so far away | yoonkook

twilight : 18

yoongi tells namjoon that he's going out.

where to? namjoon had asked.

just somewhere unimportant, he'd told him.

he meets up with iseul at the bus stop and offers to walk her to work.

"so what's this all about tom and namjoon?" she asks.

it's tuesday today. the skies are bleeding bright from past hours indicating that the sun has settled down where the ocean meets the sky. yoongi's sneakers scratch against the ground producing a tune by rubber and land. iseul's heels are of a tougher and more crisp kind of song, a lovely patter of plastic on concrete.

"namjoon might still love him." yoongi's eyes catch glimpse of the bench near the convenience store as they begin pacing down the sidewalk.

"who? tom?"

"yeah. him."

they cut through an alley and turn right at the end. it's not so late but the same routine occurs each day for the residents of gangnam. always competing who had the best lights and sounds and never coming up short of extravagant or diligent.

iseul stops in front of one of the many karaoke bars along this stretch, looks at yoongi with widened eyes and crinkled brows.

yoongi sighs.

he knows it's not the best position to have a conversation in but it'll have to do. should've thought twice before dropping bombs out in the open.

"you're telling me that tom dated a man?" she folds her arms, her face coming closer to yoongi's.

"may have or may not have. namjoon told me he got dumped two years back but he's unsure if the guy who dumped him was in fact tom. he changed his hair color if that's the case. though, you told me you might've seen namjoon the other day. I'm just putting two and two together here, if my theory's correct."

"but tom? really? I never would've imagined it." she says as she shakes her head, turning to look the other way.

"nothing's impossible. he acted too flamboyant for me anyhow." he says.

yoongi gave it some thought.

though, at first he never thought of namjoon as the type who'd be dispositioned in a way where he observed complex stylistics, it showed rather late into their relationship, especially evident in namjoon's choice of interior design. so who was yoongi to judge based on physical attributes and manners? for all he knew, tom could be the man in the relationship, not namjoon.

"are you visiting today just for tom?" iseul leads him into the backyard of the host bar, squeezing through a gap on a shoulder high fence made out of wood.

"I also wanted to check on you."

she stops, looking back at yoongi as they make their way up the steps to the back door.

"you're too sweet."

"not too much but thanks." yoongi says and it makes iseul chuckle.

-

-

it's a tough job trying to get the blond host into a private conversation. yoongi doesn't want to be too obvious by chasing tom around all night but at the same time he doesn't want to waste so much time just trying to get near the guy.

it makes him wonder if tom ever gets tired of the fame. maybe yoongi's just lame like that-shooting down attention the moment he spots it-or maybe it's because it would genuinely scare him being looked at as something close to a god.

yoongi didn't like that kind of thinking. despite his own little taste of stardom at school, yoongi never grew out of being humble.

"you're doing this for namjoon, right?" iseul approaches yoongi while holding a tray of cocktails. he sits alone at the alcohol station. she helped instructing the chaperone that yoongi was just here to visit a friend.

"I need a diversion." he says, gesturing at the barista for another shot. tonight, he's actually spending his own money.

"if you don't mind me asking, what are you planning, actually?"

"just wanna give back because I've been rather selfish recently." yoongi takes the newly poured shot in a go and shivers as it hits his throat like he's swallowed a cup of ice. then it quickly transforms into a liquid warmness as it settles in his stomach.

"you're planning on getting them back together?"

"why? you didn't think I could be a fixer?" yoongi looks over at her with a brow heightened, one side of his lip quirked.

iseul hits him playfully on the shoulder and giggles. she shakes her head before she's walking away to proceed with her duties.

the night drags on like a slow burning cigarette. it kind of reminds yoongi of the way namjoon finishes the white sticks, careful not to burn himself by one but not too careful so it didn't kill him slowly.

some things make yoongi sick to his stomach, one of which was watching and learning that his younger friend had resulted to consuming almost a pack of marlboros per day. he was smart, intellect beyond his age, yet he chose to live as if he wasn't aware of the consequences awaiting his actions.

yet, again, yoongi realizes that it wasn't his responsibility in the end. if namjoon wanted yellowing fingernails and a failing lung when he's forty, then be it. let him have his own way like yoongi worked for his.

it's come down to nearing closing time when yoongi sees his opportunity.

tom is by the door, bidding customers a safe trip home and thanking them for the visit.

he's his usual gentle self; soft voice, soft skin, soft hair. he's well poised like a well-preserved doll. it's as if not but a small piece of lint could be found on his suit, like he hadn't been conversing and pacing around all night.

exhaustion is hardly evident on his face. tom seems like he just got out of the ken manufacturing building and was now prepared to entertain.

but the nightly activities were coming to a close so very few people were surrounding him now. this was an opening. so yoongi slides out of his stool by the bar after paying the tab.

fifteen-thousand won had disappeared from his wallet tonight.

"excuse me?" he approaches the blond tom on his side, gesturing with a quick wave.

tom hooks his sight on him and his grin grows wider, giving him a once-over before bowing slightly. "I thought I'd never see you again." he says when he lifts himself up to a vertical stance.

yoongi catches a shiver travelling down his back. "is that meant to be a compliment?" he asks, stepping back a few inches.

"depends on how you take my words." tom continues waving at the customers as they exit through the main hall, a smile never falters from his lips.

"yeah, buddy, I didn't wait this long to be sucked into your evil charms. I came to talk about something."

tom bows after the last customer leaves. then he looks over at yoongi, suggesting he should be leaving soon too but yoongi doesn't flinch.

"you're going to get me in trouble if you're thinking about overstaying." he says, eyeing their manager near the alcohol station.

yoongi knits his brows. "who said I wanted to talk here?"