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Assistant: Title: courts and couture
        Author: firewaterkv firewaterkv 
        Chapter: 1/2 
        Summary: BREAKING! Following the recent reveal of basketball star Jeon Jeongguk becoming Calvin Klein’s newest global ambassador, the player stuns in his first photoshoot alongside Korea’s darling Kim Taehyung. The two look absolutely gorgeous together, posing in the most intimate poses and exuding insane chemistry, making us wonder if there’s something more than meets the eye. See exclusive photos here!or;Jeongguk and Taehyung’s story started and seemingly ended in the locker room of Hanyang high school. But fate had other plans in store for them.
        Contents: Chapter 1
    

    


  

  
  
    
    All his life, Jeongguk has feared regret. Every decision he’s taken, every action that followed, and every consequence he anticipated has been backed up by the ever-present fear of dissatisfaction, that maybe his faulty thought process would lead him to an erroneous destination. If he thinks about the consequential moments in his life, he also remembers the crippling fear he felt each time before making his ultimate choice, hoping it doesn’t have a different outcome in the long run.He feels the same terror currently as he sits on a comfortable plush chair in his manager’s office, staring at the sheet of paper with an x marked on it, over the box he’s required to sign to complete the contract.“Jeongguk-ah, are you okay?” he hears his manager ask, effectively snapping him out of his daze.The older leans back in his chair, staring at Jeongguk softly with his lips set in a natural pout.“Hmm?” he meets his gaze, the pen in his hand hovering over the designated space. “Of course I am.”Yeah, why wouldn’t he be? This isn’t a major decision that’ll affect his life or anything.Yoongi sighs, leaning back on the chair opposite his. “You don’t need to sign it right now. The contract’s submission isn’t due for the next five days so you can take your time reading it page by page.”“Seokjin hyung approved of it, right? I trust him.”The older nods. “He did, but don’t need to rush the process if you’re still not sure about this.”Jeongguk is sick of not being sure about everything. For once in his life, he wants to take a decision without overthinking it for days.Besides, this could be really good for him. Get his name out there in a different industry.“Why won’t I be sure? I’ve been a player for five years now, it’s time I accept one of the amb@ssadorships I’ve been offered during them.” He turns to his best friend and fellow teammate, who's sitting next to him. “Jimin hyung became the amb@ssador of Dior at 21.”And it opened a whole new world for him. Jeongguk wants that for himself.Yoongi sighs. “You still have decades left to play, Jeongguk. You’re not a fifty-year-old hag. There’s no need to hurry just because the rest of your team did.”Jeongguk bites his lip as he stares at the contract sent to him by Calvin Klein three days ago. He’s been thinking about becoming an amb@ssador for one of the numerous brands asking for him for a few months now, but the million-dollar question of who to represent troubled him constantly. All of them seemed fitting, but he ultimately chose Calvin Klein knowing he’ll get an unlimited supply of underwear and denim with it.The only problem with the arrangement was that he’ll have to eventually pose for a few photoshoots here and there to promote the brand. He’s always been a shy kid growing up; avoiding big groups and gatherings, sweating buckets before a presentation, practising his McDonald’s order in his head before his turn. His situation improved a little during high school and his growing basketball career helped him come out of his shell bit by bit as the years p@ssed.He knows he’s more confident these days when it comes to a lot of things, be it attending endless parties or chatting it up with potential partners. But posing in front of a camera has always been his kryptonite, made worse by the fact that he’ll probably be dressed in minimal clothing during the pictorials. The sheer thought of standing shirtless in a room filled with people only for millions of other people to see makes him want to sh@t his pants. And by minimal clothing, he means briefs that won’t hide the bulge down there that’s usually covered by his baggy pants.“I don’t want it to be a big deal,” he shrugs, dropping his gaze down to his fumbling fingers. “I’m not forcing myself and I can always back out after a year if I don’t feel like continuing.”He  needs to do this. There’s a first time for everything and it might actually turn out to be fun. A couple of photoshoots, attending a few events, and promoting it a bit on social media. It’s not impossible to handle at the age of 23.Yoongi and Jimin share a look. “Alright, Jeonggukie. Whatever you ultimately choose, we’ll be here for you.” He reaches over to ruffle his hair gently, lovingly, and he knows that the two mean it.Jeongguk gives them a grateful smile before signing in the box over his name. He moves his pen slowly to make his signature look pretty and then pulls back. Jeongguk stares at it for a second to check it one last time before breathing out. “It’s done.”Jimin lets out a cheer and pats his back while Yoongi picks up the paper. “I’ll send this to your brother today, he’ll handle the rest of the judicial formalities.” Things like copyright laws and security that make Jeongguk’s head hurt. He nods quickly.Jimin grins. “Our Jeonggukie is a big boy now! We need to celebrate this with the rest of the team.”His arms wrap heavily around Jeongguk, locking him in a tight and comforting hug that feels warm and soft in all the right places.Yoongi nods. “Make sure you don’t drink too much, though. You have practice tomorrow morning at 7.” He reminds them with a raised brow and a serious tone.“Of course, abeoji,” Jimin teases, pinching Yoongi’s cheek as he squeezes the arm around Jeongguk. “See you tomorrow!”Jeongguk barely has time to say goodbye to him before Jimin is pulling him out of the room, ready to take him to some hip club he’s always talking about. Where the bottles never end and the music isn’t ear pollution or whatever the f@ck that means.He takes a breath. He can do this. It’s a simple ambassadorship and he’s played in many matches that were more challenging than this one. Ones that pushed him harder physically and drained him mentally. A s@xy photoshoot should be a piece of cake for Jeongguk.This is just a stepping stone in his career; nothing more, nothing less. ✪✪✪ Jeongguk fell in love with basketball at the age of 9. Ironically, his first interaction with the orange and black sphere was in that same year when he got smacked dab in the face with it. He was walking home from school and he remembers the thump of the ball hitting his nose and the ache in his ass from falling on it. He remembers being stunned for a few moments and seeing literal stars in his vision until a group of older boys, who were the ones playing, came to check up on him. Thankfully, he wasn’t too injured aside from a slight facial swelling that went away in two days.He walked on the same street a week later and found the same group of guys running and jumping around with the ball again, making him stop and watch them in curiosity. Jeongguk stared as they rounded each other, spinning and jumping till the ball fell through the hoop with a graceful noise, cheering and clapping their hands on each other’s backs. He didn’t even realise how long he stood there until one of the guys approached him, a smile on his face as he asked Jeongguk how he was feeling after last week’s mishap.Little Jeongguk had simply waved it off, staring intensely at the ball in his hand instead. “What are you all playing?”The boy, who was gigantic Jeongguk had realised, blinked at the object being referred to. “Basketball,” he says, passing the ball onto his hands. “Have you never played before?”Jeongguk shook his head, eyeing it. “No. Can you please teach me? I want to play too.”The older boy laughed, shaking his head. “You’re too young, kiddo. Maybe start with the basics in school and come back in a few years.”Jeongguk nodded in determination and ran home. The first thing he did when his dad came home from work was ask him to teach him the sport. He remembers his father giving him a hug with teary eyes and promising him that he’ll be the best basketball player Korea has ever seen.Five years later, Jeongguk played against the same group of boys and won by scoring the most hoops.He fell in love with the sport when he was nine years old and he doesn’t think he’ll ever fall out of it.Years after that fateful day and this is where he is now. That court became his second home, where he feels the happiest and most alive.“Good game, Jeongguk-ah,” the coach praises him after he shoots the final basket of their practice game. “Your shooting form has improved so much since last time.”Jeongguk manages to smile even though he feels like someone punched the air out of his lungs. His limbs feel heavy with every step he takes but the smile remains as he sees his teammates cheering and patting each other’s backs. They’ve all been preparing hard for the upcoming FIBA world cup that starts in three months ever since they qualified for it. The pressure is worse this time due to the games being hosted in South Korea, and they have to do their best to avoid embarrassing the team and their country by getting out in the first few rounds.He pushes his sweaty bangs away from his face as he grabs a water bottle. He’s about to take a sip when he spots Yoongi waiting for him at the bleachers, typing something on his phone as usual. He’s been a lot busier for the past few months after Jeongguk got popular on social media during their qualifying match, his winning basket appearing on every tweet, Instagram story and even on those weird yet ego-inflating tiktok edits. He feels bad about how much his hyung is overworking himself. Maybe he should give him a raise soon.“Hey, hyung” he greets, catching Yoongi’s attention who looks up at him. “Is everything okay?”Yoongi doesn’t really prefer disturbing him during matches unless it’s an emergency. He knows how much Jeongguk struggles with focusing in general, so he tries to be as less of a distraction as possible.Before becoming his manager officially, Yoongi used to play with him in the club often and he was  good . So good it made you want to stop playing just to look at how fast he used to run across the court, how skillfully he dodged every defender and how effortlessly he threw the ball in the hoop. Jeongguk was well trained before joining the club and yet he learnt a lot from the older, who had to eventually stop playing because of an unfortunate shoulder injury.Jeongguk feels terrible every time he sees Yoongi watch them play longingly, staring at them with a distant look on his face whenever they don their jerseys with pride or add another trophy to their collection. He thinks his inability to concentrate isn’t the only reason Yoongi avoids him during practice.“Yes, yes. I just dropped by to inform you that Calvin Klein requested a date for a photo shoot.”Jeongguk raises his eyebrow, chugging down the entire bottle, the water cooling his parched throat. “Already?” he asks, his voice hoarse from the gulping. “I thought I won’t have to get naked for at least a month.”The thought was comforting.Yoongi rolls his eyes. “You don’t have to get naked, Jeongguk. I’ll try asking for clothing with the most coverage, don’t worry.” He scrolls through his phone for a moment, chewing on his bottom lip. “They asked for any time this week and the only day you don’t have practice is two days from now.”Great. He’s spending the only day off he gets every week taking pictures with his c@ck out in front of fifty people instead of lazing on the couch the whole day covered in chip crumbs and surrounded by beer bottles. This ambassadorship was sounding worse by the day.“Yay, I get to live my worst nightmare of a hundred people staring at me in my underwear and on my day off too! Can’t wait,” he cheers, his grin as fake as the hair on his coach’s head. Yoongi gives him another annoyed look.“You don’t need to be sarcastic,” he tucks his long hair behind his ear. “It’s just one shoot and you’ll be done by the afternoon. Then you’re free to spend the rest of your day glued to your couch, binging on disgusting, unhealthy food and watching whatever animated cr@p makes you happy.”The bribe of still getting to live out his cholesterol-filled dream day is what makes him give in. It’s just one shoot, right? How long could it possibly take?“Fine, let’s do it the day after tomorrow. But I won’t do another one for months, okay?” Let the pictures marinate before he’s asked to drop more.Yoongi shakes his head but Jeongguk already knows he’s going to win this argument. The older has always been a softie for him. A quick pout and Yoongi folds.“I’ll let the other model’s manager know about the chosen date,” he replies, Jeongguk pausing while tying his hair.“Wait– what other model are you talking about?”Yoongi hesitates as if already anticipating his reaction. “Well, they wanted you to shoot a couple of pictures with another famous model for the Vogue cover.”Jeongguk’s eyes bulge out of their sockets. “What do you mean by Vogue cover? When were you going to inform me of this, Min-ssi?”Yoongi sighs, expression caught. “Look, I know you would’ve never agreed to this if you knew about it, let’s be honest.” He’s right, of course. Jeongguk is three steps away from running for his life and hiding in the trees forever. Doing a photoshoot for promotion is one thing, but there’s no way he’s appearing on a d@mn magazine cover while looking like a wh@r@. And that too of the best selling magazine in their country.  Hell-f@ck@ng-no. “I can see the rusty wheels spinning in your head,” Yoongi interrupts him before he can react. “Don’t even think about running away from this, Jeongguk, it’s just one photo shoot. You’re doing it.”He signed a f@ck@ng contract. The only way out of this is death which sounds way better to him at the moment.Jeongguk feels a hand on his shoulder and he knows it’s Jimin even before he turns his head. “What’s going on here? Why does Jeongguk look like he’s three seconds away from p@ss@ng his shorts?”“Vogue Korea wants me to be on their cover!” he whines to his hyung, already feeling embarrassed at the thought.Jimin gives him an impressed expression, completely opposite to the reaction he wanted. “That’s great, Jeonggukie! You’ll be the first of our team to appear on a magazine cover. Jae-sang is going to be so p@ss@d off, he’s been trying to get on one for years now.”“I don’t care about Jae-sang!” he hisses, even though the petty part of him rejoices silently. He’s never seen eye-to-eye with that player, always arguing about their positions and rank in the team. “Do you not hear me? I’ll be printed naked on thousands of copies for the entire world to see!”God, he had three cups of ramen this Sunday. There’s no way he’s in shape for this.Jimin crosses his arms. “And so what? You have a great body that you work hard for and an even prettier face. I’m sure they won’t feature you on the cover in underwear, Jeonggukie.” He ignores the blush from being called pretty, coming from  Jimin that’s something. “This is Vogue, not Playboy.”Jeongguk hates how rational his friends sound when they should be giving in to his whining. Maybe he’s more spoiled than he thought.“Oh so  now you two manage to agree on something?” he asks, throwing dirty looks at his traitorous best friends. “Did you inform Jin hyung?”Yoongi grins. “Of course I did. He sent me a voice note of him just laughing for a whole minute. Want to hear it?”Jeongguk gasps as he shakes his head. Maybe he should just sell his brother and friends on eBay, even though that site has been dead for years now and no one will be bothering to take them. “You guys are heartless.”Jimin clicks his tongue. “No, you’re just dramatic. It’s a photo shoot, not some kind of punishment. You can always let the director or photographer know if you’re not comfortable doing something.” He ruffles his sweaty hair. “Remember, you’re the star of the show. I’m pretty sure they’ll even lick your feet if you ask.”Jeongguk makes a face, his mind already producing some disturbing images. “Ew, I’m not into that.” He turns to Yoongi. “Do you know who the model is?”Yoongi shakes his head. “Not yet. I think you two can just meet on the day of the shoot. The more you two get to know each other, the more awkward it will be.” He teases, wiggling his fingers at Jeongguk.Jeongguk sighs as he gives in, already knowing he’s lost the battle. “Let’s just hope the model isn’t some creep or even worse a  fan .”Jimin grins at his shudder. “I don’t know, Jeongguk. I have a good feeling about this one.”Jeongguk truly hopes he starts feeling the same soon. ✪✪✪ “All done!” the make-up artist exclaims as she applies finishing touches to Jeongguk’s face. She moves back and he isn’t surprised to find hardly any changes on his face when he checks out the final result in the mirror. His skin tone is evened out, the small acne scars from his teen years covered up and his dark circles are gone. The director of the shoot had given strict instructions to apply very minimal makeup since they wanted to show his raw, wild side.  Whatever that meant. “Thank you,” he says, trying to muster a polite smile. He’s been jittery and nervous from the minute he woke up this morning, stomach tied in knots at the mere thought of being underdressed in front of so many people. He remembers having a recurring nightmare of accidentally showing up to school in his underwear, with everyone’s eyes dead set on him while they point and laugh. His next activity isn’t too far from that.His gaze meets Yoongi’s in the mirror, eyebrow raised in question. “Looks great,” Yoongi comments, sounding sincere. He gives him an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry about this too much, Jeongguk. You’ll do okay.” Okay has never been satisfactory to him. And that’s on being an unhinged perfectionist.“I just want to get this over with,” he replies with full honesty, wrapping the bathing robe tightly around him even though he’s going to be bare and half-naked in a few minutes. He’s going to try to preserve his integrity for as long as he can. “Is the model ready yet?”Yoongi shakes his head, causing him to click his tongue in annoyance. His fellow model for the shoot, someone whose identity is still unknown to him, was supposed to be here an hour ago to get ready along with Jeongguk. 45 minutes later there was no sign of him. Not even a single message from his team, which ticked him off.
   What happened to being professionals? Was it so hard to come on time on set? 
He’s aware that models are some of the hardest-to-work-with types of people in the industry. One of his teammates was dating a model a year ago and he remembers how rocky and dramatic their relationship was. He was always caught in some scandal or other during it, appearing in tabloids more often than in sports magazines. He can still recall him complaining almost every other day about his high-maintenance girlfriend until they had a very messy and very public breakup.To this day her name is still floating around the poor guy like a bitter reminder of his worst mistake.Jeongguk prayed he would end up with a considerate one today, but it seems like his luck enjoys making him suffer to the highest degree. “He says he got stuck in traffic,” Yoongi explains, showing him the text he’d received from the manager.The younger crosses his arms. “We live in the same city. He should’ve left twenty minutes earlier just as we did so we could reach here on time.” It’s the least he could do.Yoongi sighs. “It doesn’t matter. He’s already here, just getting ready at the moment.” He hesitates for a moment, nudging Jeongguk’s calf with his foot. “You should go talk to him before the photoshoot. Get a little familiar with each other.”Jeongguk bites back a loud groan.If there’s something Jeongguk hates more than exposing himself in front of strangers, it’s small talk. He doesn’t think he’s even remotely interested in talking to the model about the weather or if they prefer coffee black or with sugar.Yoongi seems to be able to read his mind because he interrupts him as soon as he opens his mouth to protest. “I’m not hearing a no. Get your ass off that chair and go to the room next to ours and at least introduce yourself like the grown-up adult you are. Or do I have to remind you how to do that as well?”Jeongguk scowls as his make-up artist giggles. “You’re an introvert too, you know. Don’t ever forget your roots, Min Yoongi,” he warns as he walks out of the room, pointing a not-so-threatening finger at the older.The room adjacent to his has the same sign on it, saying  MAKE-UP.  Jeongguk can hear faint music coming out of it and hopes that someone on the inside heard his knock. He can hear faint shuffling inside as the volume gets turned down and someone opens the door grumbling.“Honestly, can I get one minute of peac–”Jeongguk doesn’t hear the rest of it. Or rather, Jeongguk is unable to hear the person finish the sentence. Because right now, his mind is working at an inhuman speed, flashing memories as if on a fast slideshow.Memories from eight years ago, when a 15-year-old Jeongguk spent every moment with a 16-year-old boy. A boy who he greatly admired, always striving to be just like him. A boy who would eventually make him realise a lot of things about himself, who would leave his life as quickly as he came in, leaving a mark on Jeongguk that could never be completely erased like patterns in the sand after the heavy tide.Late-night matches, sharing cigarettes, gushing over anime, fleeting touches, prom night.“Jeongguk,” the boy– no, the  man in front of him says, staring back with eyes wide like a puppy.“Taehyung,” Jeongguk breathes out.  
  2015, Hanyang High School  
  The front door of the locker room opens just as Jeongguk is in the middle of putting on his jersey, the one that’s too small for him now. He’s been wearing it for the past two years, evident from the way his surname and number have faded away, along with the bright red colour. It’s the only one he has.The sound of the door opening startles him and he hurriedly slides down his T-shirt to cover himself, only to realize he’s not wearing pants a second too late.“Oh sorry, I didn’t know someone was in here,” a deep voice says and he turns, blood draining from his face when he realizes who it was.Kim Taehyung stands in front of him, a slight smile on his face as sees Jeongguk in his baggy t-shirt and nothing else. 1 year older than him, captain of the basketball team and the school’s most popular jock now staring at him while he’s half-naked.Great. Jeongguk’s reputation is completely and utterly  f@ck@d .Not that he had one, anyways. Contrary to Taehyung’s immense fame, Jeongguk was practically invisible ever since he started high school. He was too shy to make any friends and his routine consisted of attending classes, eating lunch alone in the library like one of those sad, lonely grandpas that make people cry online and then walking back home with music blaring from his earbuds. He wasn’t too happy with it but it’s not like he wasn’t used to it either. He’d grown accustomed to it like he was programmed to be alone.Ever since basketball tryouts were announced a week ago, he was counting down the days so he could finally participate in some kind of physical activity. He was eager to meet others who were as serious about the game as he was, who didn’t just see it as an activity to pass time.And now his first experience with the  captain is ruined because his f@ck@ng c@ck was peeking out from under his long jersey.Jeongguk’s face and body are f@ck@ng  burning . “Yeah, it’s alright.”It’s not. It’s far from alright. Jeongguk wishes he’d shrink the size of a pea right now so he could run away and happily live with Tinkerbell and other fairies. His life is ruined because from what he’s heard, Taehyung is a grade-A cocky @ssh@l@. Even though he’s never seen him being an ass before first-hand, he’s only been in this school for two months now and hasn’t had the time to pass judgement on the popular jocks but it’s been passed down through the rumour mill.Taehyung turns away from him, setting his bag on the counter. “I didn’t see anything, don’t worry,” he says calmly, but Jeongguk thinks he’s grinning. “You’ll have to get used to boys seeing each other naked, though. We usually just walk around with our d@cks hanging in here.”Jeongguk’s stomach twists in nervousness. He knew this; they weren’t little shy boys anymore and he’s pretty sure the players have a d@ck-measuring contest each morning just for fun. He’s just worried about the fact that he’s a late bloomer. By the end of middle school, all the boys in his class had started their puberty whereas he was still stuck with his big eyes, even bigger nose and even bigger bunny teeth. He had a small waist and stick-like arms even though he played basketball every week so he was terrified that the older boys here would make fun of him and his prepubescent body and features.Just another reason to set him apart and bring him down. Jeongguk’s body refused to cooperate and here he was, fifteen with the body and face of an eight-year-old.He quickly grabs his pair of pants and puts them on, just as Taehyung takes off his t-shirt. He pauses buttoning up, staring at the smooth back and the broad set of shoulders in front of him. With his charm, deep voice and huge shoulders he understands why all the girls in his school whisper and giggle whenever Taehyung passes by them. He’s a good looking guy. The kind of person that is made to be captain. To  lead .“What are you doing here this early?” Taehyung suddenly turns and asks, the younger barely having time to turn away. The smug grin on Taehyung’s face definitely proves he caught him staring at his back with his pants unbuttoned.  Just great. Keep digging a deeper hole for yourself, Jeongguk. “I uh– I wanted to practise a bit before the tr–tryouts after school,” he stutters as he pulls up the zipper, grabbing his shirt next. He needs to get out of here before he makes a bigger fool of himself.“I saw you play for a while, actually. You’re really good,” Taehyung compliments, donning his own jersey. Jeongguk’s face heats up for the nth time that morning, but he can’t blame himself this time. Taehyung is one of the best players he’s seen in his life and getting positive feedback from him makes his chest swell. “Are you a freshman?”Jeongguk nods but then realizes Taehyung can’t see him since he once again turns around to put on some shorts. He looks away, trying not to stare at the bare legs on display in front of him. “Thank you. And y-yes, I’m a freshman.”“You’re pretty good for a freshman,” he comments again, standing to pull up his shorts. “I’m Kim Taehyung.” His body bounces a little when he stands up and his cheeks rise when he smiles.“I know,” Jeongguk blurts out, wanting to pull out his own hair when Taehyung laughs. “I’m Jeon Jeongguk,” he follows up quickly, hoping it lessens the embarrassment.“Cute,” Taehyung grins, opening a locker that’s probably assigned to him. Jeongguk’s heart nearly drops to his ass at the adjective.  Get a grip, Jeon Jeongguk. “I’ll see you at tryouts then, Jeongguk.” Taehyung walks up to him, three to four inches taller than the younger. “And between you and I, you’re definitely on the team,” he whispers even though there’s no need to, sending him a wink before leaving.Jeongguk stands there stunned, his shirt buttons halfway done as he shakes his head. Kim Taehyung was really  something . ✪✪✪ “I had no idea you were the sports player I was supposed to have a shoot with today,” Taehyung grins, crossing his legs while his make-up artist continues to apply some concealer on his cheek.“I didn’t have any idea about you either,” Jeongguk replies, gaze fixed on his fidgety hands. Honestly, he doesn’t know how to react to seeing Kim Taehyung face-to-face after six years, since the last time he saw him in the locker room.Memories of the last few awkward phone calls and promises to meet linger in his mind as he stares at him through the mirror, wishing the music could be turned back on or he could just bolt back to Yoongi where it’s safe.“So you went pro, I see,” he says, feline eyes staring back at him through the mirror. His face isn’t sour and his voice doesn’t hold any semblance of jealousy or venom in it as he says it. It sounds indifferent as if he’s making a simple observation. As if he isn’t one of the reasons Jeongguk could even  think of getting to play professionally.“Yeah. I thought you knew.” Jeongguk hates this. Hates that there’s this feeling of tension between the two and he doesn’t know how to dissolve it.Taehyung hums, brushing his blonde hair away from his face.  He looks so pretty.   More mature than the last time he saw him. But still, so d@mn pretty. His make-up artist is done by the time Jeongguk can finish his thought. She looks nervous as Taehyung inspects her and it’s probably because Taehyung always needed to present himself flawlessly everywhere he went. Not a single earring oxidised or a strand of hair out of place or a crease on his clothing. He needed to resemble perfection even as a teenager and he can see how it hasn’t changed one bit.Even the way he breathes seems controlled and exact. His posture is impressive and his shoulders square nicely.Taehyung gives her a nod and smile, to which her body visibly relaxes. “Thank you,” Taehyung says in a soft tone. “Can you ask how long it will take for the shoot to start?” He turns towards Jeongguk, flashing him a small smile. Jeongguk gulps involuntarily. “I need to catch up with my friend here.”The way he says  catch up , with his gaze trailing down Jeongguk’s entire form, makes the younger shiver.The make-up lady nods and leaves with a bow, closing the door quickly with a thud. Pin-drop silence remains in the room, the only sound interrupting it being Jeongguk’s unsteady breathing as Taehyung studies him without a word. He suddenly regrets leaving his robe back in his room and sitting there with his bare chest.“How have you been, Jeongguk?” Taehyung asks with a tilt of his head and his lips in a smirk.“G-good, I’ve been good. And how have you been?” He hates how his old stutter makes an appearance but Taehyung’s gaze is making his mind go haywire.Lord, why is he acting like this over exposed skin? Is it because he hasn’t gotten to f@ck in months?Well, it’s not like Taehyung isn’t hot. He’s  always been hot, even if his face was filled with pimple scars because he couldn’t stop picking on them or he was in his hideous orange hair phase. More than his looks, his personality and undeniable charm had always gotten him the girls and eventually the guys too. Jeongguk remembers him having a huge fan following who always came to their games even if they didn’t know a single thing about the sport. It always used to p@ss him off, how everyone was jealous of him after Taehyung took him under his wing, whispering about how much of a loser he is and how he was just leeching off the older’s popularity.Jeongguk never cared about them but he understood. Understood what it felt like to be under Taehyung’s spell.Most of the time, Taehyung wasn’t aware that he was flirting with the other person. It was just his way of speaking, in a manner, and he would talk to the person next to you in the same way. So it was as if flirting was embedded in his personality, as if he didn’t understand the effects his words were having on a person. Jeongguk has fallen prey to his habit multiple times in the past before he understood that flirtation was not really his intention.“Great. Travelling the world, walking runways, looking sexy every day,” his smirk widens as he crosses his legs one more time, the expanse of golden skin short-circuiting Jeongguk’s brain.He stares back at the older now, trying to deduce his current motive. “I can see that,” he says, his lips tilting upwards into a mirrored smirk.Taehyung might not have changed, but Jeongguk definitely has. And he’s changed enough to be able to keep with the blonde’s little game now. Gone is the stumbly, wide-eyed freshman who melted at the smallest thing.The older’s eyebrows shoot up at Jeongguk’s answer but his expression remains coy. He releases his breath slowly, crossing his hands across his chest. “So, Calvin Klein huh? Didn’t think you were so bold, Jeongguk. I remember you refusing to change in front of us until the end of the season.”Jeongguk laughs, even if he’s burning from embarrassment inside.  Did Taehyung really have to bring that up? He shakes his head. “What can I say,” he grins with a shrug. “I’ve changed.”“And I’m  so  glad you did,” Taehyung grins back, eyes once again unashamedly trailing down Jeongguk’s unclothed torso. His skin awakens at the action with fresh goosebumps, almost as if Taehyung’s eyes are his fingers trailing down so slowly,  sensually even.He’s about to reply when there’s a knock on the door, interrupting their tense bubble. “Jeongguk-ah, Kim-ssi. The staff is waiting for you,” Yoongi informs, eyes shifting between the two.Taehyung nods, tugging his robe closer to his body. Jeongguk almost scoffs. As if he wasn’t three seconds away from stripping in front of him just now. “We’ll be right there, thank you for informing us.”Yoongi nods and throws Jeongguk a look that clearly says  what the f@ck is going on  but he ignores it. This wasn’t the time or place.Taehyung stands up and Jeongguk follows him, both of their heights matching now. Their gazes are levelled and stuck on each other as they walk closer. Jeongguk is pinned down under Taehyung’s stare, hypnotised as he walks towards the man.“So will you be wearing your pants and denim jacket the entire shoot?” Taehyung asks, extending his hand towards the collar slowly.Jeongguk’s breath catches in his throat. He remembers their last night together, the distinct metallic smell of the locker room mixed with Taehyung’s cologne. “No, only for the first couple of shots. And then I’ll just be in my underwear, I guess,” he shrugs.Taehyung smiles then, running his finger along the denim lapels, making Jeongguk’s heart beat faster by the second. “Good. I’m looking forward to that.”Jeongguk’s soul nearly flies out of his body as he watches him leave, a hand carding through his silky golden hair. He pauses just as he’s about to cross the door and turns his head towards him. “Aren’t you coming?” Taehyung asks, voice dripping with honey.Jeongguk is  definitely coming sometime soon. ✪✪✪ “Thank you for adjusting your busy schedules on such short notice,” the director of the photoshoot says with a thankful smile on his face. “I understand it might have been a little difficult for you with the FIBA tournament and the fashion weeks coming up.”“It’s not a big deal,” Jeongguk waves off even though he should be laying naked on the couch smelling of fake cheese-flavoured puffs and beer right now. “I’m happy to be a part of this.”Taehyung nods in what seems to be agreement, smiling at Jeongguk.“We’re so excited to have you two on the cover of Vogue, you have no idea. My name is Soohan and I’ll be the director of photography as well as the photographer for this photoshoot.” He bows in greeting, the two models mimicking his action. “This month’s edition focuses on queer identities and icons in our country and we’re honoured to have you two as representatives.” Oh . This is news to Jeongguk, who looks at Yoongi in bewilderment. His manager also happens to show the same confusion. Taehyung, however, looks completely unphased. “Wonderful. May we begin?”Jeongguk turns to him. Has he been asked to do this many times? Jeongguk, even though he publicly came out as gay over three years ago, still hesitates to openly talk about his sexuality. It’s not because he’s ashamed of it, of course, but South Korea has only recently passed laws validating queer identities and marriages and he’s just not used to being so transparent and vulnerable about his orientation just yet.Taehyung has always been the opposite, even in school. Never ashamed to constantly flirt with boys from their school despite it not being legal then. He wasn’t too obvious but he wasn’t so subtle either, and every person, queer or not, knew about Kim Taehyung who likes to make out with girls  and guys. He’s seen some of his photoshoots and he knows he isn’t one to shy away from a few inches of exposure or a couple of sexy poses.For some people, sex and sexuality are as natural of a topic as anything else. It’s a simple expression of human nature, desires and hunger combined into one. But Jeongguk has always restricted that side of himself in the public.“Of course!” Soohan claps his hands twice and the rest of the crew get in position, including Taehyung and Jeongguk, who get on the platform designed for them, teetering awkwardly a few inches away from each other. “By the way, I had a few poses in mind while preparing for this shoot and I was hoping you two are okay with them.”Taehyung and Jeongguk share a glance. “Poses? What kind of poses?” The younger asks.“Oh you know, some intimate ones between you too. To show the LGBT youth how comfortable you are in your sexuality.”Jeongguk doesn’t know how he’s supposed to portray that by invading Taehyung’s personal space and touching him but he’s also never stood in front of the camera voluntarily unless Yoongi was holding a gun to his head, so he doesn’t have much expertise in the matter.“Uh, alright. I don’t mind. I’m already familiar with Taehyung-ssi so I don’t think it would be a problem,” he tries to sound nonchalant even though referring to the older in such a formal way when he’s seen him in his most vulnerable moments pains him. He can’t do anything about it, though, so he walks to the set wordlessly with the other tailing him.Soohan grins, holding the large camera closer to his body before speaking up once more to get the shoot rolling.“So we can start by Jeongguk picking Taehyung up and–”“Huh?” Jeongguk interrupts, mouth hung open as he stares at the director. “P–pick him up?”Soohan gulps, gaze shifting between the two. “I thought you two were familiar with each other.”Yeah, but that doesn’t mean he can just pick him up and twirl him around, can he? Not like he hadn’t thought about doing it back in school–“Soohan-ssi, how about we start from the basics? I might be used to this but Jeongguk isn’t,” Taehyung suggests and Jeongguk sends him a grateful smile.Even after eight years, Taehyung looks out for Jeongguk.Soohan nods. “Of course. You two can sit next to each other and maybe Jeongguk can lean his head on your shoulder?”Jeongguk nods.  This is good.  This is tame and there’s hardly any skin contact. He’s fallen asleep in this exact position countless times back in school so this won’t be that bizarre for them. He confidently stands on the marked spot waiting for his partner when suddenly his whole body stills.Taehyung takes off his robe for the pictures and he’s only wearing denim shorts underneath it. Shorts that are loose around his waist, showing off the brand logo just like Jeongguk’s but are tighter around the ass and thighs.Jeongguk has never been in  this position before.His eyes glue to Taehyung as he walks closer and the other must’ve noticed because there’s a smug expression on his face that doesn’t wipe away when he’s sitting next to him. “What’s wrong?” he teases, fully knowing what the problem was.Jeongguk shakes his head and with a gulp looks ahead, ignoring the flames licking his belly. His eyes beg him to flick back down and memorise the way Taehyung’s back arches when he sits but he can’t do that right now.“Shall we begin?” the director asks and the two guys nod, immediately getting into position.It’s mesmerising, how fast Taehyung’s body adapts to being in front of three cameras and fifteen pairs of eyes training on him. It takes him less than seconds to replace his taunting expression with a more subtle one, a face that Jeongguk recognises from the countless covers and shoots he’s done.He tries to follow him but fails miserably if the disgruntled and unsatisfied expression on the director’s face is anything to go by. “Jeongguk-ssi, could you try to be less stiff?”He’s trying, he really is. But the broad shoulder he’s laying his head on and the smoothness of Taehyung’s skin are more distracting than he’d thought. He apologises and tries again but to hardly any improvement.“Soohan-ssi, could I get some water please?” Taehyung requests after a couple more failed snaps.The staff seems to sigh in unison at Jeongguk’s ineptitude at modelling, whispering about him to each other and giving him not-so-sneaky glances every now and then. But what do they expect?Jeongguk looks down, front teeth sunk into his bottom lip. He’s trying his hardest but modelling is just not his cup of tea. Maybe he should put on some d@mn clothes and leave this before he embarrasses himself any further.“For someone who claims to have changed, you still very much remind me of the old Jeongguk,” Taehyung teases. Jeongguk sighs in defeat.He’s right, of course.What did he think, that a few years were enough for him to turn his personality completely upside down? That just because he worked out a lot he can have the potential to be the brand ambassador of such a prestigious brand?Taehyung must’ve seen the distraught look on his face because his face immediately turns sombre. “Jeongguk, if you’re not comfortable with the poses or me you can tell us now, okay? We’ll make the necessary changes immediately.”Jeongguk gives him a little smile but shakes his head. “No, the poses and you aren’t the problem, of course. It’s the fact that I’m not made to be a model.”Taehyung frowns, shifting closer to him. “Now who the f@ck told you that? You’ve got the face and the body.” His fingers circle around his water cup delicately.Jeongguk sighs. “Yes, but it’s clearly not enough. You heard Soohan-ssi, I’m too stiff and I don’t think I can pose well.”Taehyung shakes his head. “Jeongguk, you can’t expect to ace at poise and posture on your first professional shoot, can you? You’re doing great, you just need to loosen up a bit, that’s all. Try to act more naturally instead of overthinking it. Cut yourself some slack.”He says it so easily. If only Taehyung could climb into his head and will his overthinking away, maybe Jeongguk would stop f@ck@ng up this entire shoot.“But there are too many cameras and people around for me to be relaxed, you know?”Taehyung nods, face sympathetic. “I understand, I really do.” He pats his shoulder softly. “So whenever you get too conscious of your surroundings, try focusing on one object or your partner. Try focusing on me next time and just follow whatever I’m doing. Easy, right?”Focusing on Taehyung until the rest of the people don’t matter to him? Way too easy. Jeongguk is too used to this, unfortunately. But he’d never admit that.All he does is nod to which Taehyung gives him an encouraging, sweet smile. Jeongguk feels his tummy flutter.“May we resume?” the director asks, to which Jeongguk nods, sudden confidence seeping through his veins.With his restored conviction, Jeongguk nails the first pose in two tries, Soohan nodding in approval. Jeongguk sighs in relief and smiles at Taehyung, who pats his shoulder proudly.“Great, these are great.” He looks over at the monitor displaying each image with a relieved look in his eyes. “One more tame pose and then we can move on to the underwear shots, what do you think?”Jeongguk gulps, avoiding all contact with the older as he nods. Underwear shots, as in Taehyung and him posing like sexually starved men touching the first man in decades while wearing the bare minimum of coverage.  Yay. The next ‘tame’ pose is the two standing close to each other while Taehyung’s hands are on Jeongguk’s back pockets and Jeongguk’s rest on Taehyung’s waist. He gulps looking at it. Over that slim, delectable waist. Of course, his is lither in comparison but Taehyung’s is just so…perfectly curved. He can’t remember how many times he’s done it over the years of non-stop hugging but now, with no layers of clothes separating them, he doesn’t know how he’s going to deal with his building emotions.Especially since Taehyung’s looking at him right now with that devious smile of his. As if he’s aware of the resistance Jeongguk is holding over himself.“What’s wrong, Jeongguk?’ he smirks as he walks closer, batting his eyes innocently. “Still nervous?”Jeongguk shakes his head, deciding not to give in to his teasing. “Nope! Your advice really helped.”Taehyung’s lips tilt higher. “Is that so? So does that mean your focus is  solely on me right now?” His fingers slowly trail along the exposed area of skin of Jeongguk’s waist, tracing his delicate, teasing finger up his sides to cause goosebumps to form everywhere.Jeongguk takes a sharp breath.  F@ck. “Y-yes. That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?” he asks, hesitatingly putting his hands on his waist.Taehyung hums, the playful fingers finally stopping at the younger’s pockets. He gently inserts his index finger in and Jeongguk almost loses it.His hands stay dangerously close to his ass and he’s so d@mn tempted to touch it. Just take a feel, wanting to know what it’s like after a whole year of thinking about it. If it’s still round and perky and the perfect squeeze that would fill his hands like nothing ever has.Taehyung stares into his eyes, his own narrowed like a siren. So alluring, so spell-bounding. Jeongguk is pulled in by their shine and he doesn’t realise his fingers slightly twitch as they rest on his lower back. It should be embarrassing but he’s too bewitched by the blonde’s smirk, so close to his face, to care.“Go on, Jeongguk,” Taehyung tempts, his gaze dropping lower for just a second before meeting his once more. “Touch it, you know you want to.” His voice comes out a husky whisper, barely cracking.Jeongguk raises an eyebrow at him, wanting to see if he really means it. After receiving only a seductive head tilt in return, he slowly slides his hand over the denim, so tight it barely hides the round shape.Taehyung’s eyes darken as his fingers splay over the material. He looks dangerous, like a predator waiting to pounce. Jeongguk wants to be the stupid prey that gives in to him. Lets himself fall behind the herd and get bitten into and devoured.The two don’t break eye contact, hardly registering the click and flash of the cameras around him, the praises the director yells out. It’s just the two of them in the room now, Taehyung’s breath fawning over Jeongguk’s face and their hands on each other’s bodies, itching for more.The tense silence between them is interrupted by Taehyung’s gasp as he feels Jeongguk’s fingers tighten their grip from a mere hold to a full-on gentle squeeze. His eyes widen for a second before arousal pools in them. The little intake of breath shoots warmth into Jeongguk’s abdomen as it twists pleasurably. He wants to hear it again, wants to be the cause of it repeatedly. It’s hard to differentiate if he’s doing it for the photoshoot that he forgot was going on or because it’s too hard not to surrender to those dangerous eyes.Before he can deduce further, however, their intimate orbit is broken into by the director, who applauds them. “Very well done, you two. These shots came out perfect,” he cheers.Jeongguk blinks as he steps back, registering his surroundings. His hands fall to his sides, feeling empty without the warmth pressing against them. He avoids Taehyung’s eyes as he tries to fixate on anyone but him, gaze landing on Yoongi’s instead. Which might be worse, since the older is currently looking at him with an intrigued expression, half puzzled and half-amused as if he could read every single nasty thought that passed through his and even teenage Jeongguk’s head. His eyes narrow for a moment and then his eyes flick between the two of them.And with that one look, Jeongguk knows he’s going to be bombarded with a million questions that second the two are alone. He knows this will reach Jimin before he knows it and he’ll hear Seokjin’s endless cackles and teasing when he’s home.Which is  just what he wanted!Maybe he can fake a heart attack right here and now to save himself the trouble. But then he might not be able to see Taehyung in his underwear, which is a loss in itself. The question is, of course, what is he willing to sacrifice? The unholy sight of Taehyung’s thighs or his dignity and reputation?“Jeongguk, are you ready for the next few shots or do you want to take a break?” he hears Taehyung’s voice snap him out of his dilemma.He turns to him, face starting to heat up.  God, why is he acting like he’s a Victorian man who’s never seen ankles before? “No, it’s fine. Let’s start the next round.” The round where there’s going to be a lot of skin-to-skin contact and almost no layer of clothing. The faster it ends the better for him and his sanity.Taehyung nods and gestures a thumbs-up to the director, who nods as he gets the crew and camera ready. He turns towards the player and smiles innocently. “Aren’t you going to take your pants off?” His voice lilts all cutely.Jeongguk c@cks his head. “Here? You want me to do it here?” He leans closer to him, still feeling the buzz from before. “Didn’t know you had a thing for being watched, Taehyung.”Taehyung blinks prettily. “There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me, Jeonggukie,” he whispers, unbuttoning his shorts without breaking eye contact. “Would you like to learn them?”Jeongguk stares him down as he shamelessly takes off his shorts, uncaring of the staff or people around him. Clad in only boxers, he walks off assertively to his awaiting make-up artist, getting his retouched. All the while Jeongguk just stands there stunned, wondering if Kim Taehyung has been brought back into his life to be the death of him. ✪✪✪ Jeongguk doesn’t know how he got here. He isn’t drunk, he’s only ingested a pint of beer and yet he feels a little lightheaded as he stares at the pretty lights of the bar, waiting for his drink.The shoot lasted for two whole hours after their first batch of photos was taken, with each pose getting raunchier than the last one. After taking one where their foreheads are almost touching and Taehyung’s fingers snap the waistband of Jeongguk’s underwear, they moved on to Taehyung sitting on Jeongguk’s lap, staring sultrily at the camera while Jeongguk buries his face in his neck. He almost popped a b@n@r in that one, the heady scent of Taehyung’s cologne springing a million sinful thoughts in his head as the long, dainty fingers scratch his nape.It was hard to control his breathing as he kept feeling Taehyung's d@ck on his stomach, the thin material of the boxers doing nothing to hide the shape and the feeling of his ass right on top of his.To make matters worse, the last pose was Jeongguk lying down with his legs spread while Taehyung sits in between them, his body leaning on the younger’s and his head on his chest. Jeongguk just kept praying to the universe that he couldn't feel anything growing between them.He has no idea how models remain professional while being so intimate with each other, and he has zero interest to find out. One thing is for sure; he’s only doing solo shoots from now on.For the sake of him and his dick.“Are you drunk already?” Taehyung grins as he approaches him, a beer pint and a tiny shot glass in hand.Jeongguk is begrudgingly brought back to the bar. It’s not a terrible place, if he’s honest. Definitely quieter than he’d imagined, with soft jazz music playing in the background and a dimly lit yet lively atmosphere. It’s mostly filled with old people which he finds strange. He’s sure a model like Taehyung would’ve preferred more happening and noisy places than this but he isn’t complaining. A few old couples dance on the floor to the mellow music and it makes him smile, even though he still isn’t sure how he got roped into this. He was supposed to bolt out of the set after he covered his naked body and escape to his junk food and basketball and anime figurines that classify him as a loser, according to Jimin. But before he could carry out his mission Taehyung was asking him for a drink to catch up with his wide puppy eyes (Jeongguk’s forever weakness) and he just couldn’t say no even though he had eight years to develop immunity against them.They’ve been here for hours now, talking about everything and nothing in between, catching up on the years they’ve missed. It feels great, being able to talk to Taehyung so freely after years, without the guilt of what happened weighing down on him constantly. They talk about their careers, their friends, funny experiences they’ve had over the years, the lives of their old high school friends and the shows they’ve been binging on when they have free time. It felt like everything yet nothing has changed between them and they fall back into their usual roles of Taehyung being the chatterbox and Jeongguk being the attentive listener pretty quickly. They don’t delve into deep topics or about what happened after Taehyung graduated but they still get to know a lot about each other. Taehyung has changed a lot, turning into someone Jeongguk doesn’t recognise very well. The fact slightly burns from within but it’s also a comfort to realise that he gets to figure him out all over again, the enigma that is Kim Taehyung.“Jeongguk!” Taehyung yells as he downs his fourth shot glass for the night, eyes dazed yet dazzling. “Why are you drinking so slowly?” He slurs.Jeongguk smiles. Taehyung has always been adorable when drunk. So talkative and animated. “I can’t, I have to wake up early to go to the gym. Can’t work out with a headache, you know?”Taehyung nods as his eyes trail down the sleeves of Jeongguk’s black t-shirt. “You work out a lot? Is that why you’ve become so sexy now?”Jeongguk’s eyebrow raises at his forwardness. They’ve been flirting with each other from the second they met, tiptoeing around dangerous territory the entire night. A playful comment here and a lingering touch there, but nothing too outright. He guesses Taehyung is  drunk drunk now, which can open the door to much more uninhibited conversation but it also means it’s time for them to go home.He still leans in, smile taunting. “You think I’m sexy now?”Taehyung rolls his eyes. “As if you don’t know. You’re built like a f@ck@ng Greek God with all those piercings and a tattoo sleeve and you ask me if I think you’re sexy?” He leans closer, lips hovering over his ear. “Did you know you look exactly like my type?”A shiver rakes through Jeongguk’s body. He already knew, or rather, had an inkling as to what type of men Taehyung preferred to sleep with in high school. The bad boys type, the rebels who didn’t care about the rules in their schools and had secret tattoos all over their bodies. The ones that would give him an undeniable high of doing something bad, someone his parents wouldn’t be proud of.He still doesn’t back down, however, quite fond of the game they’ve been playing the whole day.“Yeah?” he whispers back, a cheeky smile on his face.Taehyung nods, leaning impossibly closer. His gaze once more drops to Jeongguk’s lips, making his entire body warm. “And am I your type, Jeonggukie?” His forearm presses against Jeongguk, hot skin on skin, and he can barely breathe because of it.A second passes by when Jeongguk is almost about to give in. To let Taehyung know that he is the blueprint for whatever Jeongguk might call his  type these days through touches and lips instead of words. That for years after they fell off, Jeongguk still tried to search for him in the guys he f@ck@d around with, trying to feel what he felt on prom night once again.It would be too easy. Jeongguk is more confident and experienced now and Taehyung is  definitely interested in f@ck@ng him if he’s read the bedroom eyes and provocative gestures correctly.But then he remembers how drunk Taehyung is right now and pulls back. “I’ll answer you when you’re sober enough,” he smiles, tone light as he boops his nose.Taehyung pulls back as well, confusion written all over his face. “Who says I’m drunk?”“Taehyung, you’ve had four tequila shots and you’ve always been a lightweight.”The blonde clicks his tongue. “I’m a model. Don’t you think my tolerance has built up over the years?”He’s right, of course. Taehyung’s drinking capacity is one of the many things that have drastically changed over the years. But Jeongguk knows what might happen if he succumbs to Taehyung’s question.“You’re right. But I still think we should go,” he suggests, showing him the time on his phone. Even though he’s reluctant to leave Taehyung’s company, he has to train from six in the morning and he doesn’t know what might occur if he decides to test his self-control.Taehyung's bottom lip juts out as he traces his finger up and down Jeongguk’s arm. “Why? I thought we were having fun, Jeonggukie,” he says, voice higher than usual, borderline whiny. He leans in and Jeongguk’s breath catches in his throat. “Don’t you want to spend some more time getting to know me?” he whispers, unleashing a heap of memories, buried in the back of his head.
   The quietness of the locker room. Jeongguk’s little gasps. The feeling of their lips together. His tight grip on Taehyung’s collar while the other firmly holds his waist. His heart almost beating out of his chest. A moan slipping through Taehyung’s mouth. The passion that Jeongguk felt in every part of his body, emanating from the two of them that he’s been chasing ever since. 
Jeongguk pulls back once more, a little apologetic smile on his face. “I do, Taehyung. But not in the way you want to.”Taehyung’s eyes widen. “Oh f@ck, did I read the signals all wrong?” he looks embarrassed and the younger finds it weirdly endearing. Taehyung leans back in his chair and curls into himself like a wilting little flower.He shakes his head. “No, of course not. But as much as the alternative tempts me, I’m afraid I don’t do one-night stands anymore. I’m looking to be in a serious, loving relationship right now, which I’m sure was not your intention.”Trust, he’s so, so, so g@dd@mn tempted but Jeongguk can’t hurt himself for momentary pleasure. He will never be that kind of guy.Taehyung stares at him for a moment, expression impressed. “You really have grown up, Jeongguk.” A smile grows on his face, one that holds no l@st or seduction behind it. “I would love to get to know each other better once again, as friends and without any kind of @n@l penetration involved.”Jeongguk lets out a laugh as he hands him his cell phone.  It’s good to joke around with Taehyung like this , he thinks. Makes him feel what he felt during the best two years of his life. “Give me your number so we can meet again, just like this.”Taehyung accepts it with a grin. “Already thinking of a second date, Jeongguk? That’s very eager of you.” He hands him his phone with a pattern of tiny carrots on the case. F@ck, he should really change that soon.Jeongguk shrugs. “What can I say? I’ve desperately missed you.”Taehyung’s face softens as he’s about to type. “I’ve missed you too. You have no idea.” He stops himself to say it, looking directly at him.Jeongguk’s heart feels fuller hearing that and he’s glad for that dumb photoshoot for bringing them together once again. He feels like they can become something again, something better.“You know what else I miss?” Taehyung asks while handing him his phone back. “Playing basketball. Did you know I haven’t played it since high school?”Jeongguk’s jaw drops. Taehyung, whose favourite pastime was basketball, who was known for his dedication to the sport, who wouldn’t be caught dead without his jersey in his backpack at all times, ready to play anytime, anywhere. “You haven’t?”Taehyung shakes his head. “Nope! I’ve dunked a few hoops here and there, but I haven’t played a whole game for years now. I kind of miss it,” he says, expression nostalgic. Jeongguk is too afraid to ask him the reason he doesn’t play anymore. Is too afraid to hear his name as the cause.“But now that I have you now, I’ll just drop by to play whenever I have the time!” Taehyung smiles which grows wider when Jeongguk nods.“Of course. We can even go one on one, just like old times.”Taehyung gets up and engulfs him in a warm hug, one that almost springs tears into Jeongguk’s eyes.  Oh, how he’s missed his friend. Taehyung’s presence feels like the first ray of sunlight after a week of non-stop rain.“I can’t wait, Jeonggukie.”'
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