Gray clouds appeared in the distance as Jungkook walked with his bag to the trunk.

Bad time for traveling by car, his dad would say. But his dad wasn't here, and right now, Jungkook thought, was the best time for a ride. His friendship with Taehyung was—kind of—back on track. His sister would soon see his text, which could work as a starting point for a conversation about what happened to their mother. The idea of getting behind the wheel again and hitting the road: all he could think of.

Maybe this was how freedom felt like. Not one thing or person blocking his path. No other intrusive thoughts messing with his head, screaming at him, telling him it was all a big mistake he would end up regretting.

The only thing that wasn't fitting much with these sudden positive vibes was Taehyung's decision to brush aside what happened between them. The whole 'The past is in the past' speech had Jungkook wondering if Taehyung had really meant it. At least it looked like he did. The brief glances and carefree smiles Taehyung was showing Jungkook after their conversation felt completely natural, like they were picking up at some point they had left off. As if the time they were strangers had shrunk into seconds and given way to a whole new timeline. It felt like getting back to an old favorite song, no longer part of his most-listened playlist, yet the one he knew the lyrics by heart.

It meant that Jungkook now had a second chance at this, at a friendly official goodbye before going their separate ways. Maybe being long-distance friends. He just wanted to be careful not to mess it up.

He put his stuff in the trunk next to a set of jumper cables and closed one eye to avoid the sun. To his right, Taehyung's deep muffled voice made him look. He was standing near a tree with his back to Jungkook, phone in one ear, his bags hanging from his shoulder and a hand on his head. His body seemed tense; whatever he was doing, it was making him look uncomfortable.

After a moment of Jungkook leaning on the car and acting as if he wasn't listening, Taehyung approached him, still on his phone.

"—and please call me back. I need to talk to you." He hung up, brushed the bridge of his nose with a finger, and looked down. Jungkook followed the movement, noticing the whites on his sneakers with black faded stains. "What?" Taehyung asked.

Jungkook raised his gaze, finding Taehyung's eyes on him. "What?"

"Something on my shoes?" Taehyung pocketed his phone and glanced at his feet again. His eyebrows raised up, then he slightly smiled. "They had doodles. At least before the rain washed them away." He dropped his bags inside of the trunk and made a gesture of closing it, making Jungkook get up and move back. The car shook. "It rained all night yesterday," he added. "And it might start again today."

Jungkook looked at him from the corner of his eye. He seemed a bit distant. Out of place. Still, the backdrop of morning colors fitted him well. The light blue, the green, the brown. Even the gray far away in the sky felt like it was right there to highlight Taehyung. And Jungkook couldn't stop staring.

"The worst thing that could happen," he said, letting himself indulge in the view and small talk, "is that the bad weather slows us down."

"Not a problem. I love the rain." Taehyung flashed a grin as he patted the car a few times, fingertips lingering over the paint. "And this one could use another wash."

Jungkook mirrored him, a smile twitching up his lips. This version of Taehyung seemed different from the one back in Gwangju, in front of the convenience store, who wanted to get in the car as soon as possible. Who told Jungkook that waiting for the morning bus was not an option. Now, Taehyung didn't mind the idea of spending more time on the road. Somewhere along the way, things shifted, and that made Jungkook change.

He was more open to enjoy whatever was coming, all thanks to Taehyung.

He knew it was about what they had discussed. The dread of getting to a place where responsibilities were waiting. It wasn't strange that the hurry in Taehyung's eyes from last night was missing. Jungkook could understand why. He even wondered if it had been there at all, or if he'd mixed it up with something else.

It didn't matter at this point. Taehyung was here with Jungkook, and that was enough.

"What?" Taehyung tilted his head to the side. His tight-lipped smile turned into a full grin. The uneasiness Jungkook thought had seen a moment ago, the weight on Taehyung's shoulders, was no longer there. "It is dirty," the boy said.

It took Jungkook a few seconds to remember what they were talking about. "It is," he said.

Taehyung eyed him, taking his time. He inhaled. "Do you mind the rain?"

It was a normal question, easy on the ears. But somehow, it sounded heavy. Like the words carried more implications than what they could actually hold. Jungkook breathed in, too, an earthy-musty smell filling his lungs along with Taehyung's scent—citrus. The yellow of the boy's mango popped up in every corner of his brain, splashes of color making him snort. Taehyung was patiently waiting for an answer. Did Jungkook mind the rain?

"Not really."

For the first time since they bumped into each other yesterday after not speaking for years, Taehyung was the one breaking eye contact.


"Don't worry about the room. It's fine." Namjoon was standing next to the red Hyundai, glancing back at the house. He looked at the others again before sliding his fingers through his hair. "Why don't you give me your phone numbers? I'll save them."

When he took his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it, his uncle's voice rang loud.

"Hey, no— No, no, no." Sejin got closer, brown flip-flops rushing through the dirt. He slightly put a hand on Taehyung's shoulder, frowning. "What happened to singing Namjoon happy birthday and all that? You can't leave yet."

Namjoon made a face, looking embarrassed. "It's okay. We can't keep them here forever."

"But there's fruit." Sejin's eyes moved to Jungkook, hand landing on his arm, squeezing it. "You know you guys can have lunch with us."

"They have to go," Namjoon said. Like it was final. Jungkook could feel the awkwardness building up.

Sejin narrowed one eye. "Are you still going downtown to buy candles and all that stuff?"

"Yeah. Hoseok's coming with me." Namjoon gave his phone to Jungkook so he could type in his contact info.

With his chin near Jungkook's right shoulder, Taehyung leaned in. His mouth was close, too close. Jungkook could hear him breathing, soft pants of air brushing his cheek. The hair on the back of his neck raised, followed by his skin tingling all the way down to his calves. He was immediately hyper aware and unable to concentrate.

"Are you going to take the car?" Sejin asked.

Jungkook heard Namjoon humming. "I wanna ride my bike."

"Not until we fix it."

"It won't be necessary."

Jungkook finished putting down Taehyung's info after the boy spelled it out for him and glanced at the bikes he noticed earlier. They were pretty old, or at least not in the best condition.

"The car is full of things." Namjoon's voice was closer to a whine. "It will take us hours to clear it out."

"If you want to," Taehyung said, looking between all of them, focusing on Namjoon as he smiled, "we could give you a ride."

With a warm fuzzy feeling in his chest that pulled the corner of his mouth up, Jungkook suppressed a laugh. Taehyung was damn good at offering things without asking him for permission. It was Jungkook's car, after all. He was the one with the driver's license, yet Taehyung still thought he could make all the decisions. What could Jungkook do? At this point, he found it funny.

He somewhat liked it.

"No, you've done enough," Namjoon said, showing his open palms in the air.

"It's okay." Jungkook tilted his head a little, eyes sliding to Taehyung who was smirking at him. That was becoming Jungkook's favorite thing to look at. "We don't mind."

Namjoon huffed out a breath, scratching his neck. "It would actually be nice. Thanks. The shop's not too far." His eyes were shiny and small, little crow's feet on the sides. It was his thankful look that Jungkook, in this short amount of time, had learned to read. "I'll tell Hoseok."

"Then"—Sejin grinned—"you guys can come back, celebrate Namjoon's birthday with us, and then leave."

"Stop," Namjoon told his uncle as he jogged into the house.

Jungkook's eyes lingered on the threshold, knowing damn well Sejin was looking at him, waiting for a reply. The pressure was strong. He chose to avoid the man and let Taehyung be the one talking, until Hoseok appeared with a huge smile on his face, running with his arms stretched to the sides, yelling,

"Shotgun!"


Maybe Jungkook was, in fact, getting too attached to this car.

Sitting in the driver's seat, both hands clinging to the wheel, legs secured in the small space between the door and the dashboard, the gear stick ready for an empty street, Jungkook felt different. He was safe. The same way he felt when he left his father's garage yesterday.

He was in control, and he liked it.

"Sorry about my uncle," Namjoon said from the back, next to Taehyung. One hand on Hoseok's headrest. "He gets way too hyped when I stay for my birthday. And with you guys being there, he surely was having a field trip."

"That's because it's an important date." Hoseok twisted in his spot to look back at his friend. They both shared a moment while Jungkook watched a smile grow on Namjoon's face through the rearview mirror.

"He's really been like a father to me."

Silence followed, sucking in the noise like a vacuum cleaner. Jungkook searched for Taehyung in the back and found him immersed in the view outside.

Whatever he was thinking vanished when he turned to his right to face Namjoon and said, "He seems to like birthdays." He blinked. The next second, his gaze was on Jungkook, lips curled into a smirk. "Also— Did you guys know Jungkook's birthday was two weeks ago?"

"What?" Hoseok squealed, pushing a laugh out of Taehyung. The deep sound warmed Jungkook's chest before his cheeks burnt for having all the attention on him. "Jungkook? Really?"

"The fact that you remembered Wonderwall but not the date of his birthday is kinda funny," Taehyung told Hoseok with a chuckle. He rested his head back and raised his eyebrows at Jungkook, strands of hair falling over his eyes. Jungkook's lungs filled with air as he watched.

"Shit, Jungkook." Namjoon squeezed his shoulder, getting his attention. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks." Jungkook kept his eyes on the road. The backrest nudged at his spine once, twice. Three times. He looked through the mirror again and found Taehyung's eyes on him. He was serious, not a hint of a smile on his lips this time.

Jungkook couldn't keep looking, even if he wanted to. He had to get back to the street—to the black of the pavement and the gray of the clouds. His heart was racing as his eyes landed on the car in front of them. Curiosity was too firm. Too loud. Taehyung's presence was pulling him in. After a moment, his gaze wandered back to the mirror—to the pink cheeks and brown eyes. And there he was; Taehyung was still staring at him, slightly bouncing in his seat thanks to the car's movements, shadows of trees and houses sliding down one side of his face like old film reels.

As Namjoon and Hoseok got back to chatting about random things, bringing a familiar noise to the inside of the car, Jungkook felt Taehyung's eyes linger on him.


Following Namjoon's instructions, Jungkook drove to where several vintage shops lined the street. It took him a moment to find a place nearby and park so the others could get off the vehicle without hurry.

"Thank you, again. For the ride and spending some time with us." Namjoon was leaning near Jungkook's door, a hand on the open window. Hoseok stood behind him, grinning. He had an arm over his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun. "You're welcome at my uncle's place whenever you need to."

"Maybe for your next birthday," Taehyung said, now on the passenger's side.

Jungkook half smiled. "We appreciate it, hyung."

With no more words, Namjoon patted the door and stepped away. He turned around and dropped an arm over Hoseok's shoulders.

"Are they…?" Taehyung trailed off.

"I was wondering the same thing." Jungkook rubbed a thumb on the wheel while watching the others disappear between the sea of people. "Maybe?"

They looked at each other and snorted.

"They seem oblivious," Taehyung said. "But the way they act around each other. It's too obvious to me, at least."

"Maybe it's just a platonic friendship." Jungkook had thought about that. It reminded him a bit of what he used to have with Taehyung. Not the same, but something similar. He'd always wondered if platonic was a good word to describe it. Sure, it felt a bit too small.

The look on Taehyung's face showed how much he disagreed. "Namjoon's too touchy. No way it's platonic."

Memories of Taehyung being touchy with Jungkook in the past came crashing down. What did that mean, then? All those times Taehyung wanted to get closer, to reach out whenever he could, spending all of his time with Jungkook. Mornings and nights together. Fingers on skin dragging longer than necessary.

Those were the same moments that confused Jungkook back then. He'd always be out of his mind, trying to decipher if what he thought was real. If it was true.

Was it all true? Based on what Taehyung was mentioning right now? Or was Jungkook just confusing things?

"Oh, shit. Look." Taehyung pointed to where Hoseok and Namjoon had left.

Jungkook glanced to the side, squinting hard. "What am I supposed to be looking at?"

"A freaking music store! Let's check it out." Taehyung unfastened his seat belt, right hand flying to the door handle. He opened it just an inch before stopping and looking at Jungkook again. He hesitated. "Can we go check it out? It will take us less than a minute."

Jungkook exhaled, long, as laughter wanted to burst out of his chest. A spasm of energy ready to be set free. It was finally settled. 'No' as a reply did not exist in his vocabulary when it came to Taehyung.

The store's showcase had instruments and merch of all kinds. Vinyls, DVDs, CDs, even cassettes like the ones Jungkook used to listen to with Taehyung in Mr. Sihyuk's truck. Everything was embellished with paper streamers and confetti, black and orange colors giving Halloween vibes.

It wasn't even the middle of September, yet businesses were ready. Just like department stores rushed to sell school uniforms as soon as Christmas ended.

There was a yellow bulb above in the ceiling, casting shadows and patches of light on a black violin Taehyung was closely looking at.

"That's really pretty."

It looked expensive too.

"How much does a violin normally cost?" Jungkook asked, fingers lightly touching the glass.

"Depends on the model. Mine's one of the cheapest because of the type of wood it has."

Jungkook surely couldn't tell the difference. To him, Taehyung's violin was perfect. "It sounds good when you play it, though."

"That's because you've never heard of someone playing a high-end violin."

"Yeah, well." Jungkook glanced around, hands sliding inside his pockets. "I haven't."

Taehyung shrugged his shoulders and hunched forward until his nose almost touched the window. "It's different," he said, low-pitched. He paused for a moment, then huffed out a slow breath and fogged the glass in front of him. In the past, Taehyung would've made a little doodle with his finger. A weird abstract thing Jungkook had never seen before. Now he just watched the steam stain disappear.

"That vinyl over there," a loud voice said to their right, cracking the stillness, "is the last one in the whole country."

When Jungkook glanced up, he wasn't expecting what he saw. A young man dressed in all black, with a red cape and messy blue hair, blood stains around his mouth and down his neck. He was a vampire—a good-looking one. Clearly interested in Taehyung by the way his fake purple eyes were fixed on him.

"How do you know?" Taehyung asked. Jungkook couldn't see his face, but he knew he was smiling by just listening to him. "Are you the owner or something?"

"Do I look like I own a record store?" The guy pointed at his clothes, one eyebrow pulled up. Hi white fangs made an appearance every time he talked. "I'm just friends with the guy who works there. My job's at the costume shop."

Jungkook looked at where the guy was pointing at. A big banner with the name of the shop decorated the entrance, fake spiders and ghosts hanging from the edges. Two cardboard witches stood there, close, with scary green faces and long black hair.

Taehyung slowly turned around, placing a hand on Jungkook's shoulder and giving him a wide-eyed look. "Remember Greenday's singer?"

Billie Joe Armstrong, the guy with the funny hair Taehyung used to like. He always said he wanted to dye his hair just like him, even though his mother never approved.

Shit. Of course.

"Are you sure?" Jungkook asked, his chest tightening. Not sure if it was at the idea of Taehyung willing to do it, going against his mom's wishes, or the way it took Jungkook one look at Taehyung's face to know what he was thinking.

Taehyung smiled, his eyes soft at the sides.

He faced the vampire, who was looking at them with a funny frown. "I like your hair color," he said.

"Thanks." The guy bowed his head, a hand combing his hair, fingers getting lost between the blue strands. A show-off. "We sell the products. They're organic."

Taehyung glanced over his shoulder, this time shooting Jungkook a smirk. Playful. Spontaneous. All synonyms that Jungkook associated with Taehyung. After all these years, Taehyung was still that kid who had a soul bigger than his body. Who wanted to break free with every opportunity he could make for himself. Because that was his superpower. Making things happen.

Watching Taehyung follow the fake vampire into the costume shop a few stores away, Jungkook felt his heart ache.


Setting a foot inside the two-store building's polished floor triggered a husky, evil laugh that poured out from the big speaker hanging in a corner.

Jungkook looked around, the scent of worn out latex and plastic filtering through his nose. The late morning sun seeped between the displayed ornaments on the showcase, heat crowding in. It was dense, a reminder that summer hadn't yet disappeared.

An old man behind the counter was wearing a pink wig on his head as he worked on something. There was no music. No other customers. Only pieces of clothing in many colors filling the racks along with party accessories, props, decorations, and some make-up.

"There are lots of new arrivals," the guy said, opening his arms. "In case you guys wanna check them out."

"Just here for the hair dye." Taehyung walked closer to a rack from where green costumes hung. His hand brushed over the fabrics, fingers grabbing a sleeve and pulling it out. "Is this Zelda?"

"Robin Hood."

Jungkook let out a snort.

"Just so you know," the vampire guy continued. "All you can see is ten percent off."

"Really?" Taehyung let go of the costume and moved closer to him.

Jungkook watched them stare at each other, grins on their faces. Was he third wheeling again? Because it felt like it. First Hoseok, now a total stranger. This was exactly how spending time with Taehyung used to be like. It was this easy for others to orbit around him, drowning in his energy without even realizing it.

Out of nowhere, memories of Taehyung and Hyejin rushed in. The way Jungkook used to find himself between them. How awkward it was. How it frustrated him.

Ignoring that weird weight in his stomach, Jungkook turned around and focused on a skull mask on a shelf. His thumb was already on his right palm, rubbing at his skin as he breathed in and out.

He heard the other guy say, "But there's a catch."

After a beat, where probably Taehyung had arched an eyebrow—Jungkook could easily picture him—Taehyung spoke, "What's that?"

"You have to watch a ten minutes Halloween short we made. It's for promo."

"Cool." Footsteps reached behind Jungkook. "Hey." A hand rested on his shoulder. His fingers immediately stopped soothing his hand, falling to his side. He turned around and found Taehyung's sparkling eyes looking back at him. "It's ten percent off. What do you say?"

"You guys can go." Jungkook vaguely motioned with his chin, his lungs shrinking. "I'll stay here, check out some things."

Lie.

He wanted to go, to be around Taehyung like he'd always wanted when they were kids. But there was a lump in his throat at the idea of fighting for Taehyung's attention, as if he didn't deserve it enough. It used to happen all the time, this same feeling that choked him up. It was always when someone else got too close, too comfortable. Someone more interesting than him—friendly, sociable, funny.

Why should Jungkook care, anyway? Things were clearly still weird with Taehyung, and the trip would soon end, and—

Taehyung's hand clasped Jungkook's shoulder, firm, making Jungkook's thoughts stop blurring his brain. "What we talked about in the car," Taehyung said, "about relaxing. Let's do that now." He smiled, lips pressed together, cheeks pushed up and shining with the light hanging above their heads. "Let's go watch this short, get the discount, buy the hair dye that you'll help me pick, and go."

Jungkook blinked, letting out a breath. Were things still weird? Or was it just him making them weird?


"My name's Baekhyun, by the way," the vampire guy said, walking up a dark spiral staircase to the second floor, where they would apparently watch the video.

Jungkook trailed after him while hearing Taehyung on his back. Just like in Sejin's house, a hand clutched his shirt and slightly pulled it down. A smile grew on Jungkook's lips as he shook his head. Once they got to the end of the stairs, Taehyung was still holding onto him.

The room looked like an office slash warehouse, metal and cardboard boxes lining the walls, binders and papers scattered everywhere, messy clothes and accessories that looked older than the ones on the first floor hung from tall racks.

Near a corner, three chairs faced a white table with a VHS player glued to a black TV. Jungkook felt like in a scene from a horror movie, minutes away from being killed.

Baekhyun strode to the table and crouched down, taking a tape from a box on the floor and sliding it in. He turned the TV on, black and white stains buzzing on the screen until the video started playing.

"Wait," Taehyung said, making Baekhyun pause the movie. "This is exactly how The Ring goes." He looks at Jungkook. "The lady puts on a tape with weird as hell images and then someone calls and tells her she has seven days to live."

The guy raised an eyebrow, shooting them a confident grin. "This is better than that." He turned back to the movie, pressed play, and moved to the side.

After sitting on a chair, Taehyung made a face in Jungkook's direction. "This already feels like fourth grade," he whispered, leaning closer. "During Biology class in the video room."

"With Ms. Cheng snorting through the whole hour and a half." Jungkook mirrored Taehyung's expression, head tipped to the side.

"It's started," Baekhyun whispered, feet planted next to the table, arms crossed in front of his chest, his vampire costume making him look funny.

Taehyung adjusted his back and cleared his throat. In a slow movement, he folded one leg over the other, hands smoothing his thighs. Jungkook's gaze slid to the screen.

There was a sharp constant noise coming from the old TV while the images rolled. Two women sat on a couch, drinking red wine. The phrase 'Fake or real? You won't be able to tell!' in bright yellow Comic Sans flashed, almost too fast to read. One lady started speaking, telling her friend how her husband hadn't been home in a while. The friend looked worried, drinking the wine in big gulps.

A loud thump made Taehyung jump in his chair, at which Jungkook had to suppress a laugh. The light in the room where the women chatted suddenly went off. They were both terrified, shouting. One of them said she watched two Halloween movies last night and weird things started happening. Her friend gasped. She said she didn't like those stories because she never believed them. Another thump resonated loudly, making them stand up and scream some more. The word 'Fear!' in bloody red came up.

Jungkook frowned, a smile spreading across his face. What the hell was he watching? He side-eyed Taehyung and saw him covering his mouth with his fingers, eyes shining with the TV's reflection. Baekhyun had a serious look, gaze fixed on the screen.

The women went down to the basement, flashlights on their hands, apparently looking for a switch. A screeching music started playing in the background, but it was so upbeat that it didn't fit the vibes at all. It reminded Jungkook of those Scooby-Doo episodes he used to watch. Instead of scaring him, it made him want to laugh. He fought against it, gnawing at his bottom lip while Taehyung shifted in his spot, leaning forward with his hands clasped together.

Someone or something slammed the basement door, and both ladies screamed again. Jungkook saw movement to his side, and when he looked, he caught a glimpse of Taehyung's shoulders shaking. The two women finally found the switch behind a curtain, though it didn't work. 'Oh, no!' popped up on the screen, this time in white. The rest was all dark. They stared at each other in shock, the music getting louder. Jungkook rubbed at his ear with a finger and crunched his nose.

What was the point of this video? The editing and acting were cringey as fuck.

Knocks on the door grabbed the ladies' attention. One of them wanted to go look, the other was on the verge of crying. Jungkook blinked a few times, praying for this to end. He heard Taehyung slightly snorting to his side. Jungkook closed one hand in a fist, incessantly tapping his leg, stopped by Taehyung's fingers over his knuckles. The brave lady went to check the door, touched it and put her ear close to the wood. The word 'Silence' hid her face, and the music stopped. The next frame showed two black boots outside the room.

The door opened, pushing the lady away. She fell down the stairs, at least for an entire minute. She fell and fell, and kept falling, and by this part, Taehyung was shaking all over. Jungkook had to breathe in and out slowly to push his laughter down his throat. The lady reached the end of the stairs next to her friend, face covered in red that seriously looked like tomato sauce, tongue out and eyes up. Her chest was heaving, but she was supposed to be dead. And it was so fucking funny. So absurd.

"Everything okay?" Baekhyun asked, pausing the video.

Taehyung shook his head. "No, no. This is great." His voice came out shaky and high-pitched. To avoid laughing out loud, Jungkook bit the inside of his cheek.

Baekhyun arched an eyebrow, but went back to the TV and pressed play again.

Jungkook watched the scared lady yell and look at the threshold. There, with a strong white light coming from behind, was a man in a suit. What happened to my wife, he said. His wife was sprawled at the end of the staircase. Dead. The guy rushed down and kneeled next to her, and after he started crying—showing an ugly face Jungkook had never seen before—she laughed at the camera. The phrase 'The end' spun on the screen, followed by 'All the props used in this movie are part of our catalog.' A few more lines of information appeared, along with the shop's name, then everything went to black.

Baekhyun left the remote over the TV. "So?"

Taehyung looked at Jungkook. His eyes were bright and his smile was wide, and before he could say anything, they both broke out laughing. Two loud, free, deep laughs. And they did it after their eyes met, a silent look confirming what they were both thinking. That they had watched the same foolish stuff. What the actual hell was that?

Jungkook's chest expanded with air when he realized that sharing a laugh with Taehyung was back to the first place on the list of his favorite things.

"It took us ages to make this, okay?" Baekhyun crossed his arms in front of his chest, gesturing at the TV with his head. "We're testing it to see if it's worth putting it up on YouTube or something."

"It is!" Taehyung managed to say. He cleared his throat and ran a hand over his face, trying to tone down his smile. "It's good. I liked it."

Jungkook definitely didn't like it.

Baekhyun's eyebrows were knitted together as he watched them calm down. He seemed suspicious, muscles strained and mouth in a thin line. "Whatever," he said, waving a hand. "You get the discount. Now, go downstairs and buy something."

"Thanks." Taehyung got up. Another laugh slipped through his lips as he stretched his back. He poked at Jungkook's shoulder, showing him a grin before pointing at the stairs.

Jungkook sat there and looked at him, a fuzzy feeling building up between his ribs. It surged through his whole body, from head to toe, and lingered.

Taehyung tilted his head. He was waiting.

Even though the video had been a mess, Jungkook was suddenly glad he'd given the other boys a ride and followed Taehyung out of the car.


"What just happened?" Taehyung was scanning the brands of hair dyes and hair sprays as Jungkook stood by his side while using his phone. "I didn't understand the idea. Didn't even notice the stuff they supposedly sell. Fake blood?"

Jungkook snapped a picture of a Hulk mask. "Maybe they have the guy's suit as a costume somewhere around here." He raised an eyebrow while opening the message app and sending Yugyeom a text. "Being an adult and having a job? A horror movie."

Jungkook

hey

Taehyung chuckled, looking at Jungkook for a second. "Oh, that is scary. Yeah, an office suit as a Halloween costume, for sure." He faced the rack again and squinted his eyes.

Grinning, Jungkook focused back on his phone. It was still weird to send Yugyeom a text out of nowhere now, but their last conversation had been nice. The door was open, and Jungkook didn't want to slam it shut like he did with Taehyung all those years ago. He had a history with Yugyeom almost as much as he had one with Taehyung. Why not try to keep things good between them.

Jungkook

this costume reminded me of you

"I'm thinking of taking a temporary hair dye," Taehyung said. "See how it looks. If I like it, then dye it for real."

Images of Ms. Kim warning Taehyung about changing his hair to something bright and colorful surfaced in Jungkook's brain. Taehyung's mother had always been very strict, while her son was the complete opposite.

"The way your mom would kill you if she knew." Jungkook put down his phone and focused on Taehyung..

"Glad she'll never know."

A heavy silence fell around them, wrapping Taehyung to the point of changing his energy. Jungkook could tell the topic was delicate, so he refrained himself from diving into it again. He just let the moment pass before asking, "Is it gonna be green?"

Taehyung leaned forward, hands in his back pockets. "I was thinking red, but—" He glanced at Jungkook. "Do you like green?"

Very much. Jungkook brushed a finger on a can with the face of a cute guy wearing white hair. "Yeah."

"Cool." Taehyung turned to the rack again, but this time he paused. He looked at his pants, hands sliding in and out of his pockets more than once. He frowned. "Shit. My wallet."

"You don't have it?"

"I must've left it in the trunk." Taehyung patt his pants again. He looked troubled, suddenly uncomfortable. "It's okay. I don't need to buy this. We can leave."

"I got it." Jungkook didn't let himself think about it. He just knew Taehyung wanted to buy the hair dye, and he had his money with him. It was a simple thing. Too easy. Maybe not because of the circumstance, but because it was Taehyung. "You can pay me later."

Taehyung shook his head, fingers scratching his cheek. "No, I think— It's fine. There's no need for you to—"

"But I want to." It meant helping Taehyung. Why wouldn't Jungkook want that?

The other huffed out a breath, glancing around.

"Hey, I'm just paying for it because you left your wallet in the car, not because you don't have the money." Jungkook stared at him, chin down.

"I have the money," Taehyung said—whispered, almost. He sounded eager to prove his point and Jungkook knew why. He remembered how this subject used to be the reason for some fights and discussions happening between them when they were kids. It was somehow important. "I'll pay you back."

Jungkook wanted to tell him it was just a can of hair dye. That it wasn't a big amount of money, and it wasn't like the situations Jungkook always got himself into with Jaebeom. The ones where cash was always the issue. This time, there was nothing to be worried about.

It was also what friends did, right?

"I know." Jungkook nodded, pulling out his wallet from his front pocket.

Licking his bottom lip, Taehyung turned around. He grabbed a can of temporary hair dye, scanning the label for a second before gripping it hard and walking to the register. Jungkook trudged closely behind him.

Baekhyun was now behind the counter, replacing the weird-wig man from earlier. His smile showed no signs of fake fangs or blood, but he was still wearing his vampire costume. "Would that be all?" he asked Taehyung, eyes locked on him, waiting for a reply.

Jungkook cleared his throat and handed the guy some cash. "Yeah, that's all."

Taehyung had his shoulders back and hands hidden in his pockets, but his eyes were dark, stuck on the floor. Jungkook wanted to assure him it was all fine, to make him understand that money had never been an issue between them or their friendship. But he let it slide. He received the change from Baekhyun and took a step back.

"Come again whenever you want," Baekhyun told Taehyung as he handed him the hair dye. When their fingers brushed, a small piece of paper fell to the floor. Taehyung glanced at his feet and squatted down.

It was crystal clear what it was. Jungkook had seen the same scenario played out in front of him before, in different places. With other friends. In movies and TV shows. After flirting with Taehyung the whole time, the guy was giving him his phone number, and Jungkook's throat closed up at the idea of Taehyung being into it.

"Thanks." Taehyung picked up the paper and looked at Baekhyun, who showed him a half-smirk before getting back to work.

In a swift movement, Jungkook turned around and started to move, useless thoughts already in his brain, clogging his ears. The evil laugh that poured from the speaker made him flinch when he walked through the door. Then the sun punched him in the face, making him shut his eyes. He stopped.

"Wait up," Taehyung said, before getting closer and jogging past him.

Jungkook stood there and watched. He didn't care if he was blocking other people, because his gaze was stuck on the trash can where Taehyung was now dropping the piece of paper with the vampire guy's number.

Static buzzed in Jungkook's insides. A man pushed him on the shoulder, yelled at him to go away, but Jungkook couldn't. He was one with the pavement, his shoes pinned to the ground and forcing him to wait. Jungkook could only move when Taehyung jogged back and threw an arm around him, just like Namjoon had done with Hoseok. The image of the boys swiped away any self-destructive thought in Jungkook's head and played with Taehyung's words as the soundtrack.

Namjoon's too touchy. No way it's platonic.

"Thank you for paying," Taehyung said. Softly. The same way his forehead pressed against Jungkook's temple before he guided them down the street.

Jungkook didn't fight the urge to smile. Taehyung's arm was kind of heavy on his shoulders, but it was a weight he was willing to carry.


Feet away from the red Hyundai, Jungkook saw the boys. They were three, not old enough to buy alcohol. One of them had a tool in his left hand while he tried to open the passenger's door, making Jungkook's heart sink.

Taehyung must have seen them too, by the way he let go of Jungkook and started running.

"Hey! Stop!" He rushed to one of them—the red-haired one—and pushed him against the car. The kid made a fuss, falling to the floor. Dirt messed up his pants and shoes, but he quickly crawled to his feet and dipped before Taehyung could grab him.

Jungkook had the trim of a t-shirt between his fingers as he ran behind the tallest one of the bunch. It lasted a second before the fabric loosened from his grip and the boy followed his friends to the trees on the other side of the parking lot.

"Jungkook, wait!"

He was already stomping after them when he heard Taehyung's voice, completely forgetting to check the state of his father's car.

With every mile, his legs raced into the woods, a desire to punch the three thieves built up inside him. His fists were already aching with the need to touch, to shove, to knock someone down.

His breathing was shallow as he closed the distance with one of them, the others too fast to catch. Jungkook stretched out his arm, picked up the pace for the last time. The scent of moss and wet tree trunks burned his lungs when his hand clasped the kid's shoulder and pulled.

One tripped before the other, both ending up tangled over dry leaves, sticks pinching their skin. The kid didn't know how to wrestle, yet sent fast and sharp punches in Jungkook's way. Jungkook was able to get a hold of his bony arms and pin him to the ground.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" he shouted, all the muscles of his body tense. The kid was trying to free himself, but it made Jungkook press harder. "Why are you fucking stealing?"

"Let me go!" The weak voice stopped Jungkook, who glared at him, teeth clenched as they both struggled. At that moment, he noticed how young the boy was, probably a fourteen-year-old.

Taehyung emerged from behind them, getting closer. "Wait, Jungkook." He put a hand on Jungkook's back, his breathing ragged and uneven. "He's just a kid."

Jungkook watched the boy fold his body in a ball, forearms protecting his face. He looked in pain just at the idea of being hurt by someone.

"Shit." Jungkook growled, letting go of the kid's arms and getting to his feet. "Don't fucking do it again," he told him.

Taehyung huffed out a breath, hands on his knees, trying to rest.

"Fuck you!" the boy whined, on the verge of tears.

"Shut up and listen." Jungkook pointed at him before grabbing his wrists and helping him stand. Once the kid was on his feet, he coughed. With a hand on his nape, feeling his skin sweaty, Jungkook roughly demanded his attention. "Stop fucking around, wasting your time in shit like this." The kid's sharp, red eyes were fixed on the ground. He seemed so innocent. Naive. "You're too young."

"Bet you're not that older than me," he hissed. Taehyung let out a deep whistle, making the kid frown.

Jungkook grabbed him by his dirty t-shirt, shaking him so his eyes were on him again. "You're still young. You wanna fuck up your future? Stealing is not okay! Don't let your friends force you into it."

The boy squeezed his eyes shut, wrinkling his nose. "Let me go!"

"Jungkook," Taehyung said, now standing by his side. "It's not worth it."

Jungkook could feel his heart pounding in his chest, a heavy breathing, turning adrenaline into tiredness. He still inhaled, deep.

After what felt like the longest second, his fingers let go.


The walk back to the car was filled with the noise of their shoes over dry sticks and the breeze through the tree's leaves. Still, Jungkook could hear the silence between him and Taehyung, somehow louder.

It lasted until Taehyung reached the passenger side door and groaned. "Fuck, Jungkook. I'm sorry." He had his hands pressed on the window while he peered through the glass. "My wallet's in there. It must've fallen when I got out."

Shaking his head, Jungkook let out a snort. He was exhausted, all bones and flesh ready to melt with the dirt, slowly and painfully, until he could no longer feel a thing, hopefully waking up in Busan with a fixed car. Better yet, a new one.

What would his father say?

He rested against the car, fists covering his closed eyelids.

"I'm sure this looks worse than it really is," Taehyung said.

Jungkook glanced at him, watching him bite his thumb. Gradually, Jungkook slid down to the ground. His elbows were on his knees, fingers clutching his hair. He had dirt all over his clothes.

A whole fucking mess.

Taehyung cursed, frustration dripping from his lips. "It seems they took the door handle. It's not here."

The words barely registered in Jungkook's mind. The only thing he could think of was his father getting angry after finding out about this.

"Jungkook?" Taehyung faced him, wincing. "Are you overthinking it?"

"Of course I'm overthinking it," Jungkook said with a dry look in Taehyung's direction. "Three fuckers tried to steal your wallet inside my dad's car, fucking up the handle before taking it with them and leaving us with a door that's surely stuck." He huffed a heavy breath, closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry." Taehyung's voice sounded sincere.

"And I'm glad they didn't take your wallet. It's just that— Shit. Fixing this will be expensive. My dad's gonna kill me."

Something clicked inside Jungkook after his brain digested the words he let out, as if sharing them with the world—with someone who couldn't peer inside his head like he did with the car—gave them a new meaning, and he realized how weird it was to think that way, about something that would never ever happen.

A husky laugh left his chest. He was so fucking tired.

"Why are you laughing?" Taehyung asked, his voice soft yet skeptical.

Jungkook shook his head and closed his eyes, patting his pants a few times, getting rid of enough dirt to get his hands stained. He hoped his sister had a good washing machine at her place, not like the one they grew up with at home. His mom would always get angry after having to wash at least three times a day the same clothes because of how badly the machine worked.

There were weeks when Jungkook wore his t-shirts and socks multiple times so that his mother wouldn't have to spend long hours doing laundry. Because she would get frustrated, lock herself in her room and disappear between the covers behind her closed door. Those days were Jungkook's least favorite days. No amount of crayons were enough to draw her something colorful to cheer her up. Jungkook would always try, though. To paint for her and slide the pieces of paper through the door sill as he waited outside her room, back against the wall. Every time. Not sure if she liked them enough to keep them.

He also learned how to use the washing machine. To cover for her whenever she needed it.

"I'm thinking about my dad," Jungkook said between laughs, "getting angry when he sees the car." He sighed, rubbing at his chest. Taehyung was looking at him, unconvinced. "As if I'm going back to see him, reach Busan and then turn around, driving to our street. What am I supposed to say to him? Hey, Dad. Yeah, I stole the Hyundai and left. Then someone almost steals it from me." He dragged the sole of his shoe through the dirt, tiny little rocks jumping in all directions. "It's the first thing I think about, when in fact I won't see him again."

Taehyung looked down, a hand still touching the window. His fingers slid up. "So, this is your car now, in a way."

"If my dad doesn't report it as stolen, yeah." Jungkook scratched his head, trying to calm down the itchy feeling in his body. What a fucking weird day.

Taehyung slightly frowned. "I'm sure he wouldn't do that."

Letting out a scant breath, Jungkook looked up at him and half smiled. "He's been good at surprising me lately."

A beat of heavy silence passed. When Jungkook let his arms drop on his lap, Taehyung perked up.

"Give me the keys," he said. After Jungkook handed them to him, he went to the driver's side door, opened it, and slid inside. Jungkook could hear him to his left, behind the paint and steel and the whole outer panel. Taehyung was struggling with something when the passenger's door shook, with no intention of opening, not even from the inside. "Shit." Taehyung's voice was muffled, but Jungkook could hear the slow whine he let out. "I'm sorry. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't wanted to go to that store—"

"It's fine." Jungkook dipped his head back until it hit the car and rolled it to the left, ear against the sunlit red paint, warm to the point of burning. "There's nothing to do now."

"I know, but… Wait."

Jungkook smiled at that. He heard movement on the other side, something like the seat's fabric being scratched, the plastic of the door rubbed, the foot mat shoved. He wet his bottom lip, the taste of dirt clinging to his tongue. "You haven't said anything."

"What?" The door shook again, followed by a faint groan. "I can't open it. It is stuck."

"About the kid," Jungkook said loudly as he heard Taehyung sinking in the passenger's seat. "And me, wanting to beat the shit out of him."

After a quiet moment, with only the noise of footsteps of people strolling down the sidewalk, going on with their day, Taehyung spoke. "But you didn't."

"I really was. I wanted it—"

"—But you didn't," Taehyung said again, firmly this time. The handle on the inside screeched, and a shrill sound pounded in Jungkook's ear. When he looked up, he saw the faded reflection of the blue sky on the glass deforming as it rolled down. Taehyung's face popped out a moment later, smiling. "At least the window works."

Jungkook smiled back.

With his chin over his folded arm pressed against the door, Taehyung looked outside. He took a long breath, then let it out, resting his chin on his forearm. "We could call Namjoon. He must know where to take it. Someplace cheap."

"No… Maybe my sister knows about a shop in Busan."

"I feel too bad to let you fix it there alone. Let me find a solution and pay for it. I owe you the hair dye, too." Taehyung looked down at him, regret swirling in his eyes, features tensed, like he wanted to show Jungkook he would do anything to change what happened. Jungkook could relate to that. "It's just one call," he continued. "Maybe Sejin can help us."

The idea didn't sound bad at all, and maybe Jungkook was past the point of playing the strong, know-it-all one. Now that they were here, letting someone check the door to know if it was fixable or not could actually work. And if it was too much, then Jungkook could take care of it in Busan with his sister.

It was a good plan, actually. Jungkook from last night would have definitely disagreed, prioritizing the trip and Busan and his schedule. But today, right now, after all the things that he'd been through and the extra time he'd won with Taehyung, Jungkook was open to trying it out.

"Okay." Jungkook glanced at Taehyung. "Let's call Namjoon."


A low whistle left Namjoon's lips as soon as he checked out the car. He had one hand on the door, the other holding paper bags full of stuff he bought with Hoseok, who was standing behind him. "It's so weird you guys can't open it from the inside, though."

"We don't know what those kids did and how long they were doing it," Taehyung said, scratching his temple.

Hoseok hummed as he nodded his head, sipping from a juice box. "Glad you stopped them."

"My uncle"—Namjoon slid a hand in his right pocket—"told me about a guy that he's friends with, who fixed his car once. I'll ask him for his number."

"Thanks." Jungkook tipped his chin, avoiding eye contact with Namjoon. While the boy called his uncle, Jungkook took his phone and checked the time. It was only 11 AM, but it definitely felt more like seven in the afternoon, the perfect time to crawl into bed and pass the shit out.

At that moment, his phone buzzed with his father's name flashing on the screen. Another call that would go straight to voicemail.

"Hey, we're here with Taehyung and Jungkook," Namjoon said to his phone. "They, uh, got themselves into a situation."


"Sorry about my uncle again," Namjoon said from the back seat, next to Taehyung and Hoseok. A similar image from earlier when they all drove downtown. "He likes to be pushy, and now I know he likes to threaten people." He snorted. "Once he gives us his friend's number, you guys can leave. For real this time."

Jungkook let himself smile at that, stopping next to Sejin's SUV and killing the engine, ready to hop off and just go with the flow. Whatever came next, he'd take it. He really didn't want to stress about things not going his way anymore.

"Look who's here," Sejin said loudly from the front door. He was wearing the same clothes and the same smile from before. "Just in time to eat the fruit bowl I prepared and show me your singing talents."

Hoseok laughed as he got out of the car. "Taehyung here knows how to play the violin!"

"Really?" Sejin clapped his hands and put his thumbs up, the sun striking his face. "Let's get this birthday party started, then."

Jungkook glanced at Taehyung, who looked back at him with a grin. The boy shrugged before closing the rear passenger door, tilting his head to the house. Namjoon and Hoseok were already inside.

Taehyung waited for Jungkook near the entrance, holding the bag with his hair dye in his right hand, the other one smoothing his hair. Once again, the backdrop suited him. It was getting harder for Jungkook to tear his gaze away.

"Should I play them the happy birthday song, slower version?" Taehyung asked when Jungkook reached the house.

With a slight shrug, Jungkook said, "Whatever you want," though he was hoping Taehyung wanted to play the other one, the upbeat one, keeping the slower version for him and Jungkook.

Once inside the kitchen, a sweet scent welcomed them. Oranges, strawberries, grapes, bananas. A large bowl sat on the kitchen table, filled to the brim.

Jungkook brushed his fingers on the wood and took a seat, locking his fingers together and waiting. Sejin was on the sink while Hoseok put a bag on a counter and grabbed a packet with colorful candles inside.

"I'll need a lighter."

"No one smokes here," Namjoon said, sitting in front of Jungkook, arms on the table.

Hoseok shot him a look. "Or a match."

"At your right. Down there." Sejin pointed to a drawer before getting closer to his nephew, carrying water.

Jungkook accepted a glass and curled his fingers around it, drops of water stitching to his skin.

The door opened, and Taehyung stepped inside with his violin, hands clutching the wooden neck, looking nervous. Something inside Jungkook churned. He knew Taehyung liked to put on a show, at least in the past. He had the charisma and skills, to the point of being hypnotizing.

"Is everyone ready?" Sejin asked.

Hoseok stood next to Namjoon with two small-sized blue candles, stretching his arms near his friend's face. Namjoon dimple-smiled.

"I'm embarrassed," he said. "Can we—" He waved a hand. "I don't know, not sing? We could just listen to Taehyung play."

"Or"—Sejin looked at everyone—"we could sing first, then Taehyung plays so the embarrassment washes out."

Namjoon placed his elbows on the table and covered his face with his hands, letting out a chuckle. "Whatever. Let's get this over with."

"Come on. It's your birthday!" Hoseok laughed and shoved his friend's arm. "Three, two, one—"

Jungkook internally cringed, his neck slowly burning as everyone surrounded Namjoon and started singing. It was bad, really bad. Hoseok was the most enthusiastic one, while Jungkook barely had his mouth open. Taehyung wrinkled his nose at him, but locking eyes flared Jungkook's cheeks so much, he had to jerk his head away, singing with his shoulders hunched.

When they finished, Taehyung's violin came next, a fast-paced melody dripping from the bow when it touched the strings, calling for attention. Jungkook gently sat straight, gaze on the way Taehyung worked his instrument. Last night, in the car, Jungkook had to keep his eyes on the road. Today, all of himself was drawn to Taehyung. He looked beautiful.

And he wasn't playing the slower version of the song, which brought a warm sensation to Jungkook's chest. A grin followed.

Sejin was the first to clap after the melody ended, then it was Hoseok and Jungkook. Namjoon blew out the candles and joined the clapping.

"That's talent," Sejin said, walking to a counter to pick up some bowls and forks. He put them on the table and sat down. "What a birthday."

"Thanks," Namjoon murmured, nodding his head and making room for Hoseok to his left.

Taehyung returned from the living room where he must have left his violin and circled the table to a chair next to Jungkook.

"How long have you been playing?" Sejin asked him.

"Over ten years, I think?"

"Since we were kids." Jungkook looked at Taehyung, who bumped his knee with his own.

"You see how good you'd be at drums, Namjoon, if you'd kept going to classes?"

Namjoon rolled his eyes at his uncle. "Can we skip to the part where you give these poor people your mechanic's friend's number?"

It was time for Sejin to roll his eyes, almost looking like his nephew's age, with a smile that grew bigger as he grabbed his phone. "I'll call him. Last time I heard he'd moved out, but I'm sure he has someone."

"Thank you," Jungkook said, eating his fruit. He hated asking for help, and the idea of staying longer in Sejin's house put a strange weight on his shoulders, a weight he was trying to shake off. But now it wasn't that terrible, just frustrating, that receiving help from others felt so different from giving it.

"Wait here." Sejin got up and walked out of the kitchen. After a second, his hushed voice filled the next room.

"Jirisan," Hoseok said to Namjoon. "Yes or no."

"Yes."

Jungkook's eyes darted between them.

"A nap. Yes or no."

"Yes," Namjoon repeated, head bobbing up and down as he swallowed his food. He was smiling big time.

Taehyung's phone rang to Jungkook's right, not loud yet piercing, catching his interest. The boy took it and held it under the table, shoulders down, breathing slow. Jungkook traced the line of his profile and watched his face fall. His lips parted.

"Are you okay?" Jungkook asked him before he could stop himself.

Taehyung looked at him with a frown that quickly eased into a blank expression. "Yeah, yes. Everything's fine. I—" He locked his phone and showed it to Jungkook before shrugging and sliding it inside his pocket. "Just got one of those spam emails."

"Dude, my college sold their database, and now I get, like, five hundreds emails a day from people and companies I've never heard of." Hoseok shook his head.

"Okay, well." Sejin walked in with loud strides, sitting down next to his nephew, grabbing his fork and diving into his bowl of fruit. "My friend closed his business here and moved South. He's in Gapsan."

"Gapsan?" Taehyung asked, unearthing his phone and unlocking it.

"It isn't far. You can get there in an hour."

Taehyung elbowed Jungkook and pointed at the map on his screen. "If we take the 19, it's easier."

Tilting his head, Jungkook looked at the phone. There were patches of green and yellow stripes, and a thin blue line showing a lake. He nodded and glanced back at Sejin. "What's he called?"

"He's name is Do Dewoon. He works at 'Dewoon's shop.' I gave him your names. He knows you're going and that you're my nephew's friends, so expect a good price."

Jungkook blinked, rubbing his hands together between his legs. "Thank you so much."

"No need to thank me. I'm grateful you guys spent the morning with us."

"I'd love to pay you back somehow."

Sejin grinned, lips shiny with some of the fruit's juice. "If you'd like, you guys can wash the dishes."


Behind the large sink, there was a window that looked at the backyard, where Namjoon and Hoseok were filling bags with fruits, laughing.

Jungkook had his eyes stuck on them as he wiped a cloth on the wet dishes, the same dishes Taehyung was cleaning.

"Y'know," Taehyung said, rubbing the yellow sponge into a bowl. "We should exchange phone numbers. In case, well, something happens."

Placing a glass on the counter where the rest of the stuff was, Jungkook nodded. He bit the inside of his cheek before looking at Taehyung. "Yeah, good idea."

Taehyung mirrored him and nodded, too. "Cool."

To think that there was a time when their friendship survived years without phones was wild. By the time Jungkook got his first cell phone, he was no longer friends with Taehyung. No messages. No calls. They didn't even follow each other on Instagram. Whatever Jungkook learned about Taehyung in that app had been thanks to Wooshik having a public account.

Yeah, Jungkook had searched for Taehyung's name before, multiple times, but he'd never followed him. He'd only watched his pixelated profile pic and read his bio, and looked at Wooshik's posts where he'd posed with Taehyung.

That guy was a lucky person.

"I also— Well, I thought—" Taehyung shrugged both shoulders, giving Jungkook a soaked dish. "I saw there's a beach near Gapsan."

With his heart trapped in his throat, Jungkook's fingers stopped moving and his eyes peered at Taehyung.

"We could, maybe, go there after fixing the car? A quick visit." Taehyung shrugged again, putting a bowl under the running water. "Then we could drive to Busan, which is closer to Gapsan. The place I told you about yesterday, Goryeong, is— too far away. You can just drop me at the bus terminal when we reach Busan."

Jungkook knew this conversation would come. At some point down the road, he'd have to talk with Taehyung about when their journeys would break apart. And Taehyung's plan sounded better than what they had discussed back in Gwangju. Going to the beach? Spending more time together? Jungkook wished he'd thought about that.

He looked down at his hands, then back up. Taehyung did think about it and came up with a way to tell Jungkook, knowing that he could say no. Jungkook wondered what that meant.

"A beach."

"If you want," Taehyung said quickly, stretching out his hand with a bowl, waiting for Jungkook to take it. His eyes were shining with the sunlight streaming through the window, and his chest raised and lowered in slow waves.

Jungkook remembered Jeju and their promise of going there one day. The two, alone. Could this work as a XXX?

Looking down at the bowl, at Taehyung's wet fingers, his long fingers, Jungkook shoved down his worries about extra gas and the car's broken door and said, "Sure. That'd be fun."

The smile that spread on Taehyung's face wasn't wide, but it was still striking.

Jungkook smiled back, lips pressed together, eyebrows up, and he grabbed the bowl with a hand covering Taehyung's knuckles, feeling the cold and warmth at the same time.


"We'll do it right this time," Taehyung said, as he got inside the car through one door in the back and squeezed himself to sit in the passenger's side. The bag of fruit that Namjoon and Hoseok gave them was lying on the floor, near the snacks Jungkook bought yesterday. Their backpacks were in the trunk next to Taehyung's violin. They were finally ready. "For someone who uses music as a coping mechanism, a car without Bluetooth during a road trip is bad. But I charged my phone." With a grin, he showed the device to Jungkook. "I'm ready to listen to the best music in the world and not a static shitty noise."

Jungkook smiled as he fastened his seat belt. "Are The Everly Brothers part of that list?"

"Of course." Taehyung huffed out a breath before glancing at Jungkook, a grin growing on his lips. "Feeling romantic?"

Jungkook grabbed the steering wheel with one hand and pushed in the key with the other one. "Nostalgic."

It still seemed weird to talk to Taehyung like this, joking around like they used to. Even if it felt right, Jungkook couldn't believe it was actually happening.

"A playlist without The Everly Brothers is not a good playlist," Taehyung said, rolling down the window.

Namjoon and Hoseok walked out of the house, talking about something.

Sejin stood under the door frame with his arms crossed and his head tipped to the side. "Have a good trip!" he yelled, waving two fingers in a 'Goodbye' gesture. "Be careful!"

Taehyung pulled his head out of the car. "Thank you for everything!"

"Don't forget to text!" Hoseok motioned with his hands like he was using a phone. "I'll make the group chat I told you guys!"

Jungkook smiled, driving the car out of the parking spot and closer to the gate at the end. Namjoon followed them with his key chain in his hand, waving it from time to time.

"Okay." Taehyung rubbed a palm on his thigh, then tapped on his phone.

Past the gates, the empty street welcomed them, Namjoon growing smaller and smaller behind them as Jungkook sped up.

The car roared when Deviation by Jaurim started playing, weak thanks to the background noise. Taehyung turned the volume up all he could and left the phone above the glove box.

"I remembered…" Taehyung began speaking, but ended up laughing with his eyes closed. He softly punched his leg and looked at Jungkook with a smile. "Do you remember?"

Jungkook wrinkled his nose. "You haven't even spoken."

"Oh, it's— It was funny." Taehyung ran a hand through his blond head. "Remind me to dye my hair soon."

Jungkook gnawed at his bottom lip, one hand falling to his lap, fingers curling in a fist. "Aren't you gonna say what you were talking about?"

Letting out a snort, Taehyung rubbed his face. "One time, my mother picked us up from school, and one of those ladies at the reception yelled at me from the other side of the building, Kim Taehyung! Your grandmother's here!" He laughed, which sounded more like a groan.

Jungkook put on a smile when he looked at him, because he remembered. He remembered how embarrassed and angry Taehyung had been. Funny how time fogs people's perception of experiences that once meant something completely different.

"I remembered you didn't like it," he told him.

Taehyung bobbed his head from side to side, touching the glove box's lock. "Well…" He stretched his arms until his hands bumped the roof of the car and then yawned. "Things change. I've changed."

Wanting to keep the mood light, Jungkook joked, "Rock changed you."

"No." Taehyung shuddered. "Rock saved me."

"Yeah, you're a fan of one of the biggest rock and roll bands, but you haven't taken their advice."

Taehyung's eyes grew wide. "What band? And what advice?"

Something tickled in Jungkook's chest. He licked the corner of his mouth and cleared his throat as he fought the embarrassment that made him want to rip his head off before singing with an awful tone, "But please don't put your life in the hands… of a rock and roll band..."

Heat raised up his body to his face, and Jungkook wrinkled his entire face while clutching his hands to the wheel.

Taehyung was already laughing, clapping his hands incessantly and leaning his head back. "Who'll throw it all away," he said without rhythm, laughing some more, just to piss Jungkook off—Jungkook was sure. But he couldn't be angry about it. He made Taehyung laugh like that, changed the weird look on his face after talking about his mother to a full grin.

"And they did," he said, somehow proud of himself for the comfortable bubble they were in now.

"I can't believe Oasis disbanded." Taehyung made a vague sound with his throat, throwing a punch into the air. "I hate them."

"Maybe you shouldn't look back in anger."

Taehyung turned his body to Jungkook, pulling a funny face. "Dude, you're on a roll."

Jungkook cringed. It was too much for today.

"You made me wanna listen to that song. 'Don't look back in anger' is one of my favorites." Taehyung snatched his phone and focused on the screen.

"The lyrics are great," Jungkook said.

Taehyung's fingers kissed his mouth and then bloomed in the air, lips making a loud sound. "Greatest lyrics of all time. They're poets."

Jungkook wouldn't go as far as that. "I think Bob Dylan's songs are poems."

"Bob is a genius."

"He kinda reminds me of Adam Sandler."

Taehyung stopped looking at his phone to stare at Jungkook. "Wait, I have to see." He typed something on his phone and kept quiet for a moment. A breathy laugh came out of his mouth after a while, this time longer. "Shit, you're right. I can't unsee it now."

Jungkook joined him, though his laugh was brief. "I was bored one day, and after hours on my phone I ended up on this website with celebrities that looked alike."

"Dude." Taehyung draped an arm over his stomach. "I'll always think of Adam Sandler when I listen to Bob."

"I don't know if that's a good thing."

Taehyung nudged Jungkook's arm. "Okay." He smiled. "Let's hear a song by this rock and roll band that threw it all away."

"That's my favorite line."

"Mine is 'You ain't ever gonna burn my heart out.'"

The music began to play, nostalgia rubbing Jungkook's chest as he recalled his younger days listening to the Gallagher brothers sing.

Taehyung spoke in a low voice, as if he was shy about what he wanted to say. "I actually got these lyrics tattooed."

Jungkook tried to look surprised and hid the fact that he was aware of Taehyung's tattoo, that he had glanced at it outside of Sejin's bathroom, when he glimpsed Taehyung's bare skin. Jungkook thought he'd seen some words instead of a drawing and expected them to be song lyrics. Knowing they were Oasis's lyrics made his legs and arms tingle.

Could it mean that, after all this time, he still knew Taehyung?

"My first tattoo"—Taehyung winced—"and it hurt like hell."

"When did you do it?" Jungkook asked, silently wishing he could've been there.

"A few months ago."

"So, the first of how many?"

"After the pain I felt?" Taehyung looked at him with a hint of regret dancing in his eyes. "I think I'm good for now."

Jungkook averted his gaze as his lips twitched. "Not going for a full body, then?"

Noel Gallagher sang in the background as Taehyung sighed. "Being a rockstar is hard."

"Does it hold any special meaning?"

Taehyung remained silent for a few seconds, drumming his fingers on his leg. "I just really like it." He shrugged.

The song reached the second chorus, before the part Jungkook had sung poorly to Taehyung.

In one swift movement, the boy leaned forward and swayed a hand in the air, grinning. "And please don't put your life in the hands of a rock and roll band—"

His eyes were on Jungkook, waiting for him to continue. But Jungkook shook his head and pressed his lips together. The music went on, and Taehyung whined in a funny way, making Jungkook laugh.

"You and Noel are doing a pretty good job."

"Come on," Taehyung said, picking up his phone and putting it near Jungkook's ear. His other hand was out the window, surfing through the wind. He yelled, "Stand up beside the fireplace. Take that look from off your face!"

"Shit." Jungkook's body jerked a little from the screams, though he couldn't fight a smile.

"'Cause you ain't ever gonna burn my heart out!"

"Please," Jungkook said, slowing down the car.

Taehyung now had his face and neck outside the window, like the way he had it last night in front of the convenience store. His eyes were almost closed. "This is the best part!"

Jungkook's lips curled up at the gleam in Taehyung's face, the sun against his skin and hair. "Be careful," he told him, unconsciously grabbing Taehyung's t-shirt to keep him in place.

"One day you'll wish you'd sung with me." Taehyung sent Jungkook a glare, not even mean, just friendly, as the wind stung his cheeks a strong shade of pink, tousling his hair.

Jungkook wanted to kiss him right there. But he slid his eyes to the windshield, fist clenched in Taehyung's chest, fingers brushing the shirt's fabric instead. Maybe if it weren't for all the shaking and screams, he'd be feeling his heart pounding.

When the song ended, Taehyung hit the back of the seat, resting his arms on his body.

Jungkook let him go, running his hand over his neck.

Soon, Taehyung was letting out a sigh and rocking his head to the beat of the next song, a 90's grunge one.

Jungkook pushed his tongue against his bottom teeth, wishing he was strong enough to sing along with Taehyung and have a good time, and maybe tell him all the things he'd never told him. And while he thought how hard it was for him to put his true feelings into words, he briefly wished that 'Wonderwall' was playing on Taehyung's phone instead.