glass-cased doll ✩ | t.k

11. at his mercy

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

"Oh wait, Give me that for a moment?" Taehyung said and stopped mid-walk while they were on their way to go check out the band performance, abruptly letting go of Jeongguk's hand. His gaze was on the camera that was hanging from the doll's neck.

Following Taehyung's gaze, "My camera?" Jeongguk questioned and instantly checked the battery, which was already dead as he had expected. "It's dead, hyung. Sorry."

Taehyung didn't look disappointed at all, still holding out his big hand. "It's alright, can I have it anyway?"

"Okay.. sure." Jeongguk gave Taehyung a quizzical look as he removed the camera strap from around his neck and handed the camera over.

Taehyung carefully accepted the camera, swiftly pulled the strap over his head so that the camera was now hanging around his neck. "Okay, let's go?"

He grinned at the dumbfounded look on Jeongguk's face and gently reached for the doll's hand again, and their fingers intertwined again, bringing back the sense of security and comfort to Jeongguk. He knew it would be fruitless to argue about the camera anyways.

When they got there, the performance buzzed with the energy of a popular local band, drawing a massive crowd, which didn't surprise Taehyung and Jeongguk, both familiar with the band's fame especially amongst younger crowds. Finding a spot with ample space to enjoy the music, they swayed along with the crowd to the soft pop-rock tunes, one of the band's hit songs.

Taehyung noticed Jeongguk's extreme focus out of the corner of his eye as they settled in. He leaned in slightly and gave the doll's hand a gentle squeeze. "Is it the bassist guy or...?"

"What? No," Jeongguk shook his head, chuckling softly. "I just think musical instruments are really cool."

"Oh, makes sense," Taehyung nodded, feigning casualness. "Cause I'm pretty sure I'm so much hotter than that guy." He shrugged, his gaze fixed on the stage.

Jeongguk bursted into laughter, used to the kind of things that Taehyung would say that were so inherently him. "But can you play the bass, though?" He teased playfully.

Taehyung turned to him, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Would that make me hotter in your eyes?"

"Nah, I think you're already hitting the hotness ceiling from what I've seen today." Jeongguk replied lightly, referring to Taehyung's flawless performance at the debate earlier. He felt another gentle squeeze from Taehyung's hand. Right, the wind was still caressing them and their hands were still intertwined.

Taehyung leaned in closer, his voice soft and teasing, he whispered, "Are you flirting with me, Jeongguk-ah?"

Jeongguk's head instinctively turned to meet Taehyung's, their faces too close for comfort. A blush tinted his cheeks, and he quickly shifted his gaze forward, trying to mask his flustered reaction.

"Well to be fair, everyone flirts with you, hyung."

"But I don't hold everyone's hands." Taehyung couldn't stop himself from saying that— not that he dreaded that much of what was gonna happen next.