"Taehyung? Taehyung!! Are you alright?" Jungkook banged on the door of the only occupied stall in the washroom. He could clearly hear Taehyung panting inside, as if he ran miles without stopping for a single second.
Jimin and Hoseok burst into the washroom, concern and worry written all over their face. "Where is he?" Jimin asked.
Jungkook pointed to the stall from which the panting could be heard. "Ohh my god, what's happe-" "Shh" Jungkook silenced Hoseok by placing a finger on his mouth and concentrated on the faint mumbling coming from inside.
".....twenty nine......thirty.........thirty one..........thirty two.........thirty three...........thirty four..........thirty five.......thirty six........" the voice was very faint, but they were sure Taehyung was counting numbers to calm himself down.
Jungkook was worried sick and was growing more worried as the numbers soon crossed two hundred.
But they silently decided to wait it out instead of trying to coax him out of the stall. Jungkook and Hoseok settled on the platform where the wash basins were present.
Jimin squatted, supporting himself against the wall. They waited as Taehyung slowly stopped counting numbers. They could no longer hear him panting.
They sprung to their feet the second they heard the door open. "Are you alright?" "You look pale" "We'll go back home. You take some rest" "Are you really alright?" they bombarded him with questions.
Taehyung went to the sink and splashed his face with a lot of water. He then turned to them and faced down, unable to meet their eyes.
"I am fine! Don't worry about me! I am really fine" Taehyung said. "But still, let's go home" Jimin said. "No, no, it's fine! I don't wanna ruin your day! Let's go for the Dance Dance Revolution" Taehyung said, looking up and cracking a small smile.
"No, Taehyung! It's really okay! You are not ruining our day or anything! Let's jus-" "Please...." Taehyung whispered, looking at Hoseok.
There was no way they could deny him. Not when he looked so vulnerable. Jungkook looked at the other two. All the three of them looked torn. They really wanted Taehyung to rest.
The numbers that he had counted were still ringing in their ears. They were worried sick about it. But the way Taehyung pleaded, it was as if he were afraid to go back right now.
"O-Okay, then. Let's go" Jungkook said, taking Taehyung's hand and holding it firmly. "J-Jungkook-ssi, m-my hand" Taehyung said, trying to get his hand out of Jungkook's hold.
Jungkook immediately let go of his hand even though he felt a bit sad at having to do so. Then again, he remembered that Taehyung did the same with Jimin and Hoseok as well. That lifted his spirits a little.
"Hobi, you wanna start or what?" Jimin asked as they stood in front of the machine. "Nope. You go first" Hoseok said "Okaiie" Jimin said and got on, selecting the 'hard' difficulty level.
"Is this level okay for everyone, though?" he asked. "Yeah" they replied. Thus hyped, Jimin started his game, neatly coming through all the complicated footwork.
"Woohohooohoo, Jimin-ssi!! That was one hell of a footwork on your part!!" Taehyung cheered as Jimin got down. "Thanks" Jimin grinned.
Even though everyone was acting happy and hyped, they couldn't understand how Taehyung could behave as if he didn't have a panic attack in the bathroom just a few minutes ago.
But they decided to act the same way if that was what Taehyung wanted. He was trying his best to get things back to normal. They weren't going to destroy his effort by reminding him of it again.
One thing was for sure - they weren't supposed to ask a single word about his hand if they wanted everyone to be peaceful and carefree.
Both Jungkook and Taehyung played their chance next. They did well. Jungkook completely drooled over Taehyung, but he wasn't gonna accept it. But then again, no matter who danced, it always amazed him.
He gaped at Hoseok as he selected a hard song and went on with it. It was as if he had already danced the same song a thousand times. His jaw was almost on the floor and he was soo concentrated on Hoseok that he didn't notice a certain someone sneaking up behind him.
"You are drooling, Jungkook-ssi" Taehyung whispered in his ear.
Jungkook screamed as he whipped his head around and stared at Taehyung with horrified eyes. "T-Taehyung!! Not you too!!" he exclaimed as he stumbled backwards.
This time, his jaw really did hit the floor. Taehyung, on the other hand, literally fell on the floor and clutched his stomach as he rolled around, unable to control his laughter.
Even though they didn't know what exactly the joke was about, Taehyung's laughter was contagious and Jimin and Hoseok couldn't hold it in anymore. Not to say, the utter blend of disbelief, horror and betrayal on Jungkook's face tickled them more.
They joined Taehyung and laughed along. Taehyung stared at them, puzzled that they were laughing without even knowing the joke.
That tickled him more and he turned to his side, roaring with laughter and groaning with stomach pain at the same time. That roar made the two laugh even more.
Jungkook just stood there, still perplexed by what Taehyung had said and watched as a laughing battle ensued among the other three.
'How the hell does he even know anything about that drooling thingy?? NO WAY!! Did Jimin tell him something about me having a crush on him or something? No, no, that's not possible! Then how the hell did he even know anything about drooling?!?!?! Oh my god, I wasn't drooling!! I was just amazed by Hoseok's talent. The only person I would drool for is T-....THE FUCK?? I DON'T DROOL!! GET YOURSELF TOGETHER, JUNGKOOK!' he yelled at himself internally. He waited for the other three to stop rolling.
"B-But what did you t-tell him?" Hoseok asked. Taehyung broke into another fit of laughter. "Sorry, sorry" he took deep breathes to compose himself and pressed his cheeks together to stop himself from laughing.
"I told him that he was drooling. His reaction was super funny" Taehyung said, breaking into silent snickers.
"YOU WHAT?? How the hell did you know anything about drooling?! Wait, did you already get to know that Jungkookie li-"
"JIMINIE!! THERE'S A BUGGG!" Jungkook screamed to divert Jimin and stop him from belting out all of his secrets. He was sure Taehyung didn't yet know about the fact that he had a crush on him.
Jimin screamed and turned towards the direction that Jungkook was pointing to. There was no bug. He turned back to scowl at Jungkook, only to find him glaring daggers at him.
'If looks could kill...' he thought as he looked Jungkook in the eye. He silently apologized to him and tried to engage Taehyung in a different talk, but Hoseok beat him to it.
"So how's everything going with your boyfriend?" Hoseok asked, walking outside the club and into the restaurant. "Jimin-ssi has a boyfriend?!" Taehyung asked even though he knew who Jimin's boyfriend was.
"Haha, yeah I do. It's going great. In fact, I'm meeting him up tonight" Jimin said, sitting down on one of the chairs. "Ooooh, nice. Did you guys kiss yet?" Jungkook asked. "Not yet. But things are definitely progressing for us" Jimin grinned. "Ohh, that's nice" Hoseok said.
"But I really didn't think you were gay, Jimin-ssi" Taehyung said. "Haha, I am. Even Kookie is gay" Jimin said. "Oh, really?! That's nice. I am bi" Taehyung said. "Ohh, god. I am literally the only non-gay guy of this group" Hoseok mumbled.
Jimin tried his best to stay silent, but he really couldn't hold it in anymore. "But Taehyung, seriously! How did you know anything about drooling?" Jimin asked timidly.
Jungkook whipped his head towards Jimin, glaring at him soo hard that Jimin could almost feel him drilling a hole into his face. But Jimin really wanted answers.
"Ohh, that! Hoseok-ssi told me that Jungkook-ssi drools in his sleep" Taehyung said.
'You are gonna be dead meat by tonight. Brace yourself!' That was what the look that Jungkook sent to Hoseok meant. Hoseok stuck his tongue out at Jungkook and turned to look at Taehyung.
"But that is something you always keep telling him, don't you, Jimin-ssi? I actually picked it up from you" Taehyung said. "Right. Hehe" Jimin laughed awkwardly, avoiding Jungkook's eyes.
"Taehyung! Do you play Overwatch?" Jungkook asked, hastily changing the subject. "I used to. I don't play anymore" Taehyung said. "Ohh, then we should definitely play some day" Jungkook suggested. "Let's see" Taehyung smiled and thus they continued, talking about different games.