Boy By The Sea • taekook

Eleven

The fog is thick and opaque, spreading through the streets and swallowing up the dwellings in the distance. It's warmer than the fog in his dreams, palpable and moist on his skin.

The streetlights cast luminosity into the fog. Jeongguk walks on the sidewalk slowly, passing through each column of light before stepping into the intermittent darkness. Occasionally, a set of headlights would peek through the end of the street, two lines of amber beams shifting and wobbling in the fog as a car zooms closer. Jeongguk glances, and continues towards his destination.

His thought meanders, back to the melody Taehyung practiced on guitar last night, legs splayed over the couch lazily, asking him for tips on certain parts from time to time. There's rosiness on his cheeks, and his face is no longer gaunt. The August air was sticky, but Taehyung wanted the AC off and windows open. Isn't the noise from the street nice, he said, eyes half lidded and smelling faintly of shampoo from the shower.

It scares Jeongguk how easily he finds contentment in moments like these, lazy hours where they just coexist next to each other. His brain is blissfully free from all the incessant chatters, and instead of pulling out work, he tries to relax when Taehyung is around. Looking up from his book occasionally, Jeongguk would catch him focusing on the guitar, nose scrunched up cutely, looking relaxed and at home. As if he's been around forever.

Jeongguk's thoughts are pulled back to the present as he gets closer to the destination. Tucked beside a row of closed shops, Bar Abraxas's neon "open" sign flickers. The fog dissipates around him, as he walks towards the door.

Jeongguk steps inside and into another world. Jazz is in the air, light and jovial notes coming from the piano on a small stage. Jeongguk notices a few people lingering about, as he makes his way to the bar.

He sees Taehyung right away - hair pushed back under a bright red bandana, hands busying with drying glasses on the counter, but eyes glazed over and nodding absently to the person seated in front of him on a barstool.

Jeongguk's stomach flutters as he walks closer. Like a damn teenager, he shakes his head inwardly and speaks up, "What kind of scotch you got here?"

Taehyung's eyes light up, and a genuine smile plays on his lips. The world dims around them. Taehyung's joy is always transparent and contagious.

"Did you get lost in your own neighborhood or what? Never thought I'd ever see you here."

Jeongguk speaks innocently, "I wanted a drink."

Taehyung squints at him with smiling eyes and deadpans, "Sure, lemme guess, drinking your expensive ass stuff gets boring and you want to come see how the peasants live."

Jeongguk indulges him and doesn't respond, but signals at the bottle of Glenfiddich single malt behind him on the shelf. Taehyung grabs a glass and fills it with ice, "It won't taste as good as the stuff at home, don't say I didn't warn you..." His mumbling trails off but the smile doesn't falter.

Jeongguk hears the person seated at the bar let out a click of the tongue, before turning to face him, "And here I was, thinking we were having a private conversation."

The voice is impatient, but dripping with charm. Messy blonde hair, petite face with delicate features. There's something about his gaze, dark eyes scanning him up and down, like a predator lazily eyeing a prey, trying to decide whether it's worth the effort.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" The stranger looks onto Taehyung with a smirk.

Taehyung frowns and hands Jeongguk the drink wordlessly.

"Guess not. Name is Taemin, I already know yours, Jeongguk." He extends out his hand. It's thin and cold to the touch, Jeongguk shakes it stiffly.

Jeongguk pulls up a chair by the bar and eyes Taehyung, "Not busy tonight?"

A shrug, "Never is. If there's a song you wanna hear, go tell Chanyeol by the piano, he's pretty much the jukebox."

Jeongguk sips on his drink and nods.

"Aww, how sweet. I always hear you guys are close." Taemin tilts his head sideways and exclaims flatly.

He eyes Taehyung with a wicked glint in his gaze, "Although I suppose everyone falls for this one sooner or later."

Taehyung shoots him an icy glare, his hands pause with the drying rag, "Don't you have somewhere to go to?"

Taemin swivels his barstool, "Tsk tsk, trying to get rid of me now that you got your sugar daddy? Harsh."

Arching a brow at Jeongguk to ensure his attention, Taemin leans over the bar to lift Taehyung's chin, "Maybe you shouldn't cut your ties so quickly, babe. You did crawl back to me just four months ago."

Jeongguk's torso stiffens. Taehyung shoves Taemin's hand away roughly. Jeongguk takes another sip before speaking up, "When you get off?"

"Not for a while," Taehyung responds, worrying his lip between his teeth. Jeongguk has the sudden urge to grab him and take him away from the bar, never to come back.

Taemin retracts himself back to the seat, and taps on the counter, "I bet you're curious, what was Tae's life like, before he met you?"

He looks onto Taehyung smugly, "My bird dog. Always so good at surviving, makes you see stars in bed, as he digs a knife straight through your heart-"

"Stop!" Taehyung growls. He rips Taemin's half empty drink off the counter, "I think you should leave now."

Before Taemin can respond, another voice speaks up from the other end of the bar, "Ya! Stop bugging my bartender! Get out!"

Jeongguk turns to see a tall dude with broad shoulders walking briskly over. His starched shirt is perfectly tailored and a tad too expensive for the dingy bar, eyes blazing like a mother hen, "You heard him! Get out before we kick you out!"

Taemin rolls his eyes and stands up languidly. He gives one last look at Taehyung, voice nonchalant, "Always pretending you could do better somehow. You'll have to beg harder next time."

The tall man scowls towards Taemin as he saunters towards the door, "Never liked that guy, him being your "friend" and all." He pats Taehyung hard on the back, "Just holler for me next time, or Chanyeol. Wait, Chanyeol is pretty weak, so maybe Kyungsoo then, wait Kyungsoo doesn't even talk so maybe-"

"Jin!" Taehyung interrupts him and points at Jeongguk, "This is Jeongguk, my... friend."

Jin's eyes light up as he gives Jeongguk a once over, "Ohh this one is better. Just friend, you said?" He winks at Taehyung, earning a pained sigh.

"Love the music here." Jeongguk nods in acknowledgment, glance drifting back to Taemin absently as he slams the door behind him.

"Yeah, jazz, a bit of a dying art." Jin beams at him, and starts to help out Taehyung behind the bar, "Which reminds me - of a joke. Say, what's the difference between a jazz musician and an insurance policy?" The pitch of his voice suddenly grows higher, and his eyes shine with mirth.

"Oh no..." Taehyung groans and throws the rag on the bar, "I'm gonna go take a smoke break now, boss. All yours." He hurries out from behind the bar, and grabs Jeongguk's hand, "Let's go, pretty sure I've earned this."

Jeongguk follows, turning around to see a happy Jin waving at them as they rush out, "Come back when you are done, Jeongguk! I can tell you're a man who appreciates good jokes!"