catch-22.

 four 

"Uh, hi."

Namjoon blinks at how awkward that sounded but Taehyung doesn't even seem to notice because he keeps staring at the now closed journal and then looking up at Namjoon with his mischievous brown eyes.

"He's really beautiful," Taehyung says and Namjoon looks up at him with confused brows.

"Who?"

Taehyung's smirk grows and then turns over his shoulder to where Seokjin is sitting with him friends, "Seokjin, you know, the boy on your journal."

Namjoon startles and widens his eyes as he feels his heart beating uncontrollably against his rib cage, "W-what, no. I - I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Namjoon," Taehyung interrupts, "I know you like him."

Namjoon is too busy staring at the wooden tables to look at the expression on Taehyung's face. He can't really be to blame when he feels like he wants to be swallowed whole into the earth and never have to face Taehyung or Seokjin or anyone if it means he won't feel as small and embarrassed as he's feeling.

And maybe Namjoon has a death wish or maybe he's secretly a masochist since he slowly looks up to look at Taehyung.

He blinks once and then twice and wonders feebly if he's maybe entered some kind of alternative universe where people are actually nice to him.

Taehyung is staring at him with the softest, warm brown eyes and a sweet encouraging smile gracing his lips. "I can help you if you want."

"Help you get your boy, get his attention." Taehyung clarifies when Namjoon still stares at him.

Namjoon frowns and chooses to ignore the your boy, not that the blush on his cheeks helps but he can at least try. He's kind of more focused on how the hell Taehyung even knew he liked Seokjin.

(He also chooses to ignore all the red alert hints Namjoon has been carelessly dropping since the moment Taehyung chose to talk with him. Like the doodling and the name scribbling and the staring. None of that has happened, of course not, Namjoon is great at hiding his crush.)

"I - I'm not sure that would work," Namjoon quietly mutters and bites his lip. He tries to not look up when he hears Seokjin's loud laughter roaring loudly throughout the library and the way he bows his head cutely when the librarian scolds him for being so loud.

Taehyung turns his head over to Seokjin's side of the room and frowns when he turns to look back at Namjoon with a puzzled expression, "Why not?"

Namjoon sighs and gives Taehyung a really-dude look as he awkwardly gestures to his face and his upper body with a grimace on his lips, "Seriously? Must I write it down for you Taehyung-ah. Seokjin-hyung is like the embodiment of beauty; he's got the whole thing down with his pale smooth skin and his flawless face and his shiny brown hair. I mean, he's got the looks and the personality. He's smart, he's talented."

Then Namjoon looks back down at the table and heavies out a loud sigh, "Me, I'm just ... boring, basic, nerdy."

Taehyung squawks and buries his face into his large hands, "What? Dude!"

Namjoon ignores him and goes back to staring at Seokjin with longing eyes. "Besides, I've been liking him for a while now. I don't think I'd be able to talk with him, he'd make me so nervous that I'd just embarrass myself and it's not like he would even want me anyway. He's - he's perfect."

All this time while Namjoon ranted to Taehyung the younger had just stared back at him in awe, wondering in shock how someone like Namjoon could be so self-conscious.

Namjoon was good looking (like really good looking, but Taehyung doesn't want to look too deep into that) with his neatly styled hair and his soft face and hissuper cute fucking dimples.

And not only that, Namjoon was one of the sweetest guys Taehyung had ever met! He's like one hundred and three percent sure Seokjin would fall for his charming looks and his sweet personality.

"Hey, that's what I'm here for." Taehyung pats Namjoon's hand lightly and pushes down the flutter in his stomach, "I'll help you out with it. Just wait and see, I'll have Seokjin fawning over you sooner than you think. We just gotta get him to notice you."

Taehyung is giving Namjoon that smile, the bright, blinding, boxy smile that lights up all his features.

Even though he's only known him for a while now Namjoon thinks he can say that he's probably weak for it already.

"Fine," Namjoon finally groans out, "You can help me with Seokjin, whatever. Now hurry up and start your essay, I'm hungry."

Taehyung laughs catching the attention of a few people close by and Namjoon quickly goes back to hiding behind his book.