Strings

8| Taehyung

"M-match." Jungkook stuttered.

Damn it, not like that! But I wouldn't mind... Shut up!!! You just met like three days ago!!! "For the project, silly." Tae grinned.

"Oh, yeah," he chuckled nervously. "I should probably go, so Jimin can sleep."

Wanting to spend some more time with the younger he volunteered to walk him out. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed when he recalled Jimin's drunken behavior. Hopefully, Jimin would be ashamed and apologize for 'feeling him up.' His partner, however, seemed unfazed--in fact he seemed amused!

"You know, I didn't really think you were the type to 'hang out' with people."  He spoke casually, fishing for more on his mysterious partner.

"I'm not," Jungkook smiled softly. "I thought Yoongi hyung would enjoy it."

"You really like him." Tae observed.

Jungkook looked at him surprised. "You make it sound, hmm...Yoongles -- only I can call him that, by the way -- he's like another brother."

Has a brother, Tae mentally noted.

"He taught me how to play." Jungkook whispered.

"Wow." Tae breathed. "He must be, like, a piano god."

Jungkook nodded in agreement. Taehyung realized that he and Jungkook had made it to the park already.

"Oops." He mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Oh, I walked too far." He ran a hand through his hair, but looked up as he made the executive decision for both of them. "Hey, I'm gonna swing! Let's go!"

He grabbed Jungkook's hand with no further warning and pulled him into the playground. He picked the swing that was the highest off the ground and began pumping his legs. Jungkook leaned against the pole laughing at Tae's childish behavior.

"I think," he wheezed, "the alcohols' kicking in!"

Grinning triumphantly, Tae disagreed. "It certainly is for you, you're finally loosening up. Me? I'm always like this."

Jungkook settled himself on the neighboring swing, nodding thoughtfully. "I'm certainly not drunk, but I am more comfortable than in class this morning."

He wasn't wrong. That morning, Tae had tried to greet him and he'd almost fallen off his chair. Tae barely kept from giggling at the spectacle, but he managed.

"I did notice you weren't much of a talker."

Jungkook nodded, twirling on his swing.

"Hey, don't do that; you'll kick me!" Tae whined.

"What?" Jungkook smirked, turning until he couldn't anymore. "Like this?"

He let go and Tae squealed, walking his swing out of kicking range.

"Jerk!" He yelped, but he was laughing.

"What's your favorite genre?" Jungkook asked suddenly, digging his heels into the dirt to stop his jerky swaying.

"Hmmm... I like happy music, but it's not technically a genre." Taehyung shrugged. "Pop I guess."

"Okay, well, what do you like to play?"

"Classical versions of said pop songs." Tae informed him easily.

"I like to put as little rational thought as possible into what I play." The younger sighed. "The piano just gets me."

Tae laughed, Jungkook's blush going unnoticed amidst his fit of mirth. "I love that. It's so pure."

Jungkook scoffed and looked at the ground. "Please."

"Hey, I'm sorry. No, but I get it, really. I was just surprised to hear you say it." Taehyung amended seriously.

The sun was disappearing rapidly behind the school and Jungkook stood. "Yeah, okay. It's cool. I should go check on Yoongi. Bye Taehyung!" He waved and smiled as he walked away.

"Bye Jungkook!" He called.

Taehyung hurried back to his own building, lost in his thoughts he bumped into the guy from earlier on the way inside. The one Jimin catcalled. He bit his tongue in anticipation for an outburst.

"Oh, Taehyung, right?"

"Hi, uh, yeah. You can call me Tae." He relaxed, this seemed nonconfrontational.

"Okay. I'm Holland." He introduced himself.

"Oh, you know Jimin?" Tae wondered.

"Not much actually, but a bit." Holland admitted. "How is he?"

Tae laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, he's drunk."

Holland nodded, smiling shyly. "Later, Tae."

Taehyung entered his room quietly smiling a bit. Jungkook was more comfortable with him. He hoped this meant they would become friends. Maybe it was just a one day thing. Hopefully not.

Jimin was sleeping peacefully on his side. His ashy blue hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat and Taehyung turned on the air conditioner to counter the warmth. He moved Jimin's hair off his forehead. He headed for a shower, slipping off his shirt and turned on the cold water.

Finished, he moved around the kitchen, he found himself making rice cakes for when Jimin woke up. He smiled, remembering his grandmother's rice cakes. She had a recipe she used for special days and one she used for everyday. Sometimes she let Tae help her, other times he would sit on the floor out of her way and just watch. Regardless, now the recipes were his. He made the everyday rice cakes and put them away without trying any. He wasn't very hungry.

He crawled into bed and scrolled through his contacts. His finger hovered over Jungkook's. For a moment, just one, he considered texting him. The form was too quiet. He focused on Jimin's soft breathing, the only sound he heard in the darkness. Then he lost that sound too.

___________________Jimin's pov_____________________

The fuzziness in his head hasn't left by the time he woke up. The room was utterly dark, but he could tell that Taetae was sleeping in his bed. Jimin could hear him humming in his sleep. The tune was unrecognizable and broken, but Jimin knew Tae enough to know what it probably was. Smiling sadly, Jimin rolled out of his bed and shuffled blearily into their small kitchen. The familiar smell of rice cakes lingered in the air.

Maybe that was the sobering point for Jimin, but the fuzziness vanished and his heart was heavy. He couldn't quite recall what had happened at the bar or anything after. He probably looked like a fool in front of Min Yoongi. He put a hand to his head. The idea was making his head pound a steady painful beat against his skull. He poured a glass of water and dipped a hand into the container of rice cakes. Rice cakes. What day is it?

So um, it's late again. I edited it a bit. Sry if it stinks. I'm actually ad libbing part of this chapter and it gave me a new idea for the next one???? *shrugging* I'm trying to keep the story from moving too quickly. My outline has 14 chapters but at this rate it's definitely going longer than that, which is what I was hoping would happen. :) thanks for reading it!!! Vote as comment!!!!

On a different note: What day do you think it is?