it worked alright,” yoongi mutters, low and beneath his breath as if he hadn’t meant for jeongguk to hear. but he hears anyways and he feels his face flush with heat. “you’re charming,” yoongi says, louder this time.
“you’ve never met me sober, then.” jeongguk mumbles. he’s awkward, shy, too nervous to even approach others. there’s a reason he skipped out on the beginning of the semester meet-and-greet for the music department. he wonders if he would have met yoongi earlier, if yoongi would have also seen him and approached him like he did earlier tonight. as if reading his mind, yoongi asks,
“were you not at the music department meet-and-greet party?” yoongi asks.
“no,” jeongguk admits. “i was hiding on the fire escape so taehyung wouldn’t drag me with him.” yoongi tilts his head at him.
“kim taehyung? music performance major and a visual arts minor?” yoongi stares. “about your height, dark hair, could probably pass as a model, from daegu and will take any chance he can get to talk about his pomeranian?”
jeongguk blinks. “how the hell do you know my best friend?” yoongi lets out a soft huff of laughter, like he can’t believe what he’s hearing.
“because my best friend is probably the one your best friend is infatuated with. and he’s just as in love with taehyung as taehyung’s in love with him.” yoongi says. “and he came to talk to me that night and mentioned how i would probably love to meet his best friend and newly instated roommate but how he couldn’t find them and later discovered that they were hiding on the fire escape. also, namjoon doesn’t ever shut up about taehyung.”
“wait, your best friend is kim namjoon?” jeongguk demands, suddenly remembering who he saw taehyung with just a couple hours ago and is also suddenly very bitter at himself for not doing or saying anything. “like, kim rap monster namjoon? has done several collabs with major artists like agust d and tablo?”
“um, yes.” yoongi’s brow furrows.
“holy shit.”
“did you not know who taehyung was crushing on this whole time?”
“he never told me his crush’s name,” jeongguk grumbles. “probably because he knew that i’d freak out. actually, i saw them both together at the party and i think my dumb alcohol brain didn’t actually register that it was namjoon-ssi that i saw and now i’m sort of mad at myself about it.” he pouts, glaring down at the table, arms crossed over his chest.
“why didn’t i get that sort of reaction? i do similar stuff to him.” yoongi huffs, and before jeongguk can think of some sort of sophisticated response, or wonder if that’s jealousy he hears, goes, “wow. thighs.” and wants to die on the spot. he covers his face with his hands even though he knows his ears are bright red.
he peeks out at yoongi, who just looks vaguely amused, before the older man’s words register in his head. “wait, hyung, what do you mean by why didn’t i get that sort of reaction? and what kind of similar stuff? do you also have killer thighs?” jeongguk makes a move to duck to look beneath the table, more teasing than anything, and yoongi kicks at him.
“yah,” yoongi laughs that scratchy little sound again. jeongguk likes yoongi’s thighs. he got to touch them earlier, when yoongi fell in his lap earlier. he likes yoongi’s everything, really. “i just told you that i majored in music production and composition and i’m now getting my masters.”
“do you have mixtapes and albums out, hyung?” jeongguk gasps, lighting up and leaning across the table.
“you’ve already heard some of my songs,” yoongi says, almost shy. jeongguk blinks. “just tonight. you asked me about it.” he prompts, nudging jeongguk’s shoes with his own.
the only song jeongguk had asked yoongi about tonight was agust d by agust d, but no one knows who he is and jeongguk supposes that there’s a rumor that agust d is a student at their school and he’s practically worshipped by the entire music department, just like yoongi is, and–
“oh.” jeongguk stares, blinking rapidly. “wait, so hyung is–”
“yeah.” yoongi glances down at the table, not meeting jeongguk’s eyes.
“holy shit, wait,” jeongguk breathes. “i need like, maybe five business years to process this.” yoongi blinks up at him. “i really fucking admire you. i’ve been following you since the start of your soundcloud. you’re amazing. i– wow.” then, “wait, hyung, so you do know what agust d means by his tongue technology, then!” and yoongi chokes.
“it wasn’t just drunk me talking, by the way.” jeongguk blinks lazily at the older man. they left the convenience store maybe twenty minutes ago, just strolling aimlessly around campus and enjoying the brisk chill in the air. jeongguk is thankfully much more sober now. he’s probably still embarrassing, though. “i really meant it when i said you were the prettiest person i’ve ever seen.” yoongi huffs at that, free hand reaching up to run his fingers through his hair. jeongguk wonders if the strands are as soft as they look.
“and what if i said that i you’re the prettiest person i’ve ever seen?” yoongi asks, his lips curling up into a barely there smirk as he pauses beneath a lamppost, the light glowing around him like a fucking halo and that’s not fair at all.
“i would tell you to go look in a mirror.” jeongguk huffs, scrunching his nose up.
they’re approaching the same townhouses that they left almost four hours ago because both jeongguk and yoongi’s phones have died and they need to make sure that their friends haven’t also died. most of the parties are still going strong, and jeongguk prays for all of the participating students’ livers and hopes that those who aren’t the partiers have managed to find some quiet to go to sleep.
“jeon! jeongguk!” jeongguk freezes when he hears the familiar screeching of his name, slightly slurred at the edges, but loud and searching and he looks up from where he was staring at his feet, and oh yeah, that’s taehyung charging down the sidewalk towards him.
“fuck.” jeongguk says intelligently, before he strips from his denim jacket because he does not want grass or dirt stains on it, lets it fall onto the pavement before he breaks away from yoongi and the sidewalk and across the fields, hearing taehyung holler a greeting to yoongi before he presumably takes chase. jeongguk can easily outrun taehyung, he knows that. jeongguk did track and soccer and baseball in high school. he has a black belt in taekwondo. he boxes and does weight lifting. taehyung just played golf.
“why did you leave me?” taehyung yells.
“you left me first!” jeongguk yells back.
“i had a reason!”
“well i did too!”
it’s dark and jeongguk can’t really see and he’s less clumsy because he’s more sober, but also because he can’t see, he ends up tripping over a dip in the ground and screeches when he crashes, just barely rolling over and lifting his arms out, crossed at his forearms to brace himself before taehyung barrels into him.
“hyung!” jeongguk squeals, laughter torn from his throat as taehyung immediately starts tickling him, beneath the ribs, at his sides, under his arms. “oh my god, stop that,” jeongguk shoves at taehyung and taehyung shoves back and then they’re wrestling in the damp grass, rolling around and giggling and jeongguk does screech when taehyung bites him on the shoulder. “why would you bite me, i’m baby!” he wails.
“you’re a snack, a whole damn meal,” taehyung cackles, making another move to bite at jeongguk. jeongguk easily flips them over then, straddling taehyung by the waist, gathering both of the older man’s wrists in one hand to pin his arms above his head, his other hand coming to force taehyung down by the shoulders. taehyung wiggles beneath him, tries pushing up, but jeongguk is unmoving above him. “boo, get off me, you muscle bunny.”
“no,” jeongguk sticks his tongue out.
“oh my god, how did you two get so far so fast?”
jeongguk and taehyung both look up to see namjoon and yoongi hurrying up to them, both of them panting and holding their phones, flashlights bright. in the far distance, jeongguk can see the townhouses.
“gguk ran track all through middle and high school.” taehyung provides. “and he did baseball. and soccer.” yoongi’s eyes slide over to jeongguk, sparkling in the light of namjoon’s phone flashlight as yoongi returns his own phone to his pocket. jeongguk burns where yoongi’s eyes rake over his body. jeongguk’s jacket is draped over his arm. “i’m fast because someone has to be able to catch up with this little shit when he decides to go running off.” taehyung wiggles again, frowning when jeongguk still doesn’t move, even when distracted. jeongguk feels taehyung trying to pull his arms free.
“you’re not going anywhere, hyung, i’m too strong for you.” jeongguk says idly. he thinks he hears yoongi mumbling some sort of curse beneath his breath. “also, hello,” jeongguk blinks up at namjoon, eyes wide. “i really admire your music. i’m jeongguk.”
“i’ve heard,” namjoon says, smiling, and oh, those are dimples. “taehyung-ah talks about you so fondly. not to mention, you’ve taken the vocal performance department by storm.” jeongguk ducks, finally relenting his grip on taehyung, clasping the back of his neck. taehyung shoves him off and jeongguk flops on to his back with a little oof. “jimin-ah likes you a lot, too. says you’re a very talented dancer with an incredibly stable voice, too.”
“you know jimin?” jeongguk perks up, propping himself up on his elbows. he turns to yoongi. “do you know jimin?”
“i do,” yoongi nods, offering a hand to jeongguk. namjoon pulls taehyung to his feet and jeongguk doesn’t fail to notice the way his best friend leans against the older man, the way namjoon blushes and tugs taehyung closer. yoongi lets out a little grunt when he pulls jeongguk to his feet. “you’re like, all muscle.” yoongi mutters.
“he’s thrown me to the ground one-handed multiple times before,” taehyung chirps, eyes glinting devilishly.
“what for?” namjoon looks bewildered.
“not for anything he didn’t deserve.” jeongguk’s eyes narrow. taehyung sticks his tongue out.
“hey, remember the time–” taehyung starts, only to shriek and hide behind namjoon when jeongguk lunges for him.
long and slender fingers wrap around his wrist to stop him and jeongguk’s heart thud thud thu-thuds in his chest. yoongi’s just looking at him with a raised eyebrow, tugs jeongguk back a little bit and he goes with the motion, letting yoongi pull him back to his side. taehyung arches a brow at him and jeongguk ignores it.
“you know jung hoseok?” namjoon asks, finally pocketing his phone and turning off his flashlight.
“he’s amazing!” jeongguk gushes, straightening up. “he’s in all of my dance classes. he’s the ta for one of them and he’s super cool and chill and knows what he’s doing and he’s an incredible dancer and teacher.”
“he’s got a crush on jimin.” yoongi provides.
“doesn’t jimin like seokjin?” taehyung turns to jeongguk. he blinks. says, “honestly, i thought seokjin and hoseok were dating from how much he talked about him when we first met.”
“wait, you know seokjin? kim seokjin?” yoongi turns to jeongguk, brow furrowed.
“yeah, he showed me around campus and helped me get settled in when i got here because taetae was in class the first day.” jeongguk says. “how do you know seokjin-hyung?” yoongi’s expression goes a little sour, nose scrunching up in almost distaste. it’s still kind of cute. he doesn’t reply immediately so jeongguk turns to namjoon for answers.
instead of an answer, he gets, “jesus kid, those are some dangerous eyes.”
“what does that mean?” jeongguk asks, the same time that taehyung says, “i know, right? and the worst part, or maybe the best part, i guess, depending on how you look at it, most definitely the best case when it comes to yoongi-hyung, is, he’s not even aware he’s doing it.” jeongguk frowns.
“yoongi-hyung and seokjin-hyung used to date.” namjoon says and jeongguk whirls around on yoongi, eyes wide.
“hyung!” jeongguk yelps, because seokjin is handsome. like, really handsome. why the hell is someone like min yoongi showing interest in someone like jeongguk? isn’t seokjin a successful model and actor now? yoongi groans, reaching up to cover his face with his free hand, because his other hand is tangled with jeongguk’s, and jeongguk didn’t realize that at some point their fingers became interlaced and he doesn’t really want to let go now, even when taehyung and namjoon’s eyes drop down to them.
“we’re standing in the middle of a dark field far from the outskirts of any campus building at three in the morning and i honestly don’t know how jeongguk or taehyung aren’t freezing but i refuse to continue this conversation until we move somewhere else.” yoongi sighs. “i need more coffee for this. or alcohol.”
“no more alcohol, hyung, it’s bad for you.” jeongguk frowns.
“you drank more than i did,” yoongi points out.
“i was nervous.” jeongguk pouts.
“well, maybe i’m nervous too.” yoongi huffs, shoving his free hand into his pocket, still holding onto jeongguk’s jacket.
“are you?” jeongguk blinks. yoongi glances up at jeongguk, his features barely visible now that his eyes have gotten used to the darkness. yoongi’s eyes trail over jeongguk’s face, down to his shoulders and further, lingering in places that has jeongguk warm warm warm all over.
“maybe,” yoongi says eventually, sounding shy, his tongue barely poking out to swipe over his lower lip.
“oh,” jeongguk breathes.
“there’s no need to be nervous around gguk!” taehyung chirps as namjoon takes out his phone again to turn on his flashlight. “my gguk-ah is so soft and squishy and loveable. he’d probably lose a fistfight against a bunny, and he looks like one.”
“i don’t see how the bunny comment is relevant,” jeongguk protests as yoongi says, “yeah, but jeongguk’s the first person i’ve felt attracted to, both physically and emotionally.” jeongguk feels his jaw drop open, blushing a furious red. taehyung coos and namjoon looks stunned before his lips turn up into a small smile. yoongi’s bright fucking red, cheeks and ears barely visible through the curtain of his hair. jeongguk can’t tell if it’s his palms that are clammy or yoongi’s or both.
“take care of him for me, yeah jeongguk?” namjoon says. yoongi’s head snaps up, lips parting, presumably to argue that he doesn’t need people to look after him — jeongguk already knows that yoongi likes doting, that he likes taking care of others and feels awkward when others look after him. so jeongguk bends down, just a little bit, and presses his lips to yoongi’s cheek in a chaste kiss and yoongi sputters, jolting beneath jeongguk’s touch with a noise that jeongguk can only describe as pained.
“come on, hyung,” jeongguk says, tugging at yoongi’s hand as they make their way across the fields and back towards the townhouses. “let’s find a place that’s not in the dark and someplace warmer so we can talk about where i’m gonna take you for our first date.” he thinks he hears yoongi choke behind him and taehyung’s delighted laughter.
“who said that it’s you who’s going to me taking me out?” yoongi asks, falling into step next to jeongguk. he doesn’t have to look over to know that yoongi’s blushing, has to resist the urge to stop and tug yoongi against his chest, to press a kiss to just more than his cheek.
“me,” jeongguk isn’t quite sure where this confidence is coming from. “besides, i said i was a lover, not a fighter.” he bumps his shoulder against yoongi’s, the older man quiet for a few moments, as if he’s trying to remember what jeongguk is referencing. then,
“you’re right,” yoongi says, and jeongguk can hear the smile in his voice. “i don’t think i stood a chance.” and this time, yoongi’s words mean more than just that.