Jeongguk didn't have to keep company to customers anymore. It was that simple, yet the price was big. In these nine years he had been working for Kang, to take just another beating wouldn't hurt him. He couldn't really say that he was used to it, no matter how many times it had happened, but he knew exactly what to expect so he was kind of prepared for it.
And when he found the opportunity, he pulled Namjoon to the side subtly. "Kang is preparing to call me soon and... you know, beat me up."
The words fell from his lips so casually they brimmed Namjoon with shock. "What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Listen, you don't have to worry. When his sidekicks appear, I'll just text you so you'll be on stand by and call Yaesung too. You know he's always dropping me outside of the club afterwards, so when I text you, come here with Yaesung, okay?"
"V, why are you so cool about this? How can you be so calm? What did you even do?"
"I don't know. It's going to happen. I should just accept it. And you don't have to worry about what I did." He presented a weak smile to him and strolled off.
Solji's face was priceless when V informed her with a smug smile that she couldn't page Jeongguk to keep her company anymore. And she couldn't do anything about it because Kang himself had agreed to this.
Other than Solji whining and bitching about the situation for a rather long time, everything went by quietly. She was so pissed and bothered that she couldn't have her way she left. And all the employees in the VIP section couldn't be happier about it.
🥀
A few days passed with Jeongguk going to work earlier than usual. He wouldn't admit it, but he did it for Taehyung. He was scared. He couldn't help but go to work earlier to check if he was there, and mostly if he was okay. He hadn't forgotten about the beating that was awaiting Taehyung, and honestly, he couldn't. It occupied his mind at all times, even at work sometimes, but not when he was with him.
The past three days, they spent an hour together before their shift drinking a glass of whiskey. Maybe more. They also chatted about various things, but only about general things. Like about their preferences in food, what they did in their free time, and what they wanted to do.
Taehyung also shared his knowledge and appreciation about the numerous kinds of alcoholic drinks since Jeongguk had no idea about that. The first time he had a beer was that night at Hayan Night when he went with his hyungs. He never really cared about alcohol since he was underage.
They didn't talk about their life before they met. Although Jeongguk knew some things since he opened up about his life a little bit that day in his office, he didn't do it again, and Taehyung didn't ask about his past either. It was like an unwritten rule between the two.
Someone could say they were two good friends. But by the way Jeongguk blushed rather frequently when they touched or when Taehyung teased him or even complimented him, it wasn't that clear what they were.
No one knew about this. In front of others, they acted like a boss and a worker. That was what they were anyway, right? But then again, why didn't it feel like that anymore?
. . .
Jeongguk skipped towards V's office with a blissful smile on his lips. He couldn't wait to spend the next one hour with Taehyung talking about random things. He knocked on the door and waited and waited... and waited. Hard creases bloomed all over his forehead as he knocked again.
By now, he was shaking.
"V." He swung the door open and pure consternation burst onto his face when he found the office empty. That was exactly what he was terrified of. That he would go there and Taehyung wouldn't answer him. And it just happened.
He was driven into a suffocating frenzy as he rushed to get his phone out of his pocket, only to realize he still didn't have his phone number. "Fuck!" he exclaimed in panic and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He stormed towards the exit again, unsure about what the fuck he was supposed to do, but the door suddenly opened, and he crashed into someone.
The man flew his arms around his waist on instinct, and Jeongguk right away felt a familiar warmth from him. He heaved a quaky sigh as he cupped his face and looked deep into his eyes. "Fuck! Where the fuck were you?"
"Hey, don't curse at me."
"I was—fuck, I was scared, Taehyung," he spluttered as he closed his eyes, drawing in chest-swelling breaths. "Give me your damn phone number!" he roared and punched his chest out of frustration.
"Wow, what's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me? You weren't here! You didn't answer me! I thought—I thought Kang had taken y-you and—and—" His panicked outbreak died down when he was pulled into a tight hug.
"I'm here, little bun. Don't worry," he whispered as he rubbed his back with one hand and held him with the other. "Stop worrying so much about it. It's not good for you."
"I can't," he mumbled against the crook of his neck, his lips touching his soft skin.
Taehyung's eyes widened, a shiver trickling down his spine by his hot breath and lips against his skin. He could be imagining things, but a second later, he thought the younger gave him a small peck at the same spot before he retreated. He considered his stunned expression and the reddened tips of his ears. "What are you so flustered about?" he questioned, voice subdued and faltering, as he glanced away.
"Nothing," Jeongguk breathed out in haste. Yeah, nothing, I just fucking kissed you bdjsiemebshsjsk—
Before Taehyung could ask another uncomfortable question, he shoved his phone into his chest. "Write your number."
Unwillingly forgetting what happened seconds ago, he did as he was told and returned the phone to him.
Jeongguk eyed the screen for a spell and broke into soft giggles. "Taehyungie hyung? Really?"
"What? You never call me that, so I had to make the start somehow." He shrugged a kittenish shoulder, earning another endearing chuckle from him.
"Honestly, I didn't know if we were there yet."
"You don't know?" he asked in disbelief, face wooden. "You called Hoseok Hoseokie hyung from day one."
"But—but you're different."
"How?"
"You're my boss." He regretted the words the moment he spilled them. Although he was his boss, it didn't feel like this at all to him.
"I'm just your boss? Wow, you suck, Jeongguk," he spat out, not even a sign of playfulness in his tone. He walked past him to sit on the couch, but Jeongguk got hold of his wrist, stopping him right next to him, their shoulders touching.
"You're not just my boss."
"Then?"
The question had him swallowing thickly as he had no idea what to say. Or what he was supposed to say. "Do we really have to label this?" he muttered. "What am I supposed to say? What... What do you want me to say?"
I don't fucking know. This thought wandered in his head, but he didn't venture to voice it out. Instead, he gave him a halfhearted smile and freed himself from his grip. "Let's have a drink."
Jeongguk twisted around and watched through gloomy eyes as the other perched on the couch. "Taehyung." For some reason, he felt bad. He felt bad because he didn't know what he was supposed to say or what Taehyung expected to hear. If only he wasn't so dense and knew more things about this messed up thing that was called life, maybe then he would know what to answer him.
Taehyung reached for the bottle of whiskey and glanced at him, forcing a smile. "Come here, little bun. Let's not think about anything for the next forty minutes."
It wasn't like the other days. Although they still bantered about things, there was something between them that Jeongguk couldn't pinpoint. They weren't awkward — they weren't uncomfortable. Then what the fuck is that?
And as time passed, they got ready for work. They didn't talk about what happened, and to be honest, Jeongguk didn't even know what happened in the first place.
Something was odd about the VIP section, and Jeongguk was sure about it from day one. But he didn't know what that was.
He walked towards a booth with a tray filled with drinks in his hand and said his usual 'excuse me'. He waited for a rather long time for an answer, and the more he mooned over it, he realized that most of them were taking ridiculously long to let him enter.
Once someone finally gave him permission, he pulled the curtain away. He had a smile plastered on his face since he wanted to seem kind and placed their drinks on the table. He straightened his back from his crouched position, but before he left, his eyes spotted a white substance sprawled on the corner of the table.
His brows furrowed insensibly, and he would have leaned closer to take a better look if one of the men in there hadn't questioned his weird behavior. Jeongguk bowed and scurried out of the booth. He stayed still in front of the closed curtain for a while. White. Something white. Something white that looked like... powder. Powder.
His eyes popped open once the realization dawned on him. That was fucking cocaine! He screamed in his head as he subtly dashed to the bathroom.
He was freaking out. Hard.
His breath came faster as his agitation hiked up. He's... He's a fucking drug dealer, he chanted in his head, unable to believe what he just realized. And he couldn't believe it took him so damn long to do so.
He would often hear some sniffs here and there, the customers were taking too long to let him enter their booths, and the rugs. Damn, the fucking rugs. The white rugs. If they were throwing the cocaine on the white rug, no one could notice, ever. That was why they were picking them up so carefully.
Everything clicked so damn well.
He was so freaked out he didn't hear the door open, and V hurried to his side, worry etched on his features. "What happened? Are you okay?" He grasped his forearms in his effort to pull him out of his dazed condition.
Jeongguk's hazy eyes flitted up to him, harsh and blazing. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" he bellowed as he whisked his hands away.
Taehyung shushed him straightaway with a scowl. "What is wrong with me? What is wrong with you? Why the fuck are you yelling?"
"You're a fucking drug dealer!"
"Shut the fuck up!" he ground out the words between clenched teeth and lurched forward, gripping his dress shirt. "Can we not talk about this now?"
"Why didn't you say anything?" He smacked his hand away and took a wobbly step back.
V was left at a loss by his actions and couldn't help but frown. "You weren't supposed to know, Jeongguk. And you don't even have to care about it."
"V, what the hell?" He sighed in frustration, sliding a palm down his face. "Are you... Are you using too?"
He looked heavenwards as a sharp, surprised snort erupted from his mouth in stark disbelief. "Jeongguk, fuck, are you serious now?"
"I don't know what to think!"
Taehyung remained mute, and even though no emotion was visible on his face, he felt a storm of disappointment roil inside him. "Think whatever you want."
His bitterly spoken words were like shards jabbing his racing heart, and his exit was what left him with an ocean of remorse and tears burning his eyes.
⚜✳⚜
Okay, does it makes sense about the cocaine and the white rugs? If not, let me explain some more.
⬇
The customers are allowed to use cocaine in there, mostly because they want to test it before buying it from Taehyung. Taehyung has told them that the waiters can't know about it and that's why they have the white rugs, so they can throw the cocaine down there like nothing happened.
Questions? Feel free to ask anything 💜
I hope you like this book so far, thank you for the support🌹