The Arrangement

11

Taehyung didn't see Jungkook at all the following day. The younger was in his room, studying for hours on end, while Taehyung was working on music at Big Hit. By the time the elder got home, it was already one in the morning. Taehyung retreated to his own room, failing to notice the light creeping out from under Jungkook's door.

The next day was spent more or less the same, except that Taehyung came home much sooner than he normally would have. The dinner at Jin's house was tonight, so Taehyung reluctantly canceled his plans to appease the elder. He sulked around his apartment while getting ready.

Jungkook was stressed as he tried to cram as much knowledge as he could into his head. He begged Jin to let him skip the dinner in order to study more, but his friend didn't relent. So he spent the entire day making flashcards, hoping to sneak some studying time during the evening's affair.

One hour before Taehyung and Jungkook were supposed to be at Jin's house, they both received a text from the elder. Apparently, a last minute event came up that required Jin's entire family to be in attendance. The dinner would be rescheduled for Friday, the last day of Jungkook's exams.

Jungkook was elated. He migrated his study materials to the dining room, where he spread out heaps of notes, books, and flashcards.

Taehyung, on the other hand, was even more pissed than he was before. He should have never canceled his plans in the first place. Now, he was stuck with nothing to do but wallow in his own thoughts.

That wouldn't work for him. He needed to distract himself . . .

He crept to the dining room, planning on casually observing Jungkook. There was a curiosity nagging him forward; he wanted the opportunity to watch the boy undisturbed.

Taehyung hid behind one of two pillars that were situated in the dining room. They ran from floor to ceiling and were large enough to conceal his frame. In the past, he thought the pillars were ridiculously obscene, but today he was extremely grateful for them. He poked his head out so he could take in Jungkook.

The younger was hunched over his notes, frantically looking back and forth between multiple textbooks. Stacks of flashcards lined him on either side and a sleek looking calculator was being death-gripped by one of his hands. Jungkook punched its buttons harshly, groaning when he didn't like the outcome.

The urge to chuckle hit Taehyung, but he bit his lip to suppress any unintended noises from escaping. He didn't need to awkwardly explain why he was spying on Jungkook. So he kept quiet and studied the boy further.

Jungkook had really grown into himself. There were still traces of the fifteen year old boy that Taehyung remembered, but overall that boy had turned into a more handsome and masculine person. What was once soft and rounded had become sharp and defined. Eyes that had been bright and innocent now held a darker gleam to them.

Especially as those eyes took in Taehyung leaning out from behind the pillar.

Jungkook noted V's presence from the first moment the artist entered the room. He was confused when he saw the blue haired boy dip behind a marble pillar, but said nothing as he continued studying.

Or tried to study. He was distracted, knowing the famous, successful, and let's face it - sexy - artist was creeping on him for some reason. Jungkook kept trying to solve his practice problems, but his mind wasn't able to focus. Each answer he came up with was wrong.

So when V poked his head out further than before, that blue mop of hair contrasting against the white marble, Jungkook made eye contact with him.

"You'd make a terrible spy," he said to V. "You're not stealthy at all."

V, having been caught, came out from behind the pillar and leaned against it. There was a slight coloring in his cheeks. "I wasn't trying to be stealthy."

Jungkook scoffed, looking back down at his notes. "Mission accomplished then. So. Why were you watching me?"

"I wasn't - "

The younger looked up, raising his eyebrows.

"Fine," V sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I wanted to see what you were doing. But I didn't want to interrupt your studying. But I appear to have done that anyway."

Jungkook set his calculator down on the table. "Don't worry. I wasn't making any progress. These topics are so boring."

"Why are you still studying if you're working with me - with Big Hit - this summer?" V asked, a truly curious tone in his voice.

"I can't just blow off my exams and all the work I put in this semester. I need to have something to fall back on in case this doesn't work out."

Jungkook didn't elaborate on what he meant, as he thought it was pretty obvious. If V and his team decided he wasn't good enough, he'd have to continue on with his studies. He couldn't just assume he was going to be the next big superstar.

V nodded, seeming to understand. Without saying another word, he left, leaving Jungkook to himself. The younger refocused his attention on the dull print in his textbooks.

Half an hour later and Jungkook still wasn't retaining any information. He so desperately wanted to give up, wanted to call it a night, but that wasn't an option. With a groan, he rested his head on the table and hid under his arms.

When he finally raised his head, prepared to start studying again, he let out a surprised gasp. V was seated across from him, sporting striped pajamas and glasses. There were no blue contacts in to cover his deep, brown eyes. It was still jarring to see him like this. It felt oddly intimate to see V so dressed down.

And with those glasses . . .

Fuck. Jungkook felt a blush warming his cheeks.

"It appears my spying skills have already improved immensely," V smirked. He stretched his arms out behind his head. "Look out James Bond."

Jungkook watched as the artist took in all the study materials and reached for a text book.

"International Economics: Theory and Policy. Shit. Is this some sort of medieval torture device?" V flipped through the pages and pointed to a long list of equations. "This is what you need to memorize?"

The younger groaned and buried his head under his arms. "If I read one more thing from that boring ass book, my head is going to explode."

V tutted. "We can't have that. No maids to clean anything up, remember?"

Despite himself, Jungkook chuckled. "One more week. I need to remember this will all be over in one more week."

That prompted a memory in Taehyung. When they were younger, Jungkook used to say something similar all the time when they were dealing with difficulties. Your parents will pass out in three more hours. You can make it three more hours, Tae. He never told Jungkook back then how much those words of encouragement had helped.

Taehyung reached for a stack of flashcards, his eyes scanning over the first few.

"What is defined as the economic mixing and interdependence of economies across the world through an escalation of cross-cultural movement of goods, services, technologies and wealth?" He read off of one card.

Jungkook looked up at him, a question in his eyes.

"I'm quizzing you," Taehyung replied. "Just because you can't read doesn't mean you can't answer questions."

"Economic globalization?" Jungkook said at last, confused as to why the artist was helping him but willing to accept the help nonetheless.

Taehyung, who was also confused why he was doing this, nodded. "Correct. Next question."

As the night wore on and the stack of flashcards dwindled, both boys found themselves thinking similar things.

This was nice.