Criminal Next Door [Namjin]

Feel Like Cinderella Naega Byeonhae

"Hot damn, Tae. We've got a stone-cold fox on our hands."

Taehyung smiled at Seokjin without looking away from the full-length mirror.
His brother tried valiantly to play down the glow up he'd undergone in the last hour, but Seokjin noticed the flush of pleasure on his cheeks as he surveyed his appearance.

They stood in Seokjin's bedroom early Saturday evening getting Taehyung dressed for prom. Something Seokjin never would have believed a month ago. He'd found the gold toned outfit Taehyung now wore at a vintage shop in Gangnam-Gu after hunting for half a day. Sensing Taehyung would love anything colorful, he didn't mind congratulating himself on picking the classy, eye catching that matched Taehyung's now golden-blond locks to create perfection.

Taehyung gave Seokjin full creative control. Seokjin had applied a tasteful amount of makeup, playing up his brother's natural glow, and pulled his hair away from his face in a sexy parted style.

"What time is Jungkook coming to pick you up?"

"Seven-thirty. We're going to dinner with some of his friends before the dance."

Seokjin nodded, trying to appear as confident as Taehyung. This is where they differed. Taehyung thrived in social situations where he didn't have to interact with one single person. He could jump from conversation to conversation and move on when the subject got too heavy or personal. Seokjin, on the other hand, didn't generally play well with others. Not that Seokjin didn't have faith in his brother, especially this new, can-get-all-the-girls-swooning-over-him Taehyung. But he knew he'd worry until Taehyung walked through the door later.

Seokjin produced a ruby red pearl earring that he'd kept hidden in his closet and handed it to Taehyung. As he'd predicted, it looked fabulous with the suit and complimenting black shoes.

Their eyes met in the mirror. "Please make sure you take your cell phone, Taehyung. There is some money in the wallet if you need it. For dinner. For a cab. Anything."

Taehyung laughed at Seokjin's fierce expression, then sobered. "Hyung, I'm going to be fine. It just seems like a big deal because I never go out."

"Okay, just a few more things and I'll be finished." he took a deep breath. "No drugs. No getting into a car with someone who has been drinking. Don't have sex on the first date, but if you do, there's a condom in the wallet. Please, please don't need to use it. But I won't ask if you did."

"Oh, my God."

"Shut up. You look gorgeous. Have a great time."

Taehyung's face broke into a cute boxy smile. "Thanks for the outfit, the makeup. Everything."

Seokjin held back his tears. "You're welcome."

His brother looked like he wanted to say something else but hesitated.

"Spit it out, Tae."

"Am I being a fool, trusting Jungkook like this?"

Seokjin thought for a moment, taking the question seriously. It might have been posed in typical Taehyung fashion, but vulnerability lingered behind it. "No, you're not being a fool. Is it a risk? Yes. But I don't think you'd place your trust easily, Taehyung. Now you just have to have faith in your own judgment. Coming to Seoul was a risk, but we took it. Maybe it's time we take a few more."

Taehyung nodded, absorbing his words. "Kind of like you with the lieutenant?"

At the mention of Namjoon, Seokjin felt his insides melt. The lieutenant'd been working around the clock since the raid, busy with paperwork and interrogations of the arrested men. He'd woken alone in Namjoon's bed in the early evening after their morning together. Disoriented at having slept through most of the day, he'd stretched his tender muscles and risen to return to his own apartment, trying his best not to panic over the latter having left a second time without saying good-bye.