#hy3

“Hey, fellas!” 

Hoseok’s bright hair and even brighter outfit were what greeted you all behind the backstage gate. Walking through the festival area was easy enough; it was VIP security that ended up giving your group a hard time, gruffly asking for passes and IDs. When Namjoon told them that they didn’t have any passes--because Hoseok said they wouldn’t need them--it was a hard sell and turned into minutes of your group standing awkwardly at the barricade. 

Tired of the nonsense, Yoongi rang up his friend, the boisterous rapper coming up seconds later with his arms high above his platinum choppy-haired head. “Let them in, let them in,” he chirped while clapping one of the guards’ shoulders. “They’re with me.” 

Since you were purely focused on not speaking to Taehyung or looking in his general direction, you had your eyes glued to your phone during the whole ordeal. After everyone filed in, you started observing your surroundings in earnest. 

There were equipment dumps here and there, eighteen-wheelers with ads plastered on the sides, and multiple canopied areas with string lights and rugs and random furniture choices. When Hoseok babbled on, he led you into the biggest party tent behind the main stage, just out of sight of the public area. 

“You guys need to relax,” he laughed, cheekbones poking from his skin and eyes lit. You could tell he was already in his element just being at the festival-- watching him perform was going to be the highlight of the night for sure. “You look stiff as fuck.” 

Surprisingly, Namjoon was the first one to respond, waving a hand to bat away the persistent marijuana smell. “Never been to one of these, Hob. I’m just here for you.” 

“I’m just here for the food,” Jungkook drawled right before drifting straight to the catering area, having already said his greetings to the newfound superstar. 

You shook your smiling head at his retreating back. Beside you, a deep voice whispered, “He’s nervous.” 

Turning, you faced Taehyung, too taken aback by how well he blended in with the environment to notice a couple things. One, you weren’t supposed to be conversing with him, and two, those were the first words he spoke directly to your face since the initial car ride. 

Now that you were looking at him, too, you couldn’t help but inwardly swoon. His animal print shirt hung lazily from his shoulders, and a light sheen of sweat from the heat accentuated the gold of his chains. You quickly darted your eyes to their glinting forms before whispering back, “What do you mean?” 

His eyes were still aimed straight ahead. “He wants to make it big, too. I think he’s gonna try talking to some people here, but I can also bet he’s gonna chicken out.” 

“How do you know?” 

Taehyung chuckled ruefully. “He hasn’t changed.” 

It was strange how casual he was being with you, how he was being… Normal. Was everything up until now a pure fever dream? A fantasy you cooked up from pure boredom? 

No. The wetness between your legs served as a damning reminder that it was very, stupidly real, just like the ill feelings you were supposed to be harboring for him. Was he really not thinking about how he just made you come without even being there? Now that you thought about it, he technically didn’t know for sure. 

Though you wouldn’t put it past the confident jerk that he assumed you did. He was probably just nonchalant about the whole thing--one girl coming to the sounds of his voice was superfluous because it happened so often. You were just a number.

A distraction in the form of a glass bottle appeared in front of your face, courtesy of a boy with pastel dyed hair. “Kookie’s never gonna get anywhere if he doesn’t come out of his shell,” Jimin sighed, taking a swig of his beer while you and Taehyung grabbed yours. 

“He’s doing well online, though, right?” You took a small sip, still not completely used to the taste as it ran down your throat. It was an incredible excuse to keep standing there next to Taehyung, though, despite your pending revenge. Everyone else was a stranger in the tent, no matter how famous they were--even the guy with black and blond hair walking in--

Oh, shit. 

He was there? 

You ran through the festival lineup in your head while wondering how the hell you forgot that a certain group was attending. Not one to fawn over celebrities, it was unnatural to react this strongly, but there were definitely exceptions. 

That man was one of them. 

Gripping your beer a bit tighter, you bit your lip to keep from smiling like an idiot. 

Wooyoung was there. The same Wooyoung that you had been crushing on ever since his band’s debut a couple years ago. You still remember the day that Nila and you discovered Eight Kings together through one of your mindless YouTube rabbit holes, and you have been whipped for their guitarist-slash-singer ever since. 

You couldn’t help a quick breath leaving your nose before your smile slipped through the tiny rim of your bottle. Taehyung and Jimin were still talking about the youngest to notice, thankfully; you wouldn’t have heard the end of it if they caught wind of your adoration. 

However, you weren’t out of the clear yet because Hoseok’s voice rang over your head, 

“Oh, there he is. Wooyoungie! Come over here, I want you to meet some friends.” 

Cursing under your breath, you spun around before the man could face your group fully, body alight with nervousness. Admiring the guy from afar was painful enough. You weren’t prepared for something up-close! 

Because of your quick movement, your display of embarrassment caught the eye of someone nearby, unbeknownst to you. While you were walking behind the boys to hide behind Namjoon’s broad back, your phone buzzed. 

Taehyung: Someone’s got it bad

You could practically hear the smugness in his tone, the bastard. If he spoke to you out loud you were sure the sarcasm would be dripping from his perfect lips. 

They needed a cork shoved into them. 

You: Shut up

You: It’s wooyoung!! 

Taehyung: I heard he was sloppy

You: Maybe I like sloppy?

Taehyung: Cute

You: Jealous? 

Taehyung: Ha ha

A soft snort was the accompanying response, which tore your glare from your screen. Your texting buddy was lazily standing a ways off, exchanging hello’s with Wooyoung as the young star conversed with ease. From behind Namjoon and your brother, you quietly melted at how honey-like the singer’s voice sounded in person. 

“And the mouse hiding behind this tree is my sister.” 

You didn’t have time to react before your shield abandoned you, leaving you to fend for yourself in front of your longtime crush. While doing so, Namjoon sighed, “Tree? Really?”

Without missing a beat, Wooyoung stepped through the erupting banter, smiling wide and asking what your name was. You tried your best not to flounder, but your voice was a tad shaky when you responded. 

“Oh, that’s pretty,” he said, as if he knew it would make you weak in the knees. When you grinned and said your thanks, Wooyoung smiled even wider, keeping his eyes on you a little longer than normal. You figured it was just how he was with everyone. 

A hand landed on his shoulder before you heard Seokjin’s level voice, the man abandoning his conversation with Namjoon in a heartbeat,

“I’m sure you’re very busy, Wooyoungie. Don’t let us keep you.” 

God, not this again. From the commanding, low tone to the look in his eyes, you knew exactly what the hell your brother was getting at. He was usually a calm, reserved person, which made his presence multiply when he decided otherwise. And currently, he didn’t give a shit who Wooyoung was as long as he was looking at you like that. 

Which sucked for you because a celebrity on your very short List was just politely threatened. By your brother. How were you supposed to come back from that? How in the world were you going to live through the fact that Wooyoung probably thought you were a sheltered sibling? 

Luckily, the guy in the tight jeans wasn’t phased. He simply swiveled around and chuckled, “I am, I am. Nice meeting you all, and have a good time!” 

Turns out that the cheeky man was there somewhere deep under his leather jacket and half-up ponytail because after walking a couple paces, the guitarist looked back and winked at you one more time. 

Seokjin was too busy to notice---already listening to Yoongi saying something about wanting to check out the equipment backstage---but you and a couple other pairs of eyes did. 

Wooyoung flirted with you. Actually spared you a backwards glance. Nila would never, ever believe you but you sure as hell weren’t going to shut up about it. The fluttering in your stomach had cascaded all the way down to your toes. 

Sounds of the festival and lively conversation inside the tent flooded your ears again. Blinking rapidly to snap yourself out of it, you shook your head and took a long swig of your now lukewarm drink. 

Jungkook had returned while Wooyoung was introducing himself, it seemed. He was deep in conversation with Jimin and Taehyung to the side, and with your brother off with the elders, you were feeling the strong eighth wheel effect you were dreading since the beginning. 

Yoongi’s words floated back into your mind as you felt the horrible loneliness. 

“Fuck that. Enjoy yourself.” 

How were you supposed to do that when you clearly didn’t know anyone else? Surveying the room, you only saw groups of beautiful people conversing with each other, laughing or shamelessly flirting or discussing business deals. Sure, you recognized plenty of them, but you didn’t really know them. It wasn’t like you could just walk up to the stunning girl group chatting and laughing away by the bar, or strike up a conversation with the EDM deejay and smugly say that your friend Yoongi was a big fan. 

Maybe Jungkook had a point: you could always just go for the food. 

At least that would give you something to do. Convinced, you marched over to the catering tables on the other side of the tent, enticed by the smoky smells and liking your decision already. On the way, you felt a vibration in your pocket, so after chucking your bottle in a random garbage can, you fished the device out. 

Taehyung: Get me a plate

You legitimately blew a raspberry. 

You: Umm no? Get it yourself

Taehyung: You would get wooyoungie a plate 

That was an interesting text. 

But you knew everything was an act with him. A game. 

And today was the day that you would play your own. You had stayed resolute with a dark visage the whole ride over while the boys ooh’d and ahh’d at the accoutrements in the limo. Taehyung casually engaging you in conversation threw you momentarily, but separating yourself had gotten you back on track.

You: I would :) bc he would ask nicely 

Taehyung: Ha. Like you would even talk to him

Taehyung: I bet you couldn’t even say hi again

You stood off to the side of the food stations, staring at your phone and periodically glancing up to watch your texting partner. 

He looked just as delicious as before, the demon. Even when he stood nonchalantly next to the others with a bottle in his hand, you felt a twinge of want trying to unearth itself from under all the loathing you felt.

Thinking about your plan to get back at him, you realized that an option presented itself. 

Two birds with one stone: an excuse to try again with Wooyoung and an even better excuse to potentially get back at Taehyung. How could you pass it up? 

You: What do I get if I win?

Glancing up again, you watched as Taehyung checked his phone mid-laugh at something Jimin said, his expression slipping into one of pensiveness. You couldn’t avoid the quick look he shot back at you, so to cover up your anxiousness, you cocked your eyebrow and looked away.

It took a minute for him to respond, but your stomach did a quick flip when he did.

Taehyung: What do you want?

In all honesty, you didn’t have a clue. Did you go the petty route and ask for something humiliating for him to do? Or did you actually want whatever the hell was happening between you two to continue despite your better judgment? 

You: What are you offering?

Side-eyeing the guy after you sent the text, you were slightly surprised to see him bite his thumbnail, staring at his phone but not typing anything. Knowing all of the boys’ tells from being around them for so long, you knew that meant he was deep in thought. 

If he was legitimately considering something… Maybe things weren’t entirely a game after all?

Taehyung: I’ll eat you out

Your phone slipped forward and threatened to fall before you caught yourself. 

Fuck! He wasn’t serious, was he? When would he ever get the chance? The time? The level of fuck-all that one needed to dismiss any caution? 

You: Lol

Taehyung: What? 

You: Not possible

Taehyung: Only if you lose the bet :) 

Taehyung: But what do I get when I win? 

It was your turn to mull things over. He was so sure of himself that you almost believed he would follow through. So what did that leave you with? Were you going to offer the same thing? 

You hastily typed a reply before pocketing your phone to grab a plate, picking the foodstuffs you wanted but too self-conscious to get adequate servings. Purposefully ignoring the part of you that was fine getting Taehyung food, you tore yourself away from the catering tables, accidentally bumping into someone. 

“Oh, shit!” You held your plate as far out from the stranger as you could, adjusting quickly when it wobbled in your hand. When nothing spilled, you sighed in relief. 

“That was close.” 

Honey voice. Hands on your hips.

Turning, you saw Wooyoung himself next to you, unblinking when he retracted fingers that left fire on your waist. 

He was there. You’d been blessed with another chance. 

But it wasn’t about seeing him at that moment.

Without thinking about anything else except the bet that you needed to win, you skipped any thanks or excuses and simply blurted, “Hi.” 

The young man laughed lightly before replying with a similar greeting.  

“Nice food,” you continued, embarrassment searing your cheeks right after. Nice food? Forget your brother botching any chances with this guy when you could do it all by yourself! 

Wooyoung wasn’t deterred enough to leave your side, though, being the gentleman he was. “Right? I was surprised, actually! Don’t let me keep you from eating. Come sit.” 

A hand placed on your stiffened back led you to an unoccupied corner of the tent. Too shocked to say anything, you took in as much detail as you could: flat circle rug, makeshift couch made of car seats, wooden stump for a table, Wooyoung’s hand still on your back.

If his fingers wandered any higher, he would definitely know you weren’t wearing a bra.

“How are you enjoying the festival so far?” 

You flinched a bit at his question, turning to face him as you approached the seating area. “Umm, good! I mean, I’m good--I mean, wow, sorry.” You shook your head, berating yourself from being so flustered. Nila would definitely be laughing her ass off at you if she was there. 

Wooyoung was there to laugh in her place, though, and you couldn’t believe you were allowed to hear it for free. “Relax,” he assuaged, voice dipping a bit lower and mouth curving a bit higher, “It’s okay.” 

“Sorry.” You nudged your food, realizing that it was quickly getting cold. “I just really like you. Wait! I mean, I really like your voice--your music.” 

Whatever deities were responsible for taking the dead from the world, they could come get you now. 

That was quickly becoming the worst conversation you had ever had, all because you wanted to somehow get back at Taehyung for stringing you along. It seemed like he was doing nothing but ruining your life ever since that stupid accident, intentionally or not. 

If you didn’t rein things in, Wooyoung was definitely going to leave and file a restraining order against you, and you would wince every time an Eight Kings song came on. 

“You can like me, too.” 

What? 

Glancing up from your cold food, you could only take in Wooyoung’s face, a smile so genuine that everything else in the tent behind him blurred. “Oh, I…” 

“You’re cute, you know that?” 

The amount of times you had dreamed about this scenario couldn’t be displayed with two hands and two feet alone. It was a situation you could only imagine while reading choice fiction about the guy. 

So why were you suddenly wondering if Taehyung was watching? Were you worried he would see your knees very close to Wooyoung’s, your bodies leaned toward each other, your floundering in the guitarist’s presence? 

Shifting your focus just enough to clear the background behind Wooyoung, you tried to be as discreet as possible while looking for your betting partner. You didn’t see your brother, nor his older friends, but you did see Jungkook and Jimin talking to Hoseok. No sign of Taehyung. 

Where was--

Oh. 

Once you caught sight of him, something dark and white hot burned in your throat. 

He wasn’t looking at you. 

He wasn’t even turned your way to witness your win. 

Instead, he was rather… occupied. 

Up against a canvas wall of the tent, your ultimate nemesis stood in the middle of a group of women. Not just any random gathering, but the famous group you saw chatting away while feeling out of place. 

Taehyung certainly didn’t seem out of place. In fact, you stormily admitted that he fit right in as he smoothly entertained his company. Your body burned from the way he smiled at their words, laughed at something one of them said. He didn’t even flinch when a perfectly manicured hand found its way up his chest--a chest that was even more prominent because one more button had come undone since you left his side.

Of course he wasn’t going to pay you any attention. 

So much for stupid vengeance and so much for hoping that Taehyung actually cared about the bet. 

Now you just felt silly and naive. 

Hurt and feeling sick, you forced your eyes back to Wooyoung and faked a smile. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” 

“I said you’re cute,” he repeated, and you strangely felt less intimidated and shy in his presence. Maybe it was the fact that you weren’t thinking about a bet anymore, or the fact that any semblance of you and Taehyung walking a tightrope or going back to normal were squashed. Truthfully, even Wooyoung seemed more attainable and easy to deal with at that point.

“Thank you,” you answered, lips curving in a more genuine way. “I try.” 

Whatever it was, you found yourself living in the moment, chatting it up with the star and loving every second of it. When he suddenly asked if you wanted to check out his trailer, eyes alight with diamonds, you agreed right away. When he reached for your hand, you took it with no hesitation, still starstruck and wondering how things ended up that way. 

You two were halfway across the dried-grass field that separated the trailers from the tent when you got a text. Reluctantly letting go of Wooyoung’s hand to check it, you furrowed your brows. It was not from someone you expected. 

Taehyung: Where are you? 

You hated the way your stomach flipped on itself, fizzling with a foreign feeling. Not knowing whether to reply or not, you just stared at your screen and started to wonder why he even cared. Didn’t he have pretty faces to entertain? 

Taehyung: Jimin wants to walk around

So that’s what it was about. 

Feeling your stomach flop in a darker way, you clicked your phone shut, too petty and hurt to answer. He didn’t see anything off about telling you he’d do one thing then paraded with others minutes later.

“Who was that?” 

Glancing up at Wooyoung and drinking in his look of curiosity, you smiled. “No one.” 

The man just laughed softly before continuing to walk. “You sure it wasn’t your boyfriend,” he joked with a cock of his eyebrow. 

Broken inside, you chuckled. “Definitely not.” 

“So no boyfriend then?” 

You shrugged. “No boyfriend. No girlfriend.” 

“Ah,” he replied wistfully, looking to the skies that started to slip into hues of pink and orange. The main stage lights behind you bloomed so strongly that they blocked out any stars, and you could hear people starting to practice their songs in different spots around the area. “That’s too bad.” 

“Why?” 

Wooyoung abruptly stopped and spun, leaving you no choice but to bump into his chest. Your chin was then cradled by a soft, warm hand, and your eyes widened when his face bent closer to yours. “‘Cus you’d make a cute date,” he cooed.

Stunned into silence, you didn’t know how to process what was happening. The lighthearted conversation in the tent--although much flirtier than you expected--was crazy enough, but this? Wooyoung’s veiny hand clutching your chin, his perfect face inches from yours, and his iconic locks brushing the sides of your face? Maybe you had some bad catering and this was actually the next life. Maybe you did get hauled off the planet and this was just a fantasy dream.

When you still didn’t provide a response seconds later, Wooyoung lightly laughed, his breath fanning your face. “And this is exactly why.” 

“I--” 

“Sorry to interrupt.” 

Immediately, you jumped out of Wooyoung’s hold and turned at the sound. 

A couple meters away stood Taehyung, lazily and with his hands in his pockets. Even though you were sure the tone you just heard was abrupt, the guy didn’t even look like he wanted to be there. But what were you feeling? Goosebumps coated your arms and your knees wobbled just a tad.

His face never wavered away from stoic when he slowly took a few more steps forward. “But she’s needed elsewhere. Hope’s orders.”

For a moment, you had no response to give. Nothing but jumbled words and phrases mixed in your throat, swirling in liquid confusion. Was he telling the truth? Or was there something else going on? 

“It’ll just be a second,” Wooyoung coolly replied as Taehyung got even closer. “We won’t take long.” 

“I believe that,” your brother’s friend smiled, shocking you even further when he slung a firm arm around your shoulder as a barrier between you and the guitarist. “But I don’t think Hobi’s as lenient as me.” 

Against your will, your body molded into his chest and your nose drank in his strong cologne, captive. Woods? Pine? Whatever it was, the scent was sharper than your mind proved to be.

Taehyung’s breath rolled down your neck, and you couldn’t help but relish in the fact that his arm was wrapped around your frame. The only thing you could do was shift your eyes to Wooyoung. 

Shaken, the young man ran a hand through his two-toned hair, his face betraying the nonchalant gesture. That was one thing you gathered about the guy through all the behind-the-scenes videos and interviews his band posted: he wore his emotions on his barely-worn sleeves. 

You felt bad. 

He wasn’t being malicious enough to warrant whatever the hell Taehyung did. Lightly separating yourself from your captor’s side, you froze and straightened your back when he tightened his arm just a fraction, resisting your retreat. 

The star finally responded with a smile. “I suppose you’re right.” 

You offered Wooyoung a rueful look after his shout, mouthing an apology. 

Observing the pair of you with a curious look, the young man just grinned wider and winked at you. “See you at the show,” he said, pivoting on his boot before walking the rest of the way to his trailer. 

When the leather-clad star’s back was turned, you wrenched yourself out of Taehyung’s hold, flat out ignoring your body’s ache from loss of contact. “What the hell was that about?” 

“What do you mean?” 

You scoffed before spinning to head back to the tent. “It’s bullshit for Hobi to be the one that sent you.” 

Taehyung met your stride with ease, and he cocked an eyebrow while asking, “What do you want me to say? That I just came to get you because I was jealous?” A laugh punctuated the end of his question, and you swore your stomach bubbled over with loathing. 

Even if that was what you really wanted, he didn’t have to be a complete ass about it.

Booted out of your cloudy fantasy time with Wooyoung and back to reality, you stomped back to the tent with frustration, missing the way Taehyung followed you with a thumbnail between his teeth.

“Three Bomb-Pops and a Fudgesicle, please.” 

“Wait, no, ice cream sandwich.” 

“Dude, you had like ten minutes to decide. Sorry, ice cream sandwich for my indecisive friend, please.”  

You watched as the cashier at the concessions booth didn’t care how many corrections Jimin gave. The poor guy was visibly smitten by the man in a black jacket and aviators, nodding along and staring hard at his charming smile. 

But your head was still enveloped in a thick, dark cloud, so you couldn’t find it in yourself to enjoy his floundering. 

After Taehyung and you re-entered the tent, Jimin and Jungkook waved you over, impatient to explore the festival grounds. You tagged along reluctantly -- not because you didn’t want to finally walk around, but because you had to put on a front yet again. It wasn’t going to bode well for you if you were radio silent the whole time. 

Ever the observant type, Jimin made a point to include you in conversations and decisions, which led you to think you weren’t trying hard enough to hide your emotions. When everyone’s backs were turned, you chucked daggers at Taehyung, hoping he would keel over from your attacks. 

Especially when his eyes lingered on other festival-goers.  

He was the most confusing and irritating person on the goddamned planet. Revenge was looking a little too light of a punishment at that point; maybe divine retribution more suited your tastes. 

But also, you were starting to regret doing anything with him. Yes, it felt good as hell to fool around in the car with your longtime crush, and he effortlessly made you come just through audio and text messages alone. But was it worth it to keep going? Was it worth it to keep entertaining the guy? 

He clearly didn’t push pause on his charm with anyone else. Very clearly. Even then, with you walking beside him, he was checking people out and flashing a devilish smile at any pair of bedroom eyes latching onto his face. 

It wasn’t good for your health. You couldn’t pretend to be okay with all of that.

“Thanks.” 

Your thoughts were interrupted by Jimin’s light voice, and you watched Taehyung help him hold the popsicles he paid for. When yours was handed to you, you took it without a word, looking away before Taehyung’s gaze lingered. 

“Let’s go to stage four,” Jimin suggested while picking some napkins from the booth’s counter. 

“Who’s on now?” 

Jungkook sported a mouth full of chocolate bread and ice cream when he answered, “That girl from that thing.” 

“Not helpful, Kook.” 

“The one that Kookie covered when he busked last year.” 

Taehyung made a face. “Ah, nah. That wasn’t the one I wanted to see.” 

Jimin turned to regard him before his gaze landed on your awaiting stance. With a smile, he shrugged and offered, “We’ll go, then! Just catch up with us at the main stage when the big acts start.” 

Caught off-guard, you were about to plead for them to stay, but Jimin had dragged the youngest away by his black tank, almost making him trip on his flat sneakers and giving you a good view of his side-chest. 

And that left you with Taehyung. 

Alone. 

If this had happened to the you that existed before the car ride, you would have been ecstatic. Giddy, even. But so much had happened since then and so many emotions had been played with that the current you decided that it was the time to snap. 

“You didn’t have to drag me away back there,” you bit out, brows furrowed. 

And in pure Kim Taehyung fashion, the man only cooed, “Aww, are you still mad that I interrupted something?” 

“There wasn’t a something.”

“Looked like it to me.” 

“He was just gonna show me his trailer,” you said in defense, stopping your popsicle near your mouth when Taehyung stilled. 

He cocked his head to the side, dark bangs falling into his eyes. “Did you really believe that?” 

Something about the way he looked at you then made excitement rumble in your belly, and you tried your absolute hardest to squash the feeling. “Guys don’t always have to have an ulterior motive like you.”

“What’s my ulterior motive?” Taehyung looked genuinely confused, and your eyes flickered to his melting popsicle instead of his perfect face. 

“You know what it is.” 

A low chuckle caressed your soul before the man said with confidence, “Baby, that’s always my only motive and I’m pretty sure it’s yours, too.” 

And that confirmed everything you’ve been thinking about and dreading. 

Taehyung wasn’t there to do anything other than play with you, and you could already see him dropping you to the wayside like the plastic litter around you when he was done. Were you really going to be expendable? Were you going to let yourself be strung along by his games? 

Defending yourself for two seconds, you decided to walk away without a word. 

You were tired of whatever he was doing with you. Though you couldn’t place all the blame on him--you practically ignored all of his outs in the car--you were definitely putting a stop to any other feelings getting hurt. He clearly didn’t care what you thought anyways. 

Shockingly, long fingers wrapped around yours as you took your fourth step. “What’s up with you?” 

Was he really asking that? 

The sound that escaped you was a cross between a scoff and a laugh. Deciding to flat out lie, you turned your head to regard his hand around yours. “Umm, nothing?” 

“I’m not stupid.”

“Debatable.” 

“Is this about me?” 

You tried to release your wrist from his grasp, but for the second time that night, he resisted. “It’s nothing, Taehyung.” 

“For the love of---come here.” The man pulled you back, almost making you trip on the loose dirt before your back hit his sweaty shirt. Your heart leapt in the other direction when you felt his cold lips and hot breath on the shell of your ear. “I would very much like it if you didn’t lie to me again.” 

“Taehyung, what are you doing,” you whispered, panicked and trying to separate yourself from his body, failing. Captivated by his breath tickling your ear and frightened by the prospect of being caught, your entire body locked up. Your words came out jangled when you continued, “Anyone can see us.” 

“Then you should probably tell me the truth, yeah? Is this about me, or not?” 

Fuck, he smelled divine. Between the musky scent of his cologne and the brief touch of sun on his skin, you wanted nothing more than to just say screw it and turn around to devour him. But as much as you were reveling in his touch, you knew it would end in a bloodbath were you to be seen. 

But there was also another layer that you had to keep circling back to: if Taehyung wanted honesty, then he was going to get it, whether he liked the words you used or not. 

With a harsh bite to your response, you answered, “You want the truth? Yeah, this is about you. I don’t know what the hell you think of me, you’re being confusing as hell, and you’re clearly done with me. I don’t need you to play me this whole trip if all you’re going to do is tease because of one accident.” 

Truthfully, you needed to pat yourself on the back for getting everything out coherently and levelled. That was a lot for the first real conversation you had with your brother’s friend one-on-one, especially since you both hadn’t seen each other in years. 

Both of you were different. At least, you knew you were, and you knew that Taehyung carried himself much differently than he did before. He was the boisterous kid that stayed on the border of entertaining and annoying, the one that whined constantly until he got what he wanted.

Now? He seemed secretive, confident, more reserved. He knew he could get whatever he wanted, and he looked at home even in a place where he knew just as little people as you did. Gone was the snotty-nosed brat, replaced with a more infuriating and confusing brat. You had to snap whatever crush you were holding for him because it was only going to end badly. 

But after you threw all of your cards on the table, you got nothing in reply. Why wasn’t he saying anything? Befuddled once again, you whispered, “Tae--”

“Since I’m not feeling you up or telling you what I want to do to you, I don’t want it anymore?” 

Everything around you blurred. 

Your breath hitched.

Breath tiny, you squeaked, “That’s--” 

“Since I’m not texting that I’d rather see you suck on something else, I’m being confusing?” 

Shit, shit, shit. Your heart thumped in overdrive, and heated desire rushed between your legs when his other hand gripped the back of your shirt. “Taehyung--” 

“Since I’m not telling you that I wanted to rip this off and fuck you against little Wooyoungie’s trailer, I’m done?” 

Nothing concrete registered in your head. The only idea that persisted through the sudden fog in your mind was Taehyung dragging you across the field and kicking open a random bathroom door to fuck you senseless in. You already knew he wouldn’t be gentle, and you didn’t want him to be in the slightest. 

Hearing him say these things in person made everything worse. Much, much worse. Not through texts, not through audio messages, but right against your tingling skin. It somehow made everything real, and you had no damn clue how to handle it. 

Your breath came out just as ragged as you felt when you finally said, “I thought… I thought--” 

“Most of them are back in the tent behind the main stage,” Taehyung whispered, dragging a finger up your spine and splaying his hand around the back of your neck. “And we’ve got about fifteen minutes to catch up with Jimin and Kook.” 

“What are you getting at,” you whispered, chest heaving in anticipation and excitement fluttering in your belly. 

Taehyung’s hand tightened around your neck just enough to send chills all the way to your toes. 

Your breath shook as he slid a finger into the waistband of your shorts. The fact that you were in public, surrounded by people and patch blankets and smoke, should have alarmed you. But for some reason, it only heightened your arousal and made your core tremble. 

“Well, you won our bet,” he murmured, and you could hear rather than see his impish smile when he licked your ear before finishing, 

“And I have just enough time to pay up.” 

Fuck. You didn’t know how to react. It felt like everything left your body in that moment, including your breath and any semblance of strength. 

But something happened after he said that, something that yanked you into another round of confusion. 

You felt nothing against your back except cold air and a lack of contact. What was that? Why did he suddenly step away? 

When you turned, you saw Taehyung a few steps out, head tilted to the side and eyes in fiendish slits. 

“What are you doing?” 

He cocked an eyebrow before spreading his wet lips wide. “I made the offer, but it’s up to you whether you want it or not.” Looking over to this side, he jutted his chin out to a small brick building in between the food trucks and stands. That structure housed the bathrooms, you noticed with a glance. “Since you’re so paranoid, I’ll be waiting in there. But I’m not waiting for long. Your choice.” 

Without anything else to say, Taehyung stuck his almost finished popsicle inside his mouth, sliding the stick out unbelievably slowly and licking it clean. Winking, he turned and made his way to the bathrooms, leaving you with blue and red liquid on your fingers and goo for brains. 

All you could do was blink. 

And blink again. 

What were you going to do? 

This is what you’d been wanting this entire time, and in a place where your brother and the rest of his friends weren’t anywhere to be seen. Were you supposed to take this as a sign? 

But so many unfortunate scenarios wiggled their way into your mind. What if your brother actually saw you? What if one of them just happened to walk by when you went into a stall and stayed long enough until you came out with Taehyung close behind? 

Thankfully, he didn’t have you walk together. He definitely knew you well enough to know that you would fight him on the spot if he did. 

That was another thing that didn’t make sense: how was he able to understand you after years of being apart? How was he able to sense what you were thinking or know what you wanted even though it had been so long since you’d spoken? 

Not that you were complaining. Mixed feelings, sure, but definitely no complaints. 

It was just interesting. 

You shoved your shoe into the shriveled grass in front of you, staring at the way it made a slight divot in the ground. 

Did you know him well enough, too? 

You would like to think you did, but you couldn’t be sure. But if the two of you didn’t know each other as well as you did, would you have done any of the things that happened in the first place? Were you comfortable fooling around with him because you knew him? Because it was thrilling and inappropriate? 

Or was it mostly because these were things you’d wanted to do all along and finally get to show him what you could do? Show him how you’d changed since he last saw you and make him think about nothing but your name.

With this thought, you suddenly found yourself in front of the brick building, your empty popsicle stick still in your sticky palm. 

Well, you did need to wash your hands… 

A slight panic over how long Taehyung had been waiting was the last push you needed to shove yourself into the woman’s bathroom. 

It wasn’t the brightest space, but it wasn’t completely dimmed. 

But it also wasn’t empty. There were a few people washing their hands and most of the stalls were occupied, bits of conversations and laughs filling the neutral-painted space as you made your way to the sinks. Chucking your trash in the plastic bin, you absentmindedly washed the stickiness away as you covertly checked the mirror, trying to see if you spotted any familiar shoes in the stalls. 

Then you remembered with a scowl that there was no way he would make it out of the women’s restroom alive. 

Where did he wait for you? In the men’s? He had to know that wouldn’t exactly work, either. 

You exited the washroom and subconsciously scanned the area outside the building for anyone you knew, as if Jimin and Jungkook would suddenly pop up and scare you to pieces. When no one was spotted, you made your way around the side of the building to check something, and goosebumps lined your skin when you found what you were looking for. 

Family rooms. 

That’s where he had to be. 

But were you really going to do this? Were you really going to fall right back into his charms and risk it all again? 

Yes, the first time was in a car with everyone, but he didn’t even get under your panties. The most he got was a feel of your ass and how wet you were through the material. But now? If he was really going to do what he offered… 

Hands trembling, you sucked in a breath and tried the first family room door. 

Empty. 

A rush of adrenaline came over you then. Did he leave while you were in the ladies’ room? Was he actually in the men’s room? 

Trying the next door over, you blew out the ball of anxiousness in your throat while twisting the knob. 

Locked. 

It was a sign. 

Just go. Just give up. 

There was a family or another couple or just someone else entirely in there and you were just wasting your time like a fool. 

Sighing, you prepared to head back to the VIP area. 

Only to hear a door opening and see Taehyung’s expression change from surprise to something very, very dark. 

He didn’t tease you. He didn’t say anything snarky. In fact, he didn’t say anything. 

All he did was let you inside and stared at your heaving chest until the bathroom door closed shut. 

The sound echoed through the dim space, ricocheting off the walls and bouncing off both of your tense bodies. Your eyes roamed over everything, drinking in the way Taehyung’s hair draped over his eyes, the way his chains bobbed with each breath, the way his shirt was slightly disheveled and hanging by a few annoying buttons. Electricity seemed to coalesce between the two of you, magnetizing and sparking with each passing, grueling second. 

What was he waiting for? What were those emotions you could see swirling in his eyes? Was he second-guessing himself and you were going to be kicked out with the worst case of rejection ever? 

Should you just leave now to save you from that incredible embarrassment?

When you didn’t say anything, Taehyung finally spoke. 

“You shouldn’t have come in here.” 

And that was the last thing you registered before you were roughly and deliciously shoved right against the bathroom door.  

-

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part 4 spoiler: “we’re not in a goddamned car anymore. i wanna hear you.” 

a/n: thank you so so much for reading and i apologize for the late update. life has been kicking my ass lately and there have been collabs i needed to work on. next chapter should not take as long! as always, any comments or dms or critiques are welcomed if you wanna hit up my inbox! taglist is also still open, too.