CRIMSON LIES (TAEKOOK)

3.(THE MEET)

🩹
The morning was anything but normal for Taehyung. He was a complete mess, pacing around his room in frustration.

"What should I wear? Ugh, this isn't working with my hair color! And my legs-do I need to shave them? No, wait. I'm wearing jeans! But still..." He groaned, running his hands through his hair. His eyes darted to the clock. Jimin had promised to show up early to help, but there was no sign of him. "That midget," Taehyung muttered. Just as he was about to send a string of angry texts, he heard a knock on the door.

When Taehyung opened it, there stood Jimin, sipping coffee as if he hadn't kept his best friend waiting for what felt like hours.

"Hey, buddy," Jimin greeted casually, stepping inside.

"Pfft. 'Hey, buddy?'" Taehyung mocked, crossing his arms. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you? Feels like a century!"

Jimin plopped onto the bed, ignoring Taehyung's scowl. He took another sip of coffee and glanced at the pile of clothes Taehyung had thrown onto the bed. "Alright, let's see what you've got here." He sifted through the options before sighing. "Nope, none of this works. It's not doing you justice. Here-try this." He held up a blue sweatshirt dress and a pair of sneakers.

Taehyung quickly changed and stepped out, looking at Jimin nervously. "How do I look? Should I just cancel? This feels like a bad idea. What if he doesn't like me? What if he doesn't even show up?" His voice trembled as anxiety seeped into every word.

"Settle down!" Jimin said, shaking him by the shoulders. "It's just a date. Relax. Now, go wash your face, focus on your eyeliner, and let me handle the rest. You're not leaving this house until I've done your makeup."

Taehyung huffed. "But how are you going to do my eyeliner if I don't close my eyes?"

"Then shut them before I *make* you," Jimin said with a smirk, holding up the eyeliner pencil like a weapon. "Trust me, you'll look flawless. Let's go with blue eyeliner-it'll complement your outfit perfectly."

"Fine, but..." Taehyung hesitated. "What if I mess this up? What if he's not the person I think he is?"

"Stop overthinking," Jimin replied, carefully applying the eyeliner. "Don't anticipate; just react. Live in the moment, Taetae. You'll do great."

Taehyung sighed, nodding slightly. "Jimin, do you ever feel like there's something missing between you and Yoongi-hyung?"

Jimin paused, his expression softening. "Sometimes. But it's not something I can explain. We're happy-we just... need someone who grounds us, you know? There's a bond, but it's complicated."

Taehyung smiled. "I'll pray for you. You deserve to be happy, Jimin."

Jimin ruffled Taehyung's hair affectionately. "Thanks, my dear Taetae. Now, let's check you out in the mirror. Ready?"

When Taehyung caught his reflection, his jaw dropped. "Oh my god!"

"What? What's wrong?" Jimin asked, startled.

Taehyung turned to him, a grin spreading across his face. "Who is this angel? Whoever it is, they'd be crazy not to date me!" He struck a dramatic pose, earning an exasperated laugh from Jimin.

"Hi, my narcissistic brat," Jimin teased, smirking. "You look amazing. Now let's get going."

The two headed downstairs, where Taehyung's mom and eomma were seated at the breakfast table, engaged in a conversation that was clearly not meant for young ears. Taehyung cleared his throat.

"Good morning, Mommy. Good morning, Eomma," he greeted sweetly.

"Good morning, my cherry," Taesha replied, smiling warmly.