TAEKOOK | HOPE

• 13 might be worse

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The arrangement with Bighit is that they'll finish out their engagements for the year, then officially begin the hiatus when they go home for the winter holidays. In the final months, they spend a lot of their free time planning for what their next steps are, Jeongguk included. He thinks he wants to consider pursuing music, maybe release a solo album (although the prospect is daunting), but first he wants to take some time off and just travel, see the world like a regular human being and not an international pop star.

He also wants Taehyung to come with him.

He remembers a conversation they had years ago, back when they were still teenagers with so much change ahead of them.

"After all of this is over, let's go. You and me."

In retrospect, Jeongguk realizes he's been planning for an after with Taehyung since before they even had a beginning. They had pinky promised on it then, committed to a someday they could barely even imagine at the time. Jeongguk wonders if Taehyung still remembers.

He's too much of a pussy to actually bring it up to Taehyung, so instead he starts planning slowly, researching countries and plotting out a tentative route. Somehow, he's convinced himself that if he can come up with the perfect trip, Taehyung will have no choice but to come with him, and then they can start again, start their after. And seriously, one day he'll work up the courage to actually tell Taehyung about this plan. One day. Soon. Any minute now.

But before he gets around to it, Namjoon ends up forcing his hand. They're all back in the dorm for dinner, scattered around the kitchen table as they dig into the small village of takeout containers that they'd ordered. With the hiatus looming on the horizon, they've been making a point to do this more often, just sit down and really spend time together.

"So," Namjoon says around a mouthful of pork fried rice. "What's everyone thinking for the break? Any big plans?"

"Family," Yoongi replies. "Sleep. Then I'm locking myself in a cabin somewhere to write."

"You would use your hiatus from music to write more music," Taehyung teases. He's just out of the shower, loose shirt falling open over his chest in a way that's far more distracting than it should be.

Yoongi shrugs. "Got the bug. Haven't shaken it yet."

"I feel you on that, brother," Namjoon nods. "What about you, Tae? No music?"

Jeongguk's pulse quickens, and he hurriedly stuffs more noodles into his mouth. He still hasn't worked up the nerve to talk to Taehyung about traveling together.

"Umm," Taehyung flushes, eyes dropping to his food. He pushes a piece of meat around on the plate with his chopsticks. "Actually, I've been meaning to tell you guys." He clears his throat and looks up again, eyes flicking around the table. Jeongguk's heart is pounding in his ears. "I got offered a role on a Korean American TV show."

Jeongguk chokes on his noodles.

Hoseok flashes him a concerned look, thumping him on the back, and Jeongguk's face heats up. He thinks he can feel Taehyung's eyes on him, but he's too busy trying to breathe and not have a panic attack to check for sure.