Third Wheel - Vminkook

1. Good news

Jungkook stepped back to observe his work from another angle. He frowned, picked a fistful of wet clay, and carefully molded it onto the left thigh of the standing figure he was working on. He turned the sculpture stand around to see the backside, searching for mistakes or parts that needed improvement.

A nude female model was standing stock-still on a small stage in the middle of the studio, in classical contrapposto pose.

He tucked his messy long raven hair behind his ear, unwittingly smudging a stripe of clay onto his cheek, but the unwanted make up actually matched his simple grey t-shirt and green apron he was wearing, both smeared with mud already. He switched his observing gaze between the model and the sculpture, trying to find what he thought it was missing, but he was clueless.

Four other students were working in the same room in a pleasurable distance from each other, hardly talking, each concentrating on their own piece of work. One of them was his friend Yoongi, he transitioned the pose of the model into some kind of machine or mechanical girl in his work and he was kind of content with the result so far, sitting on a chair, mumbling on a sandwich.

Suddenly JK's phone started ringing on the chair below the huge window, distracting his attention. He wiped his hands with a wet rag and stepped closer to see his childhood best friend's name written on the screen.

- Taetae! Hey, what's up? - he answered with his widest bunny smile.

- Hey, get ready to see me too often, bro! - a deep voice yelled from the other end of the line - I won a semester scholarship to your academy, so next month I'm moving to that dirty loud city of yours!

- Wow, that's great, which major were you accepted for?

- Acting, bitch, what else?

Jungkook giggled while pacing around his artwork with the phone in his hand. He was beyond happy to reunite with his bestie he left in their hometown one and a half year ago.

- I hope you haven't found an accommodation yet!

- Well, there were no more rooms left at the academy dorms, but I keep looking.

- Stop looking, there's a vacant bedroom at the apartment where I live, and it's completely free of charge, since my aunt owns the place. She currently lives abroad, so she let me move in for free, supporting my studies. She knows you and I'm sure it will be no problem for her.

The older could easily be convinced, he missed his friend a lot and it sounded great to share an apartment with him for five months.

Taehyung and JK spent their childhood together growing up in the same small town in the same street. As little kids they often played together on the playground and became close friends, though Tae was two years older than JK. The younger always admired him for being some kind of leader among the kids, effortlessly controlling others with great confidence, like everyone wanted to serve him willingly, and he liked JK for being tough and fearless, taking part in every perky actions, despite of his adorably innocent looks. When they grew up, they went to the same high school, which was a traditional institution with uniforms and strict rules. It didn't keep Taehyung from being sassy though, he became popular during the first months, and he very soon discovered his abilities in hooking up the prettiest girls and boys for short-term sexual adventures. Broken hearts, jealousy and envy followed on his tracks and his popularity slowly turned into notoriety. Only his close friends, like JK knew that to his loved ones he'd be loyal till death and that they could always count on him, no matter what.

JK on the other hand was a shy teenager with old-fashioned parents, who he wanted to make proud by walking the line and getting good grades. He slowly discovered his sexuality, and never went for one-night stands, he needed feelings involved and he was romantically looking for true love.

His friend actually played a determinative role in finding out that he liked boys. Hanging out with him often, he gradually noticed Tae's exquisite beauty and finally he had to admit that not even the prettiest girl in the world could ever compete with his handsome features, his deep voice and seductive look. Tae wanted to get closer to him physically, he tried several times, assuring him that it would only be just for fun, nothing serious, and he could be his first time, but the younger always rejected him. He knew that it would lead to feelings he shouldn't feel, a possible heartbreak and the end of their precious friendship. But even during his actual first time, which happened with a 24-year old guy that was pretty far from being his true love, the image of his best friend flashed through his mind over and over again...

Weeks passed by and the hour of Taehyung's arrival was around the corner. JK tidied up the whole apartment, pulled clean sheets on the bed, filled the fridge up with a lot of groceries, he even put a vase full of fresh flowers on the table. Then he went to meet him at the railway station.

His heart began to beat faster when he saw the train coming from their hometown arriving and stopping slowly by the platform. He scanned the opening doors with his eyes looking for his friend getting off. He was easy to notice with his wavy black hair blown all over by the wind, dressed in stylish wool trousers, a loose burgundy shirt and a long grey tweed coat as he stepped out of the wagon like a movie star. JK ran to him like a child and hugged him so tight that his feet lost contact with the ground and his big travelling bags fell out of his hands.

- Man, you look more gorgeous than ever! I missed you so fucking much! - JK grinned putting Taehyung down and lifted the heavy bags from the ground.

- You've got a lip piercing?? - the older screamed, pointing at the mentioned little metal ring around his bestie's lower lip.

- And some tattoos too - the younger chuckled - Strict high school rules and small-town morals are far behind us, bro. This is a different world, you'll see! Tomorrow I'll show you the whole academy, you will love this place!

Tae was beyond happy as well; he smoothed his clothes and followed his enthusiastic friend in curiosity.