LIMIT ° you . kth . jjk [18+]

eight

There was no other word to describe the journey back home, besides 'awkward'. To an outsider, you two must've looked like strangers to each other. Taehyung walked a few steps ahead of you, never once turning back to see if you were still following him. The idea of just slowly backing away and finding your own path back home had crossed your mind one too many times, but your fear of his unpredictable temper prevented courage from taking over and you simple trailed after him silently.

You wanted to ask him where he was taking you. It certainly wasn't your apartment complex, and from the twists and turns, you were starting to feel disoriented in your own town. This was it. He was going to bring you to a dark alley and murder you.

Yup.

You had already mentally prepared a will in your mind until you entered an unfamiliar neighbourhood with high rise buildings stretched out towards the orange skies. This definitely did not look like a seedy slum.

Neatly trimmed topiary and lush green lawns painted the usually dull and monochromatic cityscape with a fresh burst of colour. Decorating every corner were trendy restaurants and cafes as opposed to the common convenience store that seemed to assail Seoul's streets. There was no doubting it -- Taehyung had brought you to the highly affluent side of town.

You wanted to marvel at the luxurious landscape, but your painfully unrefined brain was preoccupied with one thing - how you going to get home. You supposed you should've paid more attention on the walk.

Your feet aimlessly followed behind Taehyung while your eyes shot from corner to corner, attempting to find some familiar cornerstone that would give you a sense of your general location.

Before you knew it, you had passed bronze doors and entered into an extravagant complex. The doorman tipped his hat off to the distant teen ahead of you, and you could only assume that Taehyung had brought you to his home. For such a rich kid, why did he even take the subway in the morning?

"Taehyung, do you live here?" You asked carefully, finally breaking the silence between the two of you.

"Sort of. It's closer to school, so my parents allowed me to stay here with a friend." Taehyung replied, and you felt like you were beginning to get some insight into his private life.

"Is your friend going to be home today?" You so desperately wanted him to say 'yes' because as much as you liked your privacy with him, you knew nothing wholesome came from being alone with him -- much like the incredibly tense elevator ride you were having right now.

The male didn't reply but the corner of his lips curled into an ambiguous smirk that caused your stomach to flip in uncertainty.

"Why did you bring me here?"

The glass doors separated, revealing a large living room, decorated with black and white furniture, fully exploding with modernity and opulence. Was this what a penthouse looked like? You were sure you were gaping rather rudely, but you had no clue how wealthy Taehyung was. Or at least, how wealthy his friends were.

"I just felt like it." He finally answered, once again providing you with the same vague response that mirrored his earlier conversation with you in the infirmary.

"Oh god, are you going to bring me to some creepy sex dungeon?" You blurted out, uncouthly. You couldn't help it. Everything just screamed 'high-end-love-motel'.

"What are you trying to do now? Fifty shades of gray?" A groan escaped your lips and you tip-toed away from the boy who seemed like he was trying his best to hold in his amusement from your wild imagination.

Then you heard it - Taehyung's unrestrained laughter. You had heard it before of course, but that was always amongst his friends. In front of you, he never behaved loudly or in a hyper manner. You were starting to think his 'alien' personality was just a myth, but the lively sound of his voice that bounced off the high walls of his enormous house seemed to change the strained atmosphere around you and your tensed muscles began to slowly relax.

"Sorry to disappoint, it's still under construction." He joked, shaking his head, still in disbelief of your previous response. A small smile appeared on your face as you listened to him and hesitantly, you began to hope that he was lowering his guard around you. Perhaps today you could actually get somewhere with him. You could only wish.

"Honestly, I wanted to bring you here for another challenge after what happened in the afternoon," Taehyung began and shifted his gaze to the ground as he spoke.

"But then I saw you and Jungkook just having fun together." He paused, looking as if he were trying to piece a proper phrase together.

"I always assumed he hung out with you to annoy me, or because he was just too nice to ignore you like I did. I guess I really don't know you at all." He fidgeted with the sleeves of his jacket and finally raised his eyes to look at you. Within that moment you could spot faint glimpses of guilt gleaming in brown orbs.

Your anticipation began to rise and you pressed your lips together in silence, repressing your desire to gape stupidly at his sudden epiphany.

"So, should we actually get to know each other?" He asked, his deep voice heightened in pitch making him sound a million times cuter than he already was.

"Y-yes!" You practically yelled out, far too eager for your own good. In his eyes, you must've looked like an expectant puppy because an unprecedentedly kind smile curved onto his lips as he studied your expression.

He gestured to the coffee table beside the balcony, motioning for you to join him. Without second thoughts, you followed suit and sat down across from him as you tried to calm the restless palpitations of your heart. This was the development you were praying for. A simple talk with Taehyung, without any unnecessary touching. Your luck hadn't run out yet, it seemed.

"Um, so how should we do this?" You asked as awkwardness stirred in your chest. "Should we just...talk?" Social interaction was never your strong suit. Friendship in high school never required planning, it just happened organically over time. This was anything but natural, it was forced and you didn't know how to acclimatize yourself to the foreign situation.

The handsome teenager rested his chin on his palm and let out a soft hum as he mulled over the options.

"Let's make it interesting." He proposed.

"I'm not doing anything that involves stripping." You quickly added as insurance. If he brought up 'strip chess' or anything of that sordid nature, you would leave so quickly he would've thought you were The Flash.

"You need to get your mind out of the gutter." He raised a brow and shook his head incredulously.

That coming from Taehyung was all sorts of irony. But you would keep that to yourself.

"How about we just play a game of Truth or Truth? Since someone is too chicken for dares." He mused, mocking your lack of bravery. Clearly he knew how to wrap you around his little finger because as soon as he challenged your fortitude, you knew you had to stand your ground.

"Please. Don't underestimate me." This must've been a sentence you had repeated too many times in front of him. As if he expected it, a playful smirk washed over his warm facade and it was then you knew you had fallen into his trap.

...

( author's notes ) sorry for this filler chapter. but um, the next ch will prob be released real soon? tomorrow?