When Kim Taehyung's fictional romance with his costar Jeon Jeongguk feels more genuine than anything he accomplished in his entire acting career, he believes it shouldn't be a problem: after all, it's just acting.
But isn't it wrong to be envisioni...
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Jeongguk wasn't upset as he thought he was, so it eased the vice grip around his chest just a little when he spoke to him like nothing happened back at the pumpkin patch. They went to a food stand and got something hot to drink, for his fingers were icey and the thick sweater and coat he wore couldn't fully fend off the autumn weather.
He insisted to pay for everything, and with their hot apple ciders, they sat on another picnic bench across from another while the dogs rested beneath their feet.
"Do you like it?" Jeongguk asked, gesturing at Taehyung, who was staring down at his steaming cup, his mask pushed down to his chin.
"It's certainly something," Taehyung said, nose scrunching a little. It was hard to fully describe it. It tasted like cinnamon and sweet sugar that had a faint apple aftertaste. "It's not bad. Do you like it?"
Jeongguk nodded, "I like sweet things. Sometimes."
"You do?" Taehyung perched his elbow on the table and let his chin rest on the cusp of his palm.
"Yeah," Jeongguk took another sip before adding, "It feels sweeter. 'Specially when it's with you."
God, his blunt compliments never failed to throw Taehyung off his guard. It wasn't like he was never complimented before. Not to sound arrogant at all, but Taehyung's had his fair share of compliments in the past.
But when it came to Jeongguk, it was just different. There was something about the way he said it, the way he actually met his eyes and told him what he thought regardless of how awkward it would be, and how honestly he meant it.
He smiled shyly to himself, fingers brushing over his lips. He would let himself be selfish in moments like these and pretend that they were really something rea. He would bask in Jeongguk's compliments like a lover would, let them flourish inside of him and feel him with a warmth not even the hot cider could give him. It was the only thing he would let himself have, felt that he deserved to have.
"Taehyung?" Taehyung whipped his attention back to him. "Why are you still wearing a mask?"
"Why wouldn't I? We're in public, remember?" He raised an eyebrow at him, wondering why Jeongguk, of all people, wouldn't understand that. He was strict about privacy. Surely, he knew.
"I know, it's just. When we were out in the field together." He watched Jeongguk's adam's apple bob nervously while his fingers drummed over his cup. "I thought you'd take it off."
"You wanted me to take it off?" Jeongguk nodded shyly. "But why? You know—,"
"—Yes, I know," Jeongguk cut him off, now looking at him. "But I thought because we were far away enough, you'd show me your face. And I wanted- I wanted to see your face."
Taehyung didn't know how to properly respond. His throat was lodged, unsure whether it was because he was nervous, or the fact that Jeongguk's words felt so painfully genuine it made his chest ache.
