bikers & beaches | tk ✓

❧15

❧ Night Drives and Cliffsides ❧

Never in a million years did Kim Taehyung think his eyes would alight, shoulders straighten and body jolt up with excitement at the sight of a biker.

Never in a million years did he think he'd be close to one in the first place.

The small diner bell rung and he huffed behind the cashier. But upon seeing that grin exposing the tips of bunny teeth, ears hooded by the floppy dark hair, those pretty doe eyes glimmering, Taehyung felt a small rush of warmth.

And not the gross sweaty heat plaguing the diner's atmosphere of midday, open-backdoor humidity.

"Hello as always, handsome," Yoongi flicked through the stack of menus on the bar counter. The mint-haired man made his joy sink away into aggravation.

"Travel sized toothpaste," Taehyung smiled mockingly wide and the elder's smug expression promptly fell. "What can I do for you?"

"Okay," Namjoon chuckled, the cashier's smile not returning with his presence either. "Take a seat, Min. You know our usual?"

"Do I?" The surfer hummed, clicking away at the buttons with memory of the orders anyway. Yoongi scowled before whirling around and heading for their booth; Namjoon raised a brow before joining him.

They didn't seem too interested in playing around, but he saw one pair of leather arms brace against the counter, lingering behind.

"Looking hotter than normal, Saltine."

His genuine smile flickered back. Just a little.

"What did I say about calling me hot?"

"I am absolutely not kissing your forehead and calling you beautiful," Jeongguk cringed obnoxiously, leaning forward on the counter and peering over the cash register to look at his work. He rolled his eyes dramatically for attention when the surfer swatted him away.

"You're taking notes?" Taehyung teased, opening the register for payment and watching the biker fish it out from his back pocket. His voice dropped, the clatter of running kitchen equipment and customers drowning them out. "Doing okay with Yoongi and Namjoon?"

"So far, so good," The younger watched him as he clicked away, counting and collecting change. "This why you're working as a cashier?"

"Hmm?"

"You said you worked as one back home to save up for supplies. That why you're working this job now, too?"

Taehyung blinked as his body tensed in confused surprise. "You remembered that?"

"I guess so. My head just remembers the useless things more than the important ones." Jeongguk chuckled lowly, sliding into one of the bar stools and the artist's confusion grew.

"Are you not sitting with them? Won't they ask?"

"So many questions for me today." The biker tutted. "So little answers."

"Jeongguk."

"Yes?"

"Ugh, never mind. Yeah, I know how to work a register so I took this job. Needed something to do." Taehyung decided to make one of the order's smoothie for Mr.Tuan and began pulling out the ingredients.

He slapped Jeongguk's hand reaching for the plate of cling-film wrapped cookies, the biker retracting with a pout tugging on his lips.

"You can only take that if you're paying for it, shithead."

The younger raised a brow, dancing fingers on the counter while watching him chop up some strawberries and grab ice from the freezer. "You threw in a dollar for that little kid the other day, why can't you do the same for me?"