peace | taekook

chapter fifteen

it seemed like cars were crammed in every corner of the city and taehyung was (quickly) starting to regret inviting jimin along for the ride.

after a week or so of mulling about it in a weird depressive state, tae felt like he had his drive back. enough to make him skip out on an important meeting in place of a photo shoot for some friend of a friend of a friend.

it was housed on top of a roof overlooking the bay. the perfectly overcast sky would be a beautiful background, it was already apparent by the quick selfie he'd snapped in the car just to double check that his hair wasn't a total mess.

"i cannot believe you're back with bogum and you didn't even think to mention it to me ahead of time. you just show up! what were you thinking?" jimin couldn't help but tap at the car seat nervously; he was anxious, a bit angry. not understanding why his best friend in the whole world would leave out such a detail.

"you're taking it far too personally." tae threw the car into park as they waited in stand-still traffic, "it's not even like we're dating. we're just friends! who went to dinner and then showed up at a party together."

"and held hands and kissed each other on the cheek and then sent a follow up flower arrangement with a cheesy ass card which i know about because you left it on the kitchen island?" jimin hummed, "because we're the best of best friends and we don't do that. but i do those things with yoongi so what does that say about this."

tae couldn't help but roll his eyes at the dramatics, "he's different now but we're still taking it slow."

"so he didn't drink last night?"

"just a glass of champagne; nothing serious."

"and as soon as he starts drinking again and things get out of hand?" both knew jimin was just waiting and watching for him to slip up.

"we don't have to worry about it because he promised me he won't do that!" tae was frustrated, left feeling like a little kid who was being told that he didn't know his left from his right. and he did; because that date with bogum felt right... well, right enough.

"okay, fine. i'm so sorry!" jimin held a hand to his chest dramatically, "i forgot that he's so trustworthy."

the brunette was grateful to see traffic pick back up, putting his car into drive, he was eager to get out and smell fresh air. he was in desperate need of it.

"where does your dad think you are today?" jimin was just poking all of his buttons.

"why does it matter?"

"well, i synced our calendars so i know that you currently are supposed to be a meeting about ad campaigns and yet, you're clearly not."

"that's beyond nosy." tae reminded him, pulling into a spot at the depth of the parking garage, "but i just texted namjoon and i told him that this is what it is. it's what i want! he was actually very encouraging of it."

"then what's the hold up in telling your dad?"

the brunette pondered it for a moment. he wasn't quite sure besides the idea of leaving his dad gutted that he only had one son to share in the glory with.  that would hurt, the pained expression already evident on his face, as though taehyung hadn't been enough of a disappointment.

"i just can't cope with seeing that expression on his face. you know, the sad one. the one had at my mom's funeral." he could recall those downturned eyes and the frown like it was yesterday. every feature seemed so sunken and dull.

"i don't think it would be the same reaction."

"it would be his dream dying; almost equivalent."

they took the elevator to the top floor, stepping onto the soft topped flat roof that already housed a team of photographers and a few familiar faces who were attempting to keep everything in order despite the tiny bit of wind that danced around them.

tae waved to j-hope who was munching on snacks in a directors chair; he motioned the two of them over.

"i didn't know you were going to be here!" tae smiled as he approached the older male whose hair had been recently dyed a fiery red, pieced right down the middle and topped with a pale bucket hat.

"i wasn't but magnolia insisted that she needed my creative direction, can you believe?" he held a bite of salad up to tae, offering his own snacks, "i'm so full i could explode."

tae graciously accepted the mound of lettuce and fresh veggies, chomping away as he stared around at the multitude of colors and styles that in just a few moments he'd get to wear. it was beautiful, to see it all come together.

a powder brush hit the side of his puffed out cheek, a woman with a makeup belt patting each crack and crevice as the conversation around him continued. j-hope and jimin seemed un-phased by the interruption, "what are you guys doing friday?"

jimin hummed, his eyes glancing towards his best friend, "i don't know. tae, any secret dates?"

"secret dates? make it a public date!" j-hope giggled at the tension around him, "you bring a date, and you and yoongi... welll i guess are technically dating which makes every outing a date. either way, i just moved into my remodeled apartment in the third ward and it is too die for. a must see! i'm having a dinner party."

"a dinner party?" jimin grinned, "what should i bring?"

"just your cute self." j-hope jumped up, "i'll send the address over. starts loosely at seven, sharply at eight... maybe eight-thirty."

they watched as he walked away from the two of them, mingling with a whole other group. it was amazing how somebody could be so social and yet still have time to throw parties, attend events, design clothing lines, and run a whole multitude of businesses. it's probably why he had to keep them all under one roof.

"we're ready for the first look tae!" another woman moved him over to the dressing booth, his eyes fixated on jimin who had slid into the vacant chair.

he gave an encouraging thumbs up, "good luck!"

dressed in white, he felt himself contrast against the dark gray clouds mingling behind him. to most it indicated storms, his least favorite type of weather, the type that left him stressed and nervous and tense.

something internally shifted whenever he felt raindrops; they left him breathless at the edge of a mountain alone.

he wasn't sure why he was such a baby, so terrified of the elements but he couldn't stop himself from cowering when thunder clapped and lighting blew up the sky like nature's fireworks. maybe it was because his mom used to hold him, make it better.

she wasn't around for that anymore.

he felt his eyes glance over to jimin who could clearly sense the panic and fear that left goosebumps lining his skin and neck. even when bickering he was grateful to have such a friend.

and a brother and a dad.

"you okay?" the blonde mouthed, zipping up his jacket to curb the chilly breeze.

tae could only smile and nod, aware of how relative the phrase "okay" really was.

sometimes he had no choice but to be it.