Secrets | KOOKV

Forty Four

"How have you been, Taehyung?"

The question was something Taehyung had in mind the moment he saw Jungkook, but the other beat him to it.

"Good, I guess?"

His response was more of a question which elicited a timid smile from Jungkook.

"I feel the same." Jungkook agreed.

Taehyung had his eyes glued in Jungkook's every movement, from the way he lifted his cup until the rim touched his lips, from how the lump on his throat moved as he gulped down his coffee, and from the way those raven eyes glanced his way to meet his gaze.

"Hm?" Jungkook eyed him, curious of the reason for Taehyung's intense gaze.

Taehyung shrugged, darting his eyes away from the other.

"What brings you here?" He asked instead, subconsciously running his fingertips on the cover of the book next to his cup.

There was a short pause, seemingly a moment of hesitation on Jungkook before he opened his lips to respond.

"Yesterday was Yeri's second..."

The silence that befell put an end to Jungkook's answer which Taehyung immediately understood.

"I see..." He nodded, gazing away from Jungkook's searching eyes.

Time really flew by. It had been two years since Yeri had joined their creator.

"What about you? Why are you here?" Jungkook asked in return.

"We're having a show tomorrow."

"That's amazing. Will it be all right for you to stay up this late, then?"

"I'm used to it." Taehyung said, motioning towards the book on the table.

"I need to read two more pages of this." He added, lifting it to let the other have a glimpse.

"A new found hobby?" Jungkook asked, amused.

"You can say that. I read to get my mind off of things..." Taehyung trailed off, not wanting to get misunderstood.

"You know how draining my work is. I need a distraction sometimes." He added.

"It's good to know that you still find time for yourself and the things you enjoy." Jungkook commented with a smile.

The look on Jungkook's face made Taehyung retract his gaze. He was afraid to get drowned in those emotions that he chose to blindly name.

"For how long are you staying here, if you don't mind me asking?" Jungkook asked, leaning forward to catch Taehyung's wavering eyes.

"We have a week here." He answered, taking his half empty cup.

"Can I have one?"

This question halted Taehyung, eyes darting to Jungkook's now serious ones. Their eyes finally connected, and Taehyung failed to look away. He was dumbfounded, suddenly unable to comprehend what he just heard.

"Hm?"

He saw Jungkook's soft smile, one that reached those raven orbs that show Taehyung's reflection. In those eyes, he's the only person.

"Can I have one day with you, Taehyung?"

-------

"Don't tell me you said yes?!"

Jimin's voice boomed inside the backstage, earning a shocked gaze from the models and makeup artists preparing for the show.

Taehyung could see the disbelief in his best friend's eyes when he learned that he had met Jungkook last night. He did not intend to tell him yet, not when they are roughly thirty minutes away from walking down the runway. However, luck was not on his side. One model approached him earlier and mentioned that he had seen him last night in a café with a gorgeous multibillionaire.

He could have just lied, but he knew lying could only bring nothing but problems.

"Tell me you did not say yes, please." Jimin repeated, grabbing his hands firmly.

Taehyung smiled, reassuring.

"Don't worry, Chim." He replied as he caressed Jimin's hand to ease his worry.

"That's not the answer I want, Taehyung." Jimin continued to stare him deeply.

Taehyung would have heard more from the other if not for the call to prepare by one of the personnel in charge of the runway.

"Models, line up in five!"

"It's time for the show. Let it rest for now, Jimin." Jin finally interrupted. He had been listening to his two friends since the beginning, and he could understand and relate to Jimin's distaste because he felt the same.

"This is not the right time and place for this talk. Let's finish this show first." Jin added, which had Jimin sighing in defeat.

"Fine." He finally agreed as he gave Taehyung one last look before lining up to prepare for the show.

"Thanks, hyung." Taehyung uttered as he stood next to Jin, who simply gave him an encouraging tap on the shoulder before joining Jimin and the others.

With a heavy sigh, Taehyung conditioned himself to work, blocking off any unnecessary thoughts that may affect his performance.

As the show finally started, a burst of colorful dancing lights slowly illuminated the runway as if leading the models who emerged one by one to a path away from the darkness.

There was a blinding spotlight at the end of the runway, the spot where they would stop to pose for a while before walking back. Once they start walking back and away from the spotlight, the whole surrounding turns black.

It was captivating.

Every walk embodies a step closer to finding the light at the end of the tunnel, that moving forward is the only way to reach it and turning back means losing in darkness.

Taehyung finally took his turn in the runway. With his every step, his mind was fixated in reaching the spotlight and nothing more. He walked glamorously, the artificial wind blowing the hem of his cape, giving an illusion of wings.

As he neared the designated spot, in a fleeting moment, he saw a familiar face.

The face of the man who shines brighter than any of those lights.

You're here.

Taehyung finally reached the edge of the runway. As he stopped and stared, he could see the soft smile on Jungkook's lips as he gazed at him tenderly.

In that brief moment, Taehyung had a flashback of the first time he had met Jungkook in the same scenario as before.

He remembered the hatred in his eyes back then, the harsh words that left both of them scarred and tainted, and the unbearable pain they championed just to reach this point.

He remembered everything, but nothing is the same. All he could see in those raven eyes is nothing but fondness.

Nothing but hope.

Nothing but love.

It may have been just him with his hopeful thinking, but in the glimpse of that moment, Taehyung was sure he had seen a man in love.

Before turning around to walk back, Taehyung took one more look to Jungkook.

His light at the end of the tunnel.

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Love you 💜