✔ || Distract Me

Chapter 17

It was late when the members returned to the dorm, and even later for Jeongguk, who stayed behind to record a cover for their SoundCloud. Taehyung and Hoseok offered to stay with him, but Jeongguk had refused. He'd rather do it alone, where he could lose himself in the notes and allow each crescendo to tug his heart along the swelling measures. His hair was freshly dyed and his scalp itched, but it wasn't bad and he was so used to the feeling by now that he could easily ignore it.

Jeongguk set up his mic and lifted his headphones onto his head, taking a breath. His eyes slid shut as he pressed Play on the track, music flooding his ears. He sung until it was perfect and then sang it again just for good measure. Once happy with how it sounded, Jeongguk set to work splicing it all together.

Suddenly, there were arms draped around his neck. They were startling light, a familiar sensation, and Jeongguk jumped, pressing a hand to his chest, "Hyung, you scared me. I thought you went home?"

The arms slithered away and Jeongguk looked up with a smile that instantly turned into a look of pure terror.

Raphael - Jeongguk didn't know how he knew it was him, but he did - grinned wickedly down at him. There was an ethereal light about him, though it wasn't as blinding as it had been in the memory Taehyung had shared with him. The maknae could make out pale lips and a long romanesque nose through the hazy glow. Raphael's voice rattled Jeongguk's bones as he said, "It sounds beautiful, little one."

Jeongguk snapped to his senses and stood up, knocking the chair back in his haste. "Get the fuck away from me."

Raphael reached towards him and Jeongguk stumbled away from his outstretched hand. The archangel just laughed and latched onto Jeongguk's arm. The maknae hissed as if he'd been burned, and in a way, he had. The archangel's touch was as hot as a branding iron. Raphael ignored his squirming and whispered in a sickly-sweet voice, "You're a phase, little one. Taehyung doesn't really love you. How could he?"

And then Raphael leaned forward to press a kiss against Jeongguk's lips. Fury gripped the maknae's throat and it was stronger than his fear. With a roar, Jeongguk swung his free fist forward with all his might. Instead of connecting with Raphael's face, though, he fell forward, his momentum carrying him through the now-empty air. He shuffled to his feet and wound his head around, searching. His heart was pounding in his ears, but he could still hear the faint laugh as the last of the archangel's presence disappeared from the studio.

Jeongguk stood in the middle of the room, the walls closing in on him, before robotically picking up his chair. He sat down, turning back to his screen, and slid his headphones on, willing his heart to calm down. He tried to continue working, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was someone behind him. After looking over his shoulder enough times to make his neck ache, Jeongguk rubbed his hands down his face and grabbed his coat. He wouldn't get anything else done tonight. The studio was too dark, too large, too quiet. He texted the driver to pick him up and left the building, forcing himself not to run. It was freezing outside, but he wasn't comfortable inside the studio by himself. The phantom sensation of Raphael's hand on his bare arm made him scratch at the spot irritably. A few minutes later, the driver rolled up, and Jeongguk blew out a cloudy breath and jogged to hop in the car.

Taehyung was asleep when Jeongguk entered their room, curled into a ball with his back to the door. Jeongguk reached up to run a hand through his hair, itching his scalp, and huffed, dropping his jacket on the floor. He stepped closer to the sleeping boy, shucking off his shirt and kicking off his pants until he was left in his boxers. Taehyung stirred as Jeongguk slid into bed beside him and rolled to face the maknae, throwing an arm around him. "Done working?" he mumbled against Jeongguk's bare shoulder.