Fallen (Taekook)

CH 4 - Cold & Hot

It had been a month since Jungkook first met V. The beautiful man would drop by the coffee shop just about every day that Jungkook worked. And every day when V showed up, the playlist would change to an angel-related song. Jungkook puzzled over the music, but inevitably it would slip his mind as he made small talk with the beauty.

Jungkook dreamt of the stunning and mysterious V just about every night. Most of the dreams were of normal things, but occasionally his dreams would become so steamy that he would wake up hot and sweaty. Every day he told himself that today would be the day to ask the beauty out. And every day his plans would fall from his brain as soon as he locked eyes with V. Jungkook felt repeatedly knocked senseless around the man. A single glance from the beauty, even weeks after first seeing him, sent Jungkook into a daze.

One morning after the pre-work rush, Jungkook was doing dishes when he noticed the music abruptly changing to a song that he was certain wasn't on his playlist. As he reached over to check his phone, he saw that the song was Fifth Harmony's "Angel." An adorable bunny smile began forming on his face as he heard the familiar bells chime indicating a customer. Before even looking up, he knew that it was the stunner that he was developing strong feelings towards.

"Mr. V, sir. It's always good to see you again." It really was good to see him. As he looked upon the man's striking features, Jungkook thought back to one of his dreams and realized that this song had been playing. He flashed to a particularly steamy part of the dream and could feel his cheeks turning red. He shook his head as if in disbelief that the beautiful man standing in front of him was real.

"How does that always happen when you show up?" Jungkook wondered out loud about his playlist. After the first time it happened, he triple checked his phone to figure out if these songs were being added without him doing it, but his playlist always looked unchanged.

Taehyung had overheard the young man and had to stifle a laugh. Of course he was used to effecting art wherever he went. Throughout his time on planet Earth, artists had painted and sculpted his likeness, musicians wrote songs, and writers had written poems in tribute. "How does what keep happening?"

Jungkook focused his gaze on the angel and managed to keep control of his senses long enough to have a conversation. "This song. It's not on my playlist. This always happens when you show up. Is it you? Did you change my playlist somehow?" "Are you a hacker or something?"

"Hacker?" Taehyung puzzled over the word for a second before remembering what it meant as he flashed to a movie he'd seen several decades earlier with he same name. He bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud, but then broke into a boxy smile. "Would it make you feel better if I said 'Yes'?" He watched as the barista looked puzzled. "Honestly, I have that effect on devices sometimes."

"What do you mean, you have that effect? Are you messing with me? Who are you, really?" Jungkook's eyebrows knitted together as he tried to figure out whether this man, while gorgeous, was insane or something.

Taehyung considered being honest about who he was, when the bells chimed again. A shorter, redheaded man walked into the café with a mischievous look on his face. He stopped a few feet away and gazed between Jungkook and Taehyung. The man sidled up to Taehyung and flung an arm around his shoulders. "Taehyung! So nice to see you again. It's been a few decades."

"Decades?" Jungkook puzzled over the new customer's words. He wasn't sure that he liked this person. Something about the man made his skin crawl. He also didn't like the way he was hanging all over ... "Taehyung? I thought your name was 'V'?"

The new man chuckled and bumped up against Taehyung conspiratorially. "Are you still using the artists' name? The one you drove insane?"

"Insane?!" Jungkook whispered aloud. He wondered if maybe his first impressions of V, if that was his name, were inaccurate. He watched awkwardly at the two men stared at each other. Jungkook got the distinct impression that his angel was not happy to see this new guy.

"Angel?" Jungkook thought to himself. He felt confused as flashback images from his dreams invaded his head. He thought of the "angel" music from his dreams and the songs that would play anytime Taehyung came into the café. That's when he noticed that the music was different again. Only this time he recognized the song as "Devil" by Super Junior.

"What the hell?" Jungkook asked, and then seemed shocked that he said that out loud. He shook his head to try to clear his thoughts. When he looked back up, he noticed that two sets of eyes were staring at him. The stranger was clearly checking Jungkook up and down with a smirk on his face.

Jungkook locked eyes with Taehyung, a slight panic rising in his chest, and he wasn't quite sure why, which made it worse. Taehyung wheeled on the redhead, eyebrows furrowed, and demanded, "Chan, why are you here?"

"Don't get your panties in a twist," Chan replied. "I just dropped by to see you. I heard you'd been hanging around this coffee shop for awhile and wanted to see for myself." Chan looked back over at the young barista and laughed out loud. "Now I see what the attraction is."

Taehyung gasped at what Chan was insinuating. "The coffee here is amazing. I don't know what you're implying, but I think you should leave."

"You know exactly what I'm implying. My comrades have been keeping an eye on you forever. I think you and I are not that dissimilar."

A new track started playing on the Bluetooth speakers and Jungkook recognized it as the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil." A chill ran down the length of his spine as he looked between the two men standing toe to toe. He took in a deep breath, pulled his shoulders back, and spoke up.

"Mr. V is one of our best customers. I do not appreciate the tone you're taking with him and think you should leave." Jungkook felt his blood run cold as Chan turned a menacing look at him, eyes narrowed.

"Maybe you finally found what you've been looking for?" Chan relaxed his shoulders and the smirk reappeared on his face. He glanced over at Taehyung, and this expression transformed into a relaxed smile. "I'll get out of your hair. Don't want to steal your man or anything."

"Not a chance in hell." Jungkook gasped as those words left his mouth. "Where on earth is my filter?" he thought to himself. He really didn't want to do or say anything that could get him fired, and was thankful the owner wasn't in the café just then.

Laughing, Chan said to Taehyung, "You know how to find me, if you ever need to talk." With those words, he turned and walked out of the café. The atmosphere immediately lightened as he left, and the music abruptly changed.

"Friend of yours?" Jungkook asked the angel.

"He used to be, but no, not really."

"Good. I don't like him." Jungkook's eyes narrowed as he thought about the questionable man who had just left.

As Beyoncé sang "Halo" the two men looked at each other. Taehyung's face broke into a smile. "That's because you are a good person," he said to the young man. The angel then held out a hand to the barista, "It's past time I introduce myself. I'm Taehyung and I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me sometime?"

Jungkook grasped the angel's hand and felt a blush creep up his neck. He smiled and nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yes, I would love that."

In the background Beyoncé sang, "Baby, I can feel your halo. Pray it won't fall away."

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