Boy By The Sea • taekook

Seventeen

The next day, they spend the whole day visiting the vet and getting supplies to help Chim Chim settled in. He turns out to be fairly health, if small for his age and malnourished. And no posting looking for him, as far as Jeongguk could find.

By nightfall, Taehyung and the kitten are all but inseparable, on the floor playing and nuzzling into each other for hours. When Taehyung's phone starts buzzing, Jeongguk looks away from the document on his laptop and watches as Taehyung hangs up with a resolute click.

"What is it?"

Taehyung answers without glancing up, "just some new friend I made at the local jazz bar, I think there's a performance there tonight."

Jeongguk speaks up, "friend. That's good, right?"

Taehyung throws a fuzzy mouse toy at Chim Chim, body spread out on the floor lazily, "I guess, it's kinda a fun place. Ten minute into the Bluffs, live band, plays oldies and also covers with a twist."

"Oh." Jeongguk yawns as he gets up from the couch. "Sound like your kind of place."

"Yeah..." Taehyung rolls onto his back and ruffles his hair, "I said I was gonna pop by."

"And?" Jeongguk steps towards him, voice inquisitive.

"And-" Taehyung grabs the kitten off the floor gently and kisses it on the head, "-and now I have Chim Chim and you, and I never have to leave this house ever again!"

Jeongguk eyes the empty plate on the floor with leftover bits of fries, and the random sheets of music scattered about next to the guitar Taehyung's bare feet are touching, before piping up again, "well, you've been on the floor since this afternoon... I'm sure Chim Chim appreciates the company but-maybe some human interaction would be good also?"

Taehyung twists his mouth around and scrunches up his nose cutely in response. In his embrace, a set of ember eyes gaze onto Jeongguk, echoing the same playful stare as that of the owner.

Jeongguk inches closer and hugs both of them with open arms, "c'mon, making friends sounds like a good idea in a new city." He kisses into Taehyung's hair, "we can just go for a bit, a quick date, what do you say."

Taehyung's gaze softens, "really? You? Wanna go out?" His eyes shine with excitement, "well, I do have a new shirt I could wear, it's lovely."

The jazz bar, Cezanne, turns out to be in an old Victorian style house perched on the hill, surrounded by tall oak trees with leaves rustling in the dark. As they step inside, the band has already started on a song, and people are scattered about, seated in wicker chairs with drinks on the table. And when they turn around to look at them, they can not look away.

Everyone's staring at Taehyung, as if a spotlight is shining on him, casting his wavy blonde hair in a soft glow. And he did dress up - scarlet red embroidery snakes slither around the collar of his starched white shirt, matched with ripped black jeans that make his legs look long and alluring.

He is stunning, and fully aware of it. A radiant smile hangs on his lips, as he nods towards the singer on the small stage in the back of the bar.

They slowly make their way to the empty reserved seats up front, next to a bunch of young girls that giggle and blush the moment Taehyung sits down. The band is in full swing now, the piano player dazzling the crowd with his skillful solo, and the drummer echoing the improvisation and keeping up with a punchy beat.

Taehyung is in his element, unconcerned of all the attention and enjoying the jovial ambiance. Leaning towards Jeongguk, he waves the waitress down to order scotch on the rocks, and beams at him every time their eyes meet.