Just Friends

Chapter 3

"WAIT! STOP! I'M HERE! Please don't let that train leave!"

"What an idiot," Yoongi blurts out through a laugh as he watches Namjoon dispute with the attendant outside to let him on board.

"Are they gonna let him on??" Jeongguk asks with eyes round and big with hope, forehead pressed eagerly against the glass.

For some reason, Taehyung is finding himself staring, thinking how cute he looks right now. Adoring that naïveté of his that still lingers no matter how much life he experiences.

Like now, after knowing Namjoon for as long as he has and yet he's never before seen him get into a heated argument with anyone like this before. Which is understandable, due to Namjoon's more patient, level-headed nature.

In fact, he's the one they usually call to step in and handle any sort of issues or complications.

They hear one last muffled shout as Namjoon pleads with the attendant. He points to the window where he can see the rest of his group waiting for him and it seems to do the trick.

The attendant gives in and escorts Namjoon over to the train door.

Jimin sighs with relief. "Looks like they're letting him on."

A few moments later, they see Namjoon quickly move down the isle as he makes his way to the group. His hair is stuck to his skin with sweat and he's out of breath, panting with a relieved look on his face.

"I... made... it," he huffs out between breaths as he plops his backpack onto the table and slumps into the seat next to Hoseok.

Jin shakes his head at him from across the booth. "What was it this time?"

Namjoon pulls out a wrinkled up shirt from his bag and uses it to wipe the sweat off his face and neck. "I had to take care of some urgent business at the studio and lost track of time," he lets out huskily, still trying to catch his breath. "Sorry, guys."

"Hey, we're just glad you're here man," Hoseok shoots him a brilliant, reassuring smile then slaps Namjoon on his back a couple of times, making him wince.

—><—

For the first hour of the trip, Taehyung is silent as he leans against the window and stares out at nothing, completely lost in thought, wondering why he's suddenly so nervous around Jeongguk now ever since his dream.

He expected a little awkwardness, a little hidden embarrassment. But not this—not barely being able to interact with him, refusing to play card games with him or sharing headphones and listening to music like they usually would.

"I'm just tired," Taehyung had smiled, completely avoiding eye contact with a disappointed Jeongguk when he told his half-lie. Half a lie because he is tired. But only half because that's not something that would typically stop him.

What is stopping him from resuming a completely normal interaction with Jeongguk is the tension Taehyung feels every time he laughs or even looks his way.

Which he keeps doing. Way more often than usual.

Jeongguk's probably noticed a weird vibe from him. And now he's probably concerned about Taehyung. Like he usually is.

And that's what's annoying Taehyung right this second. That everyone and everything around him is proceeding as usual, except for him. He's so twisted at this point, it feels like he doesn't even know who he is at all anymore.

What the hell happened inside of him to cause this? And how did it happen so easily??

Where did this dream about Jeongguk arise from, and why did it leave him feeling so differently?