hello neighbor [taekook fanfiction]

chapter 8

"I am a professional photographer." Jungkook finally answered, delayed.

Taehyung gulped in tiny. Oh no.

"I am working as a freelancer, but oftentimes team up with Jimin. He works as a stylist," Jungkook continued. Taehyung lowered his gaze.

Great. Another person in that business... He had fled from home, because he was surrounded by models and agency owners, wanting to have a normal life and here he was! He exchanged contacts with a professional photographer and his fashion stylist cousin, so much for avoiding people like them and having a normal life.

Therefore he kept his answer short.

"Sounds nice." He only mumbled and got up from his bed. He picked up the mannequin's arm to put it back onto the body.

Jungkook on the other hand got startled, furrowed his eyebrows and watched Taehyung's doing. This reaction came unexpected as he was used to opposite ones. People usually got curious, sometimes went crazy and even asked for private photoshootings.

Taehyung stepped back after attaching the arm and musingly put his hand on his chin. However, his mind stayed mute. No idea popped up.

"I have no thoughts or any ideas." He admitted with a slight pout.

"You look beautiful, when you are not thinking about anything," Jungkook blurted out, then bit his tongue as Taehyung looked at him in surprise.

"Is.. that a compliment?" He hesitantly asked after a moment.

Jungkook pushed himself away from the door he was leant against until now. This doll was luring out unknown sides of himself, he wasn't fond of and it really was just their second time meeting each other. His head tumbled over a thousand excuses, when it was Taehyung who came to the rescue.

"Or.. are you trying new pick-up lines?" The silver blonde added, chuckling.

"What the f*ck?" Jungkook shot right back in a bold voice, but got confronted by big puppy eyes and halted.

"Why should I try my pick-up lines on you?" The ravenette asked calmer, and damned himself in mind again. Why ask that?

"So you do use them!" Taehyung suddenly pointed out and silenced Jungkook anew. He was baffled, he closed the gap in a few steps and stopped a few inches away. There he put his hands into his pants pockets, making Taehyung wonder about his action. Somehow it looked threateningly and confirmed more of his theory, that this hot guy in reality was a Mafioso. So he bit his bottom lip and nibbled on it, still staring with big round puppy eyes.

"Doll! You don't get one thing-" Jungkook warned him, but stopped midway again.

"What?" Taehyung asked him innocently. No way he could fight against this sight of adorable cuteness. So the ravenette sighed.

"I have no pick-up lines," he remarked instead and turned away, towards the mannequin.

"Yeah, sure." Taehyung chuckled again, and faced the mannequin as well.

"I don't need them." Jungkook remembered him. Another chuckle.

"I can see that." The blonde agreed.

Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows again and looked at the silver blonde, while the latter now was back at pondering about his art project.

Still no idea.

"See what? What do you mean?" Jungkook demanded to know. He missed the jump in the topic. The art student looked up confused, then trailed his eyes from head to toe and up over Jungkook's body.

"You are hot?" Taehyung therefore asked back. It was clear after seeing him half-naked and confident. No need for Jungkook to pick up, he for sure pulled attention like a magnet.

"Your muscles are woah! The way the water dripped over your buff chest the other day!" The art student was speaking out of Taehyung, not realizing how it might sound.

Jungkook's jaw dropped open, he had no words left. That doll seemed so innocent a moment ago, now he openly pulled a bold move?!

Taehyung smiled at him with a tender boxy smile.

"Are you questioning it? You are hot, Jungkook! I would love to draw you one day!" He exclaimed and finally realized all he had just burst out.

Red immediately flashed up on his cheeks in embarrassment. What was he doing here?! He quickly turned away.

Jungkook pressed his lips into thin lines, but a smirk pushed through and curled his lips up.

"You have a kink, doll? Do you want me as your personal life model?" He teased Taehyung, who had fixed his stare back on the mannequin. It amused him additionally, so Jungkook leant in and brushed the other's earshell with his lips.

"Want me naked at your drawing session?" Jungkook whispered.

The vibration of his low voice sent shivers down Taehyung's spine. He closed his eyes tight and took a sharp breath, holding it. The ravenette backed out a tiny bit, then caught a glimpse of Taehyung and stayed unmoving.

He was fascinated by the mesmerizing beauty in front of him, with a face so adorable and ethereal at once as if it was sculpted by Gods. Even the beauty marks were charming, all placed on the right spot and tempted to be kissed.

Over and over again.

Jungkook widened his eyes in shock. What was he thinking? No way he would touch this doll.

He was about to back out for good, when Taehyung opened his eyes, wondering, and turned his head. Their lips almost brushed, their eyes locked and both hearts skipped a beat.

Only a faint distance kept them apart. Both felt the warm breath of the other on their lips, frozen in place.

Jungkook broke out of the spell first, hasted to step back. His stare was still fixed on Taehyung, who didn't dare to move.

"I.. should go."

The silver blonde slowly nodded to his words.

For a while they stood there in awkward silence, then Jungkook turned around and opened the door to his apartment. He entered it, then closed the door and leant against it. His mind was empty, his heart, however, was racing. Not good. He couldn't let this beauty be the reason at any costs. Nobody would be the reason for such feelings anymore, he was done with all relationship sh*ts long ago. No more!

"Time to get wasted." Jungkook declared to himself. He was on his way to an after-show party and only made a quick stop at home for a change of clothes anyways. He inhaled deeply and exhaled long, then he walked through his living room into the hallway.

"F*ck." He noticed arriving at his entrance.

No shoes. They were still in Taehyung's apartment, where he got out of them before entering. Frustrated, he ran his fingers through his hair and turned heel, but nope. Not having it! He would rather go bare feet then go back to Taehyung. So he decided to wear another pair of shoes, even if they didn't fit his today's outfit that well. F*ck that, too.

Taehyung's mind was empty, too. His heart, however, was racing. Was that good? No.

He shook his head. He didn't want to feel anything, he had his life already envisioned in his mind and had no time for .. whatever was going on between them. IF there even was something going on, because they only met like twice?

Taehyung shook his head again.

He just started his new life and had so many plans! All would be leading to his first art exhibition! And this mannequin in front of him was the key, so he better focused back on painting and placed his hand on his chin. What to do?