Ego: Hit and Run (Taekook)

Daddy Issues

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'You should quit while you're ahead' Taehyung recalled the younger's former words, and only now did could he understand their meaning.

The boy knew who he was, that entire time, and pretended not to be his boss' son, just so he could have the drop on him and leave him as speechless as he was right now. That shithead, Taehyung thought bitterly.

He was thinking how to save face in this highly unfavorable situation, phrasing the words of apology in his mind and hoping to laugh it all off as an honest mistake on his part. His thoughts were promptly derailed by laughter. Jeongguk's laughter.

He was mocking him, his expression, the sound heavy with condescension, every exhale resonating with arrogance and ridicule. But Taehyung was too focused on the younger's face to take much notice of that intonation. His entire expression scrunched up, nose wrinkling and teeth too prominent for the mouth sticking out over a plump bottom lip.

It looked so, innocent.

His next words were anything but.

"You look like your favorite toy has just been dropped in the claw crane machine, Taehyung-ssi. Relax, why don't you? Let's get to know each other, now that you're what... like a servant of mine? Or the help, perhaps?" Jeongguk teased.

Just like that, Taehyung's reverie was shattered. He struggled to rein in his expression before annoyance flashed across his face, and replaced it with his infamous mask of indifference.

"I don't want to relax, Jeongguk-ssi, because as you've already gathered long before we started this conversation, I am on the clock. Which is exactly why," he proceeded to snatch his empty glass from Jeongguk's hand with a flick of his wrist, "I was drinking this. Now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way, let me introduce myself." Taehyung rose to his fullest height from the confines of the bar stool, towering some inches over the boy in front of him.

"My name is Kim Taehyung, and I was hired by your father to protect, not serve, you for the time being. I will be happy to accept his proposal, seeing as money is short after his friends busted my last contract, as soon as you allow me to escort you home, where your presence has been requested. Any further details by way of introduction can be discussed in our long ride home." Taehyung spoke in a low, unrushed, baritone; one he has learned to apply when dealing with past intoxicated or mentally disturbed clients. "If it so pleases you, my liege." He ended with a slight bow of the head for good measure.

Jeongguk's grin stayed plastered on his face, eyes lazily raking over Taehyung's posture as he spoke. He radiated arrogance in the way he seized his elder up, feigning disinterest in his speech.

"And here I was, thinking you were going to be fun to play around with. I can see why," Jeongguk made the next statement while looking him over from head to toe, "my father hired you to follow me around while I am away from his prying eyes." He punctuated his words aiming to inflict the maximum damage on his target. Something about that calculated precision reminded Taehyung of the younger's father, with strict calculation in aim.

"As for going home, I am sure that nothing you will say can convince me to do so. Here I am," he stood properly, abandoning his earlier lax posture, extending his arms as he motioned the room around them, "having the time of my life at a dear friend's house party, and I am supposed to leave because what, my father wants to ground me? I don't think so, Taehyung-ssi. Unless you can promise me more fun at my own humble abode..." He trailed off, looking into Taehyung's eyes from his slightly shorter height with a challenging expression.

Taehyung couldn't control his face by this point, his eyes widening as they flashed with ill-restrained anger as his chest expanded and deflated at a faster tempo than before. He couldn't believe his ears, and how bratty and altogether uncompromising the younger was being. Jeongguk seemed to be reciting a well-rehearsed script, in his opinion, and he left no room for negotiation.