Evanescent

Chapter 11

"So where are you from?"

Taehyung surveyed the pink haired man over the rim of his coffee cup. He'd thought that Jimin was intuitive, but he hadn't expected the real questions to begin quite so soon. He'd thought that they'd be more careful around him. But as he set down his cup, watched hawkishly by Jimin, he realised that regular social norms and rules didn't apply to Jimin.

And that made his job harder.

The thought seized him so suddenly that he accidentally knocked the cup on the edge of the table, warm liquid splashing everywhere. .

Jimin narrowed his eyes at Taehyung, sipping his lavender tea. He turned around, craning his neck to look at the closed door of the restroom, before turning to look at the slightly flustered blond again. Jimin sighed, passing a pink napkin to the flustered boy.

"You're so clumsy."

"You're so nosy." Taehyung retorted. He took the napkin from the short boy and spread it on the table, making sure not to look at him. God, Jimin was right. He sure was clumsy.

Clumsy enough to get distracted by the pink haired annoyance.

"Yeah, I'm not the one holed up in someone else's house." Jimin scoffed. His attempts at being civil and trying to get some information out of the blond were being shot down but he wasn't one to give up.

Taehyung's neck turned red at that. He hated this small man. Being all tough and cocky around Jungkook was no big deal- that boy was already a mess- but Jimin seemed to see through his facade down in seconds.

"What do you want, Jimin?"

Jimin's eyes sparkled at that. Damn, this was easy. He looked back towards the restroom again and then turned to fix Taehyung with his best smirk.

"You're not from here, are you?"

Had Taehyung been drinking his now-cold coffee, he would have choked,but the cup was safely on the table now. His hands balled into fists on the table and he had to force himself not to lunge at the smirking pink-haired boy.

"What gave it away?" He asked tersely.

Jimin rolled his eyes. "Your accent, what else?"

Shit. The accent.

"You're from Busan. That's where Jungkook is from." He leaned forward, his elbows on the table, pushing his tea aside. "Is this just a coincidence? Or-"

Taehyung slammed his fist on the table, his nostrils flaring with rage, Jimin's spot on instincts making him lose confidence ever so slightly in his plan. He knew he was about to cause a scene but Jimin had pressed all his wrong buttons.

"That is none of your business! You don't need to fucking know my bio-data."

Jimin was slightly shocked by the boy's sudden outburst but he regained his composure.

"That is my business, you stupid blond creature. You've invaded my-"

"Invaded?!" Taehyung screeched. He was quickly losing control over the situation.

"Yes, invaded! You invaded my best friend's house when he's clearly not in a condition to even take care of his own self. He's wasted half the time. He lives off cup noodles and soda, and now you're trying to blackmail him? Don't think I don't see right through your tricks! I-"

"Excuse me, guys. I'm sorry to interrupt but the other customers are complaining so do you mind keeping it down?" A young waitress stood before them, shifting uncomfortably on her feet.

The boys looked up at her in unison, their eyes narrowed into slits but she was right. When Jimin looked around, he could see the ugly looks being thrown their way.

"Complaining? Who's complaining?"

Jungkook's soft voice broke the silence as the boy slipped in beside Jimin. He was oblivious to the people staring at them and when the waitress went to explain that people were complaining about the two boys who were ready to kill each other, Jimin glared at her, daring her to go on, daring her to defy him and anger him even further.

The waitress shut up immediately. Bowing quickly, she turned on her heels and scurried away from their table.

"It's nothing, Kookie. Let's go." He got up and tossed a few bills on the table, motioning Taehyung to follow. The blond was still angry but he nodded. He wasn't enjoying the attention anyway.

"Wait what? We're leaving? But i haven't even ordered yet. I'm hungry, hyung." Jungkook whined but got to his feet anyway.

"We'll get something. Let's go now."

The three boys walked out of the diner, Jungkook sulking and whining about how hungry he was. For a moment he forgot about Taehyung. It was just him and Jimin. But when the blond boy turned and shoved a muffin in his hand, Jungkook shut up immediately,

"Where'd you get this from?" He looked at the blueberry muffin, slightly squished but edible.

"Just shut up and eat it. You're like a goddamn baby." Taehyung snapped. He didn't tell the younger that he'd picked it off an older guy's plate, who was too busy on his phone, while they were leaving.

Jungkook glared at the boy but took a bite from the muffin anyway.

"You had your coffee. I didn't."

Taehyung sighed at that, "Be grateful, you brat."

"You're one to speak, Taehyung."

Jimin could hear the boys bantering behind him. He could feel that something was off about the blond but he couldn't tell what. If it were up to him, he would have kicked the boy out hours ago but he knew that he couldn't. Taehyung was smart. He glanced back to see the two boys still bickering. Taehyung towered over Jungkook's frame- which was quite shocking as Jungkook wasn't petite- and the boy's clothes were a size too small. He bit his lip as he made his way through the lazy streets of the city, wondering if he could trust Taehyung.

Maybe he was just an innocent person who'd been attacked by his best friend. Jimin sighed, but then he caught a quick flash of that frightening cold glint that he'd seen in Taehyung's eyes, a look that was so quick Jimin was unsure of whether or not he'd imagined it. And all thoughts of trust went out of the window.

No. Not yet. Not until he came clean.

Jimin needed to know why he was here. So he turned to the two boys and looped his arm around Jungkook's shoulder, pulling the boy close to him.

He didn't trust Taehyung around Jungkook. Not with the way his eyes seemed to linger on the younger boy's face every time he looked away. 

A/n- Beta'd by reallysmallgang