Fire On Fire [TK]

(18) Blue hands

"Rows of houses all bearing down on me
can feel their blue hands touching me
All these things into position
All these things we'll one day swallow whole"

— Street Spirit, Radiohead

❀

— V —

A fortnight later, March came in with the promise of spring. But winter had not quite loosened its grip yet. The first week of the month remained stubbornly cold. Their breath still fogged the air in the early mornings, and the wind cut sharply through their jackets as they walked to and from the company building. Inside the practice rooms, however, there was no trace of winter. Intricate diet plans and exercise charts had been drawn up and pinned to the wall beside the mirrors. All seven of them were expected to follow them to the letter. Practice hours had increased yet, their sleep hours had not. On top of which, every single rehearsal was now recorded, and every recording was reviewed frame by frame by their CEO himself, down to the position of their feet, the angle of their fingers, the distance between their shoulders, and the exact second their bodies landed after a jump. There remained zero margin for error.

Every waking moment was spent pushing themselves beyond their limits, physically and mentally.

They could barely breathe.

"I am too young to die," Seokjin huffed dramatically as they trudged down the alley toward the company building. "But I swear I will if I have to take another step."

"Says hyung," Yoongi drawled lazily from beside him, "who then proceeds to take several more steps."

"I'll put extra salt in your soup."

"Ugh hyung, don't be petty."

Seokjin's unmistakable windshield-wiper laugh echoed through the narrow alleyway, bouncing off the brick walls.

They naturally drifted into small groups as they walked. Seokjin and Yoongi bickered at the front. Jimin and Jeongguk followed behind them, quietly discussing choreography and replaying certain steps with their hands in the air, and a few paces back, Namjoon and Hoseok were deep in discussion about one of the rap verses, while Taehyung walked at the very end.

He glanced at the members ahead of him and scoffed quietly to himself.

Always the odd one out, huh?

The cold evening breeze whistled past their ears, carrying the faint smell of city dust and street food from the distant road.

Taehyung lowered his head and shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, his shoulders curling slightly as he shivered. Maybe he could go up to the maknae and wrap himself around him. Jeongguk wouldn't mind, right? He had never told Taehyung he was bothered by the constant hugs.

Right?

Or maybe he was. Maybe he just didn't want to say anything.

Maybe everyone was quietly fed up with him.

You're so annoying. Shadows gathered at the edges of his vision. Taehyung's lips twisted into a small, cruel smile.

I know.

They crowded at the corner before crossing the road, Taehyung waiting for everyone else to take the lead, ready to trail behind until a warm hand engulfed his whole elbow. He blinked in surprise and looked up to find Hoseok's face next to him, his eyes on the road. "I think the opening line can be better. It just needs a bit of—you know—" He waved his hand.