DYING TO KNOW | TAEKOOK

6. I Don't Owe You Anything

*Brief content warning for strong language, mature themes, references to sex / sexuality*
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Taehyung jolted the car into park and hopped out. He strolled onto the set, and into hair and makeup, "Hey Yugs," he called over his shoulder as he folded himself neatly into the chair.

"Hey, Tae," Yugyeom called from the adjacent chair, "How's it going?" he asked good-naturedly.

Taehyung leaned out of his chair and looked directly at Yugyeom, raising an eyebrow as if to say, Really?

"Peachy," he replied dryly. He quickly revised his answer, "Actually, not so bad, I'm alone tonight so should be better than usual."

Yugyeom made a face, but it quickly dissolved into a warm v-shaped smile.

"Sweet! You can come with me and Hobi to the Abbey tonight. It's lesbian night and they are doing an L Word watch party. You know how much he loves Jennifer Beals," the younger man chattered casually.

"Well, to be fair, she is a national treasure," Taehyung replied, masking a smile. "Fine, I'll go. Sometimes it is so hard to believe Hobi isn't gay."

Yugyeom wagged his finger dramatically, "You just never really know, do you?"

They both laughed, "In any case, let's meet there around eight, okay?" he asked, visibly amused.

"Sure, that's fine," Taehyung agreed. He sat back in his chair and drifted off into his own mind as the stylist bobbed around him like a hummingbird, watching as his imperfections faded into the ether, how his hair came to life.

It was as though everything unsatisfactory about him were being buffed out. If only his actual life were the same way.

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Jungkook pressed decline on the incoming call. He wanted Jimin to give him just a little more space.

Sure, the constant stream of texts had stopped but a phone call every single day was getting a little old. And it just hit differently after his session with Namjoon earlier.

I'm not some codependent little shit.

He yanked on a pair of black coated jeans, a Burberry knit sweater and boots, left his phone on the bathroom counter, and left the house.

He drove aimlessly in and out of the streets of Los Angeles, stopping and starting as frequently as he inhaled and exhaled.

When he saw what looked like a normal (and somewhat unpretentious) enough bar, he parked, slinking inside quickly.

He ordered a Manhattan and made a silent toast to himself. Here's to being single, yo. Single enough.

He jolted upright as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Stop blushing, you haven't done anything wrong.

"Hey you" the deep voice belonging to the hand said into his ear. Familiar.

Attractive Taehyung materialized out of his peripheral vision, sitting down next to him at the bar. He spun in his stool to face Jungkook and downed his drink. Something that looked like it had a lot of red juice in it.

Jungkook watched as he ordered another, unable to even concentrate on what he was wearing.

Taehyung's presence made the back of his neck prickle and he didn't understand why he felt so uncomfortable with this strange neighbor guy.

"Hey" Jungkook said with a cough, "What's up?" he shot coolly, sipping his drink with an icy expression,

"Oh, not too much," Taehyung sang out, knocking back his next drink earning himself a pair of raised eyebrows from Jungkook.