Destination Wedding

7

Jin and Namjoon were kicking off the wedding festivities with a welcome breakfast for their parents and the wedding party. They reserved a long family-style table at the resort's famed breakfast buffet restaurant, out on a veranda surrounded by flowering plants, palms and beautiful ocean scenery. The couple wanted to enjoy an intimate meal with the core group before all of the festivities commenced and the rest of the wedding guests began to arrive.

Jimin and Taehyung, starving, eagerly found their seats beside one another near the end of the table, while Namjoon and Jin sat on the opposite end with their parents and soon-to-be in-laws. Taehyung had already been attacked with hugs and cheeky kisses by the soon-to-be-wed couple. His heart skipped being held by his brothers again. He also exchanged warm but slightly reserved greetings with his mother and father.

"So good to see you sweetie. We've missed you! But I can barely see your beautiful face. You need a haircut," his mother pressed.

"Noted, Eomma." Taehyung quipped, pushing his curly bangs back over top of his head.

He was torn away by Jimin to be introduced to Min Yoongi. He could see the appeal. He had unruly, long, black locks and a cool, mysterious demeanor. Though he did occasionally crack a smile when Jimin would be over-the-top flirtatious with him. Keep it in your pants, Jimin.

Taehyung noticed that there was an empty seat across from him, presumably for Jeongguk who must've been running behind. When he looked up past the empty chair, his heart sank, as if filled with lead.

Park Bogum was being seated at a smaller table with his parents, who must've been eager to try the restaurant as well. Taehyung immediately felt sick to his stomach. Already? Despite all of his mental preparations, seeing him again, in the flesh made his heart all achy. He suddenly felt the urge to make a break for it, growling stomach be damned. He didn't need any confrontation this morning, especially after a six hour flight.

Jimin looked up at his paled expression and saw what  Taehyung saw. "Oh, for fucks sake." He growled.

"Who is that?" Yoongi inquired, curiosity peaked by the attention the handsome man across the room was getting from multiple parties.

"My asshole brother. Tae's ex. We are not on good terms right now. Do not engage. If some sort of teams begin to form, consider yourself already reserved to ours. I need you to pledge your loyalty," Jimin deadpanned.

Yoongi grinned. "You are very dramatic aren't you, little one?"

"We're like the same height. Settle down, Labron," Jimin rebutted.

Taehyung barely heard the witty banter. "I just need a minute. I'll be right back." As he stood up, Jin furrowed his brows in question.

"Bathroom," Taehyung mouthed, scurrying out of the restaurant, following a path of large marble tiles down the veranda and out to one of several pool decks. He didn't really have to pee. He just needed some breathing room to sort himself out. He followed his feet quickly, and without looking up, ran into something warm and hard.

"Oh shit, I'm so sorry. Excuse me." Taehyung finally looked up to see a pair of large eyes and a shy smile from beneath a bucket hat looking back at him. He and the other man reflexively held each others forearms, as if they both expected the other to fall upon impact.

The stranger laughed. It was a cute little giggle for such a brawny, imposing figure. "It's all good. I wasn't paying attention either. I can't stop staring at all of the views around here." His eyes blinked in registry. "Oh my god, Taehyungie-hyung?"

Taehyung suddenly saw familiarity in the doe-eyes peering back at him. "Holy shit! Jeongguk?"

"The one and only." Jeongguk grinned. Bunny smile hasn't changed. That lip ring is new though. Damn. The two both scoffed happily in recognition of one another, and perhaps in disbelief of how they had changed.

"God, your so..." Taehyung quickly looked him over and before he could pick the adjective he was looking for, e.g. tall, muscular, handsome, GROWN, he noticed his tattooed right arm. "Wait, I think we were actually on the same flight. I recognize your tattoos. But you were otherwise all bundled up and I didn't even think for a second it was you."

"Were you checking me out while I was sleeping? So bold," Jeongguk teased.

Wait, was that a little flirt? Does he like guys? Oh, calm your sex-deprived tits, Taehyung! "I mean, yeah, I was looking at your tattoos, but can you blame me? They're beautiful. So intricate. Are you an artist or something?"

Jeongguk softened a little and studied Taehyung with calm surprise. That's interesting. Most people ask me if I'm in a biker gang or if I'm a fuckboy when they see my tattoos. "Who me? No, not really. These are not my original designs, but I work closely with friend who is a tattoo artist and she helps me illustrate my visions. Do you have any?"

"I wish. I can't make up my mind." Taehyung shrugged. He suddenly recalled waking up from his flight wrapped in a travel blanket that reportedly wasn't given to him by a flight attendant. "Wait, did you by any chance put a blanket on me during the flight, you know, when I was sleeping?"

"Wait, w-what? Ha, no... That would be a little bizarre don't you think?" Jeongguk stuttered.

"I mean, yeah, but the flight attendant told me it wasn't one of theirs. I woke up with this blanket on me and I don't know, I noticed you were sleeping with one before I fell asleep so, I don't know. Just thought I'd see if you were my knight in shining armor." Taehyung flashed a boxy smile, entertained by Jeongguk's slight flustered-ness. I think I caught him red handed.

Jeongguk looked out at the pool, avoiding Taehyung's probing gaze. He was a little overwhelmed by his smile, too. "Well, it must've been some good Samaritan, Robin Hood-type plane passenger. Lucky for you. We should probably head to breakfast now, yeah?"

Taehyung remembered the table of guests awaiting them. "Oh god, yeah, you're right. I just needed to get a breath of fresh air. I can lead you to where we're sitting."