| chapter 24

As they arrived back home in seoul, some members already started unpacking, others went to sleep immediately to get back into the rhythm as soon as possible.

It was late.

Taehyung too, wanted to unpack before going to bed. He bought a new light for his room which he had found in some kind of store somewhere on tour, he didn't remember where but was very excited to try it.

It had a little platform and a rotating sickle on top which was filled with differently shaped transparent spheres.

Taehyung was curious on what it'd look like. But to find out, he'd have to get it from the bottom of his bag.

Jungkook was laying on Taehyung's bed in the meantime, playing a game on his mobile. He didn't even begin to unpack. He said he'd do it later.

"Are you really going to do all of this now?", Jungkook asked.

"Yes."

Finally he sorted everything into his closet and on their right place. Then he pulled this mysterious light out of the bag and connected the thingy to its power point.

A purple light filled the room. Some blue-ish glimpses in there too. But what caught most of his attention was the thin red beam that made its way around in Taehyung's room.

It wasn't quite what he had expected to see, but it was nice.

Tae laid down next to Jungkook.

"Pretty ... purple", he said.

Jungkook chuckled. "I think it's beautiful."

"Well in that case..." Taehyung started.

"What?", Jungkook asked after minutes of silence went by.

"... I purple you", the older answered and turned his head to look deep into his eyes.

"Is that a compliment or-"

"Yes, definitely a compliment."

"Well in that case..", Jungkook imitated him, "I purple you too."

Taehyung smiled.

"Taehyungie", Jungkook mumbled and tapped with his fingers on Taehyung's arm.

"Jungkookie?"

"I like-", he stopped.

"Chicken. Do you want to get chicken with me?" Jungkook jumped from the bed and walked into the kitchen.

He slapped his forehead with his hand. What was he doing??

Taehyung came after him. "Why are you hungry? You ate so much on the plane."

Jungkook shrugged his shoulders.

He actually wasn't hungry at all.

"We don't have chicken here, I'll go buy some-"

"Wait, just order something, then you don't have to go outside while it's dark. The bodyguards aren't here and it might take a while until they get here."

"I'll just go without them."

"No!"

"Taehyung, what do you think is going to happen? I'm a strong baby, I can handle it", he responded smirking and already put his shoes on.

"Just wait!", Tae quickly kneeled down in front of him and took his hand to stop him from tying his shoe.

"Just order something. It's safer that way", his eyes looked asking, almost begging.

"No, I want to go outside."

"Fine", Tae said, let go of his hand and slipped into his own jacket.

"If I can't stop you, then I'm coming with you."

A smile creeped onto Jungkook's face but he didn't say anything and just continued dressing himself.

A good while later, Jungkook stood at the register at McDonald's for some chicken nuggets.

Taehyung was sitting at a table, wearing a mask and a hat. He looked around. Not many people were here. It was almost 2am after all. Maybe he could take the mask off.

Jungkook came walking towards their table and sat down on the opposite of him.

"Are you happy now?", the older asked with crossed arms.

"Very", Jungkook said and filled his mouth with at least three nuggets.

"Shou shidn't have to shome with me, shou know shat shright?", he said with a full mouth.

"What?"

"Noshing."

He ate in silence while Taehyung used the opportunity to take a better look at him.

His jawline for example was just- perfect.

The fingers looked defined but not too thin nor too thick.

And since they weren't wearing makeup, Tae could see some freckles on his cheeks. Sun did good to him. His shoulders were covered by a black hoodie. The hoodie didn't seem that warm though. Did Jungkook leave without his jacket? Whether it was summer or not, at night, it still got cold and he should have at least taken one with him.

"You're staring."

"No, I'm just- whatever."

Jungkook laughed. "No need to deny it, I know I'm really handsome", he said and flipped his short hair with attitude.

Soon, the maknae was done eating and they went outside. As Taehyung opened the heavy door, the cold air hit them like a punch right in the face. This night was one of those cold ones, Taehyung was just glad that he had his jacket.

But when he looked to Jungkook, he saw that the younger was slightly shivering.

Extremely generous, as Tae thought, he took his own jacket off and laid it on Jungkook's shoulders. Again.

„Oh thank you", he said and pulled the zip up.

"I don't really have a choice, you decided to leave without one."

"You can have it back, if you want", Jungkook said grinning. "I'm not that cold."

"Yes you are, I saw you shivering. Shut it and just keep it okay?" Taehyung bit his bottom lip. It wasn't warm at all. There wasn't even a summer breeze. Just cold wind. He slung his arms around himself to keep some warmth.

"You know what?"

"What?", he replied through the teeth he pressed together.

"Come here, I can fit you in here too, your jacket is big", Jungkook said.

"No, no keep it, I'm okay."

Jungkook rolled with his eyes and grabbed Taehyung's hand. Just as Tae wanted to talk back, he had a hand on his mouth that didn't let him.

"We're gonna share", the younger said.

"It's your jacket after all, so don't even think about refusing."

Taehyung looked at Jungkook.

He had noticed how close they were standing.

And how close their faces were.

And their lips. The only things between them were a little bit of air and Jungkook's hand.

How was he supposed to participate in a conversation when Jungkook was this close.

Jungkook slowly took his hand off his hyungs lips again and laid it on Taehyungs shoulder as if he wanted to make sure the older wouldn't run away. They just continued to look at each other.

Jungkook noticed how Tae's chest was moving quickly.

"Flustered are we?"

"I gotta breathe at some point", Taehyung just said, his eyes still changing from Jungkook's eyes to his lips.

What was he waiting for?

"We're in public", he whispered.

"I hate public", Jungkook whispered back with a silent groan.

Tae freed himself and said "we should go home."

Jungkook sighed.

It felt as if Taehyung just slipped through his fingers. He wasn't going to let it happen this time.

He grabbed his arm and pulled him after him.

Somewhere in a small alley, he stopped, pushed Tae against the wall and kissed him.

"S-stop, we can't do this here", Taehyung breathed.

"It's dark, no one would be able to see us. Or is it something else? Do you really want to stop?"

"N-no." His face started getting hotter.

"No. Don't stop."

That was admission enough for Jungkook. He connected their lips again and freely let his mouth roam around.

Let his tongue slip between, shamelessly tasted Taehyung inner mouth, ran his tongue around Taehyung's.

He felt Tae grabbing his arm to pull him closer.

His hands wandered around Jungkook's body.

When Tae slipped one hand into his pants, the maknae inhaled surprised. He stopped and looked the other in the eye. His hyung's gaze was light dazed as if he was on drugs.

Taehyung pressed his lips on Jungkook's again. Now that they've started...

He wanted to kiss him forever, not caring about his life, what their managers would say, what namjoon or their parents would think.

Taehyung pulled Jungkook's shirt up, far enough to make his hand travel over his skin.

Along his waist, over his ribs onto his chest, on which he felt Jungkook's heart pumping rapidly.

"Your heart is going really fast", he said out of breath.

"I know", Jungkook replied breathless as well.

Taehyung turned them around so he was pressing the younger against the wall.

Hungry for him, he put his lips on Jungkook's again and moved with them in sync.

His hand sneakily slid into his pants again and stroked his inner thigh with his nails.

Jungkook didn't let that stop their kissing action but as Tae moved his hand more upwards he gasped a little.

"Excuse me, Kim Taehyung, look here!", someone yelled only two meters away from them. A big camera in their hands and ready to take a picture.

Taehyung reacted immediately and responded with "Jacket!"

Jungkook wrapped himself into the jacket completely, most importantly to hide his face and body figure.

"Kim Taehyung is this your girlfriend?"

"Are you engaged?"

Engaged?? Why would they think THAT? How many people were there? He tried to look at them but was blinded by a big flashlight and- was that a car??

How did they get here so fast? It was in the middle of the night. Taehyung looked around panicking, looking for help.

He pushed Jungkook behind him to make sure he would be safe.

It seemed as if hundreds of reporters and paparazzis suddenly stood in front of them.

The sound of camera clicking was intense.

Jungkook mumbled something behind him

"Let's try to run away through this alley."

He grabbed his hand and pulled it.

"On three."

Taehyung nodded.

"One, two, three!"

They began running down the alley.

The reporters were surprised but soon followed after them.

"Where is this street going?", Tae asked, already choking on air.

"I don't know! Keep running!"

They ended up at a division.

"Turn left!",

They turned left, paparazzi still close behind.

"Don't they ever give up??", Taehyung almost yelled.

"Keep running", Jungkook panted.

Then a car pulled up in front of them, two big guys stepping outside, only their surroundings visible through the headlights, which blinded the boys once again.

They had no way out.

"Go behind me. And keep the hood on!"

Jungkook did as he was told and clawed his fingers in Taehyung's shoulders.

The maknae was completely out of breath.

It's not as if they would die a painful death, if they got caught, since all reporters wanted, were answers and proof for whatever they were looking for.

But still, being in this situation scared Jungkook. A lot.

And if their managers would find out about this, which they will since the reporters already had Taehyung's face revealed on camera, they'd never ever be allowed to leave their apartment again without bodyguards. Stupid to think no one would see them, when they left to get these stupid nuggets.

He hadn't even been hungry, he just wanted to avoid an awkward conversation with Tae, about Jungkook liking the him and him not liking Jungkook back

And if he had just admitted his feelings and took the risk, they wouldn't be here.

And he wouldn't have dragged Taehyung into this.

The two guys from the car moved closer.

Taehyung closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.

"Kim Taehyung. Some day, I will kill you", a familiar voice said.

"Now get you and your girlfriend in this car and we'll figure something out, when we're back home."

Tae and Jungkook quickly moved their butts into the vehicle.

Back in the apartment that Namjoon pushed them into, not quite softly, Taehyung asked "How did you find us? How did you know where to look for us?"

"I got a call from our manager, saying Kim Taehyung and his girlfriend were just caught kissing at location this and that and so on."

"Oh", was all Taehyung said.

"Now, first of all, what made you think you could just go outside without protection??"

Namjoon massaged his temples.

"Second, who is your girlfriend? And she should stay here overnight. We'll get her back to her own house tomorrow morning. So?"

Jungkook's shivering hand slid outside of the jacket and pulled the hood down.

Namjoon raised his eyebrows by surprise.

"Um"

Taehyung bit his bottom lip.

"Well", Namjoon said.

Jungkook looked at Taehyung shyly, waiting what he would do.

He wanted to grab his hand to feel safer but he didn't want Namjoon to get even more angry.