Chapter Text
Taehyung sighs as highlight is brushed onto his cheeks.
“You okay Taehyung-ah?”Bogum, his friend, asks.
It’s a knee jerk reaction by now to nod his head, but Bogum knows better. He knows because he was there for Taehyung the day it happened.
Instead of going to Jimin and Jungkook’s dorm, Taehyung went to Bogum’s apartment and watched as the chat died. Bogum was surprised to see him and Taehyung was surprised to be there, but his legs didn’t seem to want to work.
His brain had gotten the message, “go to Jimin and Jungkook’s dorm.” but his legs refused to listen. Every time he stepped in the direction of their dorm a wave of nausea came over him.
What made it worse was that he couldn’t go back home either. He felt too awkward, but when he eventually did go back home―which was after a couple of days of staying with Bogum―he felt like he couldn’t even breathe.
Taehyung had figured that his absence had created an even bigger rift between him and his beloved hyung because when he came back, Seokjin wouldn’t even look at him. He acted as though he were living by himself until eventually, he was.
Bogum and Taehyung had been friends since the summer before Taehyung’s freshman year of college due to the theater program at the university. They had stayed good friends despite not being able to see each other a lot. Although once everything fell through with “Hoe Skwod”, Bogum had become Taehyung’s rock.
He offered to let Taehyung stay with him permanently after one too many nights of Taehyung sleeping in his guest bedroom.
Initially though, Taehyung had refused. Part of him wanted to stay with Seokjin and possibly work things out, but Seokjin is quite stubborn when he wants to be. He’s the kind of guy that, when he’s set his mind to something he decides to stick with it and he had apparently set his mind to treating Taehyung like a ghost.
It hurt, but during a weekend when Taehyung knew Seokjin would be back home visiting family, he, Bogum, and a couple of their other friends helped him move all of his stuff out. It took longer than Taehyung had expected, but that was mostly due to Taehyung breaking down in the bathroom every thirty minutes or so.
Bogum though, he lived in an apartment complex that was a lot grander than the one Taehyung shared with Seokjin. It was close to campus―which meant that it had already cost a fortune―and it was a relatively new complex which meant that it had modern and upgraded amenities and features.
Needless to say, Taehyung’s waiter salary was not going to cut it.
Bogum though―being the ever supportive friend that he is―had initially offered to pay for everything. When Taehyung had downright refused―respectfully of course―Bogum then offered to see if he could get Taehyung a position working with him.
Taehyung was excited, but what Bogum had failed to mention was that he was a fucking model and that Taehyung had inadvertently signed up to be a model.
His first shoot went better than expected and so Bogum’s company decided to hire Taehyung full time. And that’s what he’s doing now, having highlight brushed on his cheeks as he waits for his turn.
“You’re thinking about them again, aren’t you?”Bogum asks.
Taehyung nearly bites into his bottom lip but then remembers that the makeup team had spent so much time on his look, instead he digs his nails into his palms and nods his head.
Bogum takes Taehyung’s hand in his to get his attention, “You shouldn’t be upset at yourself for that Taehyung-ie. They were you best friends and your friendship with them all ended on quite possibly the worst note it could have. It’s fine that you miss them. That’s a perfectly human thing and you shouldn’t criminalize yourself for feeling that way.”
Taehyung relaxes into his chair and smiles softly, “Yeah, you’re right hyung.”
“You’re going to kill me one day.”Minjae says as he flops down onto their couch.
It’s Saturday night which usually means that Taehyung is studying, but Kim Minjae is over and that means that all thoughts of burying himself into his textbook are thrown out the window.
“Why are you here?”Taehyung whines.
Minjae sticks his tongue out, “Because, some of the theater hyungs want to go out and they know that I’m the only person who can convince you to come out with us.”He answers.
Taehyung rolls his eyes and is about to deny Minjae’s claim when Bogum stops him, “Before you try to deny it Taehyung-ie, let me just say that he’s right. Normally your big nose is stuffed in a book. Minjae-ah is the only one who can convince you to come out.”
Taehyung pouts, “My nose isn’t big.”
“It is, but that doesn’t mean it’s not cute. Especially with that cute lil mole.”Bogum amends quickly.
Minjae rolls his eyes, “Are you two coming or what? They’re talking about going to this new club down in Itaewon.”
Taehyung bites his lip but concedes without an argument. His brain feels stuffy anyway. Might as well go out right?