♡ ˎˊ˗ CAMERAS FLASH, A hand brushes against his elbow, fails to catch him, a voice calls after him, but Taehyung runs.

His best friend is standing in the distance, soft brown eyes crinkled, grin noticeable even over the mask he's wearing to conceal his identity from the curious eyes of the people around them who take photographs and call their names.

"You'll suffocate me," Seokjin says after Taehyung wraps his arms around him. He smells like lemons and he's wearing blue and his hair is long, long. "Tae, let go. Imagine what you'll be like when I'm really gone for longer."

Taehyung pulls away, reluctant to obey, and examines his face. He's beautiful, still, with that glow to his skin that hours of skincare provide, with just a hint of darkness around his eyes, visible only to Taehyung's experienced eye. Seokjin looks back, inspects every feature, eyes him up and down, and it seems to click. Seokjin is experienced, too.

"You look nice," Seokjin lies.

"Likewise," Taehyung doesn't. "I must say, living by a billionaire's side is doing you every favour imaginable, hyung. You're even more handsome than before, almost."

Seokjin gasps. "Tae, you're being silly." He looks over Taehyung's shoulder and grins. "Ah! Your boyfriend's here, too. That's always good."

"Hyung!"

"I'm just saying! Oh, he's charming, look at that."

Taehyung rolls his eyes, but does as he's told, turning his head to watch the group he just abandoned. Jimin looks back at him, nodding in confirmation, having realised why he ran off. Namjoon doesn't look at him, but at Seokjin, as expected, and Jeongguk... Jeongguk stands there, arms crossed, and that specific pose somehow makes him look particularly broad and large and that flannel isn't much worse, either, especially over a black tank top that seems to be a little tight, leaving nothing to the imagination. His hair is freshly cut - almost the same length as before, but layered, soft waves now more defined. It's messy and tousled and he pushes it back over and over again, runs tattooed fingers through it as he looks back at the staff member he's talking to.

And he's not only fucking sexy just standing there, he also has that look in his eyes, that look he didn't care enough to have with Taehyung in the beginning, the look that tells the person he's talking to that he's listening, that concentrated expression of furrowed eyebrows over sharp and alert eyes, and he chews on his lip and nods, over and over, before he throws his head back with a laugh that draws the attention of the rest of the staff. But when he's done laughing, his eyes flicker over and he's looking right at Taehyung, still grinning to himself.

Taehyung isn't certain what sort of expression he himself is wearing, but from the ache in his jaw he assumes it's hanging open, so he clamps his mouth shut and nods. Jeongguk nods back.

He turns back to Seokjin, but Seokjin is smirking. "That's it. It's confirmed. You want his damn children."

Taehyung glares. "Hyung!"

"This was, in fact, my personal little experiment. I knew it already from your rants, but I have no doubt now." He raises his hands and takes a step back. "I said nothing! I can't even blame you."

He's still smiling as he walks backwards a few steps, before he turns around fully and saunters over to Namjoon. Taehyung can't afford to glare at him any longer because Jeongguk catches up with him with that casual stride and all Taehyung can do is keep walking.

"Tokyo, huh?"

"That's what it said on the ticket," Taehyung mumbles, chuckling, and Jeongguk chuckles back. "Are you excited?"

"For the shows? Kinda. I mean, it's gonna be useful for the collection, but I'm not really the best person for sitting around for hours every day and just watching models walk around. I have no attention span for that." He grins. "Tokyo, though, I'm really happy about that part. I love it here."

"I remember hearing you've been with your father's fiancée and your siblings," Taehyung says. "It's nice to hear you're enjoying it."

And he truly seems to be. It shows. He smiles the way he did when he and Taehyung left Seoul the other day. With this glow to him. This lack of pressure, this freedom.

Jeongguk remains quiet for a few seconds, and Taehyung wonders if this is it, if this is as far as they're capable of holding a conversation after everything that happened that night.

Taehyung woke up the morning after, in Yoongi's apartment, with a killer headache and burning eyes and a bitter taste in his mouth, left by the words he'd said, everything he'd confessed, and got scolded for running off with Jeongguk without answering his phone. Yoongi had been worried and Jeongguk wasn't the best influence. Taehyung didn't say anything.

He had this fear that talking to Jeongguk would be awkward, that he'd said too much, gone too far and made it weird, but Jeongguk texted him hours later, asking him to bring back that notebook he'd taken so they could go through it together and start planning. Although embarrassingly unproductive, Taehyung participated as actively as possible, swarmed by Jeongguk's ideas and suggestions.

It wasn't awkward. Not then, not afterwards. Jeongguk has been nothing if not normal these past two weeks, normal in a sense that he actually sits down and listens to Taehyung during their meetings, he participates, and when he sees that Taehyung is struggling, adds an idea here, an idea there, just to fill the silence. Sometimes he will walk around the room while Taehyung speaks and freak him out by glancing over Taehyung's shoulder - right over his shoulder - at the notes on the desk.

He will also randomly send long, detailed voice messages about his first ever performance, about the time Jimin kicked a transphobic guy's ass, about his little brother's first haircut, and Taehyung will feel like he's listening to his favourite celebrity's podcast, the only two differences being, Jeongguk no longer feels like a celebrity and those are things he says to Taehyung only, and not just anyone who can listen to it and share their opinion. He will also send random facts or memes throughout the day.

Taehyung promised himself when they signed that contract, when this whole mess started, that he wouldn't give in, would give Jeongguk the satisfaction of having a reaction, but it's hell.

It's hell because Jeongguk isn't just being normal, being sweet. He's being... well, he's being Jeongguk.

He sends random messages all day long, yes, but he sends photographs, too. Usually, they're ordinary, harmless photos of Bam, of Eunchae, of a new piece of jewellery he's got, but also those that force Taehyung out of meetings and photoshoots, those of himself in the gym, or after a shower, or shirtless in bed, and Taehyung can't stand him.

He can freak out on his own and not let Jeongguk know, that's fine, as long as it's in private, but it's becoming a regular thing. It's annoying almost as much as it is exciting.

So no. Not awkward at all, not until now.

Or maybe it's not awkward now, either, and it's just Taehyung projecting the awkwardness he fears where there's, in fact, none.

"You heard from Yoongi?"

"Oh, no, I'm afraid not." Taehyung clears his throat. "Not since yesterday."

"You two okay?" Jeongguk's eyebrows are drawn together. "You seem tense."

"I am," Taehyung admits. "But I'll be alright. It will be... alright. He's just busy. He still made sure to send his team with me, however, so I can't but appreciate the effort he's making."

He looks back at the strangers he's surrounded by - aside from Jimin, Hoseok and Namjoon (with Seokjin) and the rest of Jeongguk's team that he's more or less familiar with, everyone else is there because Yoongi hired them. They're stylists, hairdressers, make-up artists, bodyguards and whatever the hell the other people are supposed to do. Taehyung only knows Jiwoo, a bubbly blonde who's in charge of his make-up and who came up to him with a deep bow and a wide smile before their flight.

Jeongguk watches him for a second too long before he sighs. "Right. He's kinda harsh with you these days, isn't he? I mean, I see him, like, once in a blue moon and I can tell, must be even worse on a daily basis. How are you doing, seriously?"

Now, how is Taehyung supposed to reply to that?

How is he supposed to say that he feels like the most arrogant, conceited person in the universe because he asked Mr Choi to let him take some time off for this trip after everything the man had done to help him get through his personal issues, and gave him no space to refuse?

How is he supposed to say that he kept gazing at the apartment he can see from Yoongi's balcony and booked a meeting with the owner to go check it out?

How is he supposed to say that the reason he almost missed this very flight is the tall, dark-haired, tattooed man he'd left in his bed that morning? The man whom he'd met at this bar and asked not to introduce himself and who took him apart and resembled the previous two Taehyung had spent his nights with.

His train of thought is interrupted by Jeongguk tripping over his own feet. He chuckles, locks his fingers around Jeongguk's arm, as much of it as he can actually fit in his hand, and places a hand on his back, grateful for the opportunity to say something and steer him away from the topic.

"Tell me, darling, are those boots of yours made for walking or do you wear them whenever we're out just to be taller than me?"

"I am taller than you. And they're for the aesthetic."

"Right." Taehyung grimaces. "Beauty is pain, I suppose. They do suit you."

"Thanks, Kim." He grins. "You look nice, too. Hours of flying around and you're like a model." He reaches over and lifts a strand of bleached hair off Taehyung's head. "The hair's dope, too. I like it. Did you dye it yourself?"

"Thank you. And no, Yoongi picked out a hair salon. I wanted to, but he suggested I play it safe with an experienced stylist."

Taehyung dodges a fan that attempts to rip the strap of his bag off his shoulder, partially thanks to Jeongguk who pulls him in and away from the girl, partially thanks to Jimin who immediately steps forward as if he were Taehyung's personal bodyguard and not Jeongguk's. Heat creeping up his neck, Taehyung fights off the nerves by laughing. "Why, you're just being sweet at this point! What's gotten into you? Will you get me flowers, too?"

"Do you want flowers?"

"Some other time, darling."

"Right. Your hyung can bring you flowers."

Taehyung scoffs. "I'm afraid he's more interested in receiving them. You might want to mention it to your manager. He might need the tip."

"Like I have time to play matchmaker. Think I have my hands full with you already. We gotta take photos together and play friends."

"Don't pretend you hate it," Taehyung says casually. "You know as well as I do, we're doing better than we used to. You've learned to tolerate me because you're in love with my amazing personality."

"Right, because you have such a likable personality." Jeongguk snorts.

Taehyung raises an eyebrow at him. "Well, if that's not the case, then you're still trying to fuck me."

For the record, he did not mean to say that. He recovers quickly, concealing the horror on his own face with a dismissive smile.

Jeongguk sort of chokes and Taehyung figures he has to keep it up if he wants to seem casual. "Jesus, Kim, how do you sleep at night with a mouth like that?"

"At this time of year, naked, on my side."

And with that, Taehyung picks up the pace enough to lose him, unable to prevent himself from grinning. His photographs are being taken, and he offers a peace sign to the cameras, a few finger hearts and waves, before Jeongguk catches up and playfully pushes him out of the way. Just to steal his thunder, Taehyung struts down an invisible runway, hands in his pockets, and eats up the cheers the fans send his way. Jeongguk delightedly imitates it, even pushes Jimin to do the same, and calls all of his hyungs to see the performance. Hoseok films him while Namjoon and Seokjin watch, grinning. Taehyung feels like something is missing.

They all somehow end up in Namjoon's SUV, and he's certain Namjoon himself insists, with the way Seokjin shoves Taehyung into the backseat, almost onto Jeongguk's lap, and elegantly takes the passenger seat. Taehyung's pretty sure Hoseok is recording the whole thing.

Taehyung watches the buildings that fly by them in a blur of colour and Namjoon stops the car in front of this one particular establishment that seems to be out of a fairytale or one of those K-dramas with big budgets. It stretches out, and up, into the clouds, almost infinitely. It's all glass and Taehyung really can't say anything except for, "Holy shit."

Before he can be embarrassed about having his face pressed to the glass, Jimin is right there with him, climbing over Jeongguk, who groans in pain, and grinning to himself. "That's you, Tae."

"That's- what?"

"That's the Imperial Palace right there," Jimin mumbles. "You got the best location you could possibly ask for. Yoongi sure knows how to find a hotel."

"It's the penthouse, too," Jeongguk reminds them. Taehyung wonders how Yoongi has the money for this. With how much Taehyung is being paid and how much they have saved up for accomodation, this is... way beyond that. He has his ways, as he always says, some people in high places that owe him a favour or two, some ways to get what he wants just by making a few phone calls. There's always Jeon Jaehwan whom Yoongi constantly meets, sometimes with Namjoon, sometimes without.

"Wait, Tae, you're not staying with me?"

Taehyung feels Jimin almost physically deflate right next to him in empathy, and he sinks back into his seat, mouth bitter with guilt, and turns to look at his hyung.

"I must have forgotten to tell you about this," he admits. "I'm so sorry, hyung, but there's an entire team supposed to take care of me and- and you're quite busy, so we'd just be a bother. We'll be better off just visiting each other, I still need someone to show me around." He promptly ignores the way Jeongguk lifts an eyebrow at him. "Is that alright?"

Seokjin watches him, expression not really as transparent as it usually is - he always makes sure to show what he feels, whether it be by tone or expression, but this time, he is unreadable. "Of course, Tae." Still, his voice is soft. "Call me if you need anything."

Jeongguk places a hand on Taehyung's waist to support him as Taehyung stretches over him and forward, to wrap his arms around his hyung with a kiss on the cheek. Then, with a hand on the car door, ready to push it open, he glances back at Jeongguk. "And what about you? Where will you be staying?"

He ignores the curve of Jeongguk's mouth lifting in a smirk. A man can't even be curious in peace. "I rented the apartment I always rent when I'm here. It's fifteen minutes away."

He's not entirely sure what brings him to say, "Good," before he leaves the vehicle without looking back.

Yoongi's team have all already left their own car, and they take his luggage and tell him to follow them. Jiwoo starts talking, a soft, quiet sound, easily lost in the crowd of strangers, and Taehyung puts his sunglasses on and starts walking towards the entrance, surrounded by people, yet somehow feeling more alone than ever.

♡ ˎˊ˗ "SO... WANNA TELL me why Yoongi actually isn't with you or...?"

Taehyung sighs and clutches his glass of lemonade in between his palms, just to give himself something to do. "I've told you already, he's busy with something else. He'll be joining me shortly. I have a suspicion that the penthouse is for us to share. There's a whole additional bedroom next to mine."

Seokjin leans back in his chair, arms crossed, and looks around the café, seemingly thinking. It's the morning after their arrival. Taehyung's grateful they got here in advance because he seems to need all the mental preparation he can get. That's why he's taken a chance to meet up with Seokjin and catch up. "Right. You two been okay?"

"Yes, we've spent most of your time away together, actually. The apartment is too quiet without you."

With an endeared smile, Seokjin takes a sip of his own drink. It's watermelon and something else that makes the drink look darker. Taehyung refused to try it earlier, so he keeps his curiosity to himself. "It's pretty shit without you, too. The guy wants me with him constantly. He showed me his jacuzzi."

"Oh?" Taehyung lifts an eyebrow. "Is he handsome?"

Seokjin glares. "Taehyung! I'm a professional! My relationship with my clients revolves around no such thing, I do not notice it!" He grins. "Yeah, he's kind of hot. Not as hot as Kim Namjoon, but, you know..."

"I'm sorry to disappoint, but Kim Namjoon isn't exactly the Prince Charming he pretends to be."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"He's sweet, he truly is, but to Jeongguk, he's just..." Taehyung shakes his head. "He's too harsh. And when I thought he only did it for Jeongguk's own good, to help him learn to be responsible, he started being disrespectful and saying things about Jeongguk that... that just aren't true."

"Such as?" Oh, he's good.

"He calls Jeongguk immature and irresponsible and--- and he simply doesn't understand him. He doesn't even give him a chance."

"I thought we agreed on that."

Sighing, Taehyung lowers his gaze to his lemonade. "That was before."

"Before what?"

"Before this," Taehyung says. "Before I got to know him better, before..." He takes a sip to mentally prepare himself. Seokjin's watching him. "We've been spending quite a lot of time together."

"Oh?"

"And before you say anything," Taehyung warns, "there's nothing there. Nothing romantic whatsoever. Does he think I'm attractive? He does. Do I think he's attractive? I do. But do I want to marry him? No, certainly not."

"I never said anything about marriage, honey. Don't get ahead of yourself." Seokjin laughs. "Does he treat you right?"

Why does it sound like it's about marriage, then?

"He does." Taehyung can't help smiling. "He's changed. He's kind. He listens, for a change. And we've been working together, actually. He's incredibly talented. As soon as I physically force myself to make something, we'll have the project in no time!" He sighs. "I've told him... about my father, about the things that..." He clears his throat. "I trust him."

"Wow, so much has happened, gosh! How did I not know about this?"

"I was wasted," Taehyung confesses. "I probably forgot to tell you. And I've just been so busy with everything, I kind of..."

"I understand." Seokjin smiles, but something about it makes Taehyung's stomach twist. "I get it, and it's good you told him. You... you said he'd changed. Did he change?" Seokjin narrows his eyes. "Or is it something else?"

"He's changed, truly. What else could it be?"

Seokjin shrugs. "So, you've been struggling with work."

"Yes, you know me. Nothing interesting, no new people, nothing to inspire me enough to make something." He shakes his head. "Not even my hook-ups work. It's like I'm stuck."

He takes a few more quick sips to end the speech more smoothly. Doing this, it seems, allows Seokjin to think, at least long enough for him to purse his lips and look at Taehyung with that unreadable look again.

It's in moments like these that Taehyung absolutely loves and hates Seokjin's profession. It can be nice, saying something and knowing you're as understood as you could possibly be by another soul because of what they do for a living. It can, however, be infuriating, when Taehyung just wants his best friend to listen and react like a normal person, without seeing everything as a lecture or as proof of some sort of issue Taehyung's been struggling with.

He's not sure which one this is.

"Think about this for a sec, you always say you need new people, new experiences, new places go feel inspired. Tae, this is the most change you've ever had in your life." Taehyung pales, feeling the heavy dread of that event tomorrow, right in his gut. "You're designing with your idol, you're spending time with so many talented and unique people. You're in Tokyo, for fucks sake!" Seokjin uncrosses his arms and rests his elbows on the edge of the table, leaning forward so he can speak quietly. "I suggest you go back and think. Maybe the experiences you're looking for are already there. The opportunities. Maybe you just haven't discovered them yet. Or you have, but you haven't allowed yourself to give in."

Yup, it's the second one. Definitely. He hates it.

Seokjin doesn't give him time to say anything. He seems to know. Instead, he takes a sip of his own drink - Taehyung does the same - and sighs. "Kim Namjoon is an ass, huh? Who would have thought... He seemed like such a gentleman. And to think I almost slept with him." Before Taehyung can properly choke on his lemonade, Seokjin pats him on the back. "I'm still gonna sleep with him, actually. He's tolerable enough for casual sex, I'm sure. I'm just gonna go about it differently, make him fall in love with me and then ditch him when I feel like it, all that crap. As long as I follow my own rules - don't get attached."

"Don't get attached," Taehyung repeats, but there's a restlessness to him now, something he isn't sure he'll be able to shake anytime soon.

♡ ˎˊ˗ WITH YOONGI'S ARRIVAL, things seem to start going terribly wrong. Not necessarily exactly when he arrives: more precisely, the entire day feels off from the start, and Yoongi only confirms it for Taehyung.

When Taehyung wakes up in his king size bed that morning and tears all those soft, yet heavy covers off himself, he is sweating all over. His heart is racing in his chest, thudding against his ribcage in a wild rhythm that brings nothing good. He ends up pacing around his pointlessly large kitchen for about half an hour before he decides to dial Eunchae's number and tell her he's coming down with something and he just can't make it today. "That's alright, chéri, there's always the next one. Take your time and rest, stressing over it won't get you anywhere. Petit à petit."

He hangs up the phone, but doesn't settle. He continues to walk the length of the room, aware of his own heartbeat, wild in his chest, of the nagging feeling that something's still not right, no matter what he does. He busies himself with going through the clothing racks in that large walk-in closet right next door, examining outfit after outfit after outfit, all of them labelled by date so he'd know what to wear each day, each one picked out by one of Yoongi's stylists, with a perfect make-up look already planned to suit it, and every possible accessory.

It's practical, it's simple. Taehyung doesn't have to do anything, he can just... He can just attend these shows, wear simple, bland suits that the girls prepped for him and meet people he will find useful later, be seen with them, be talked about. He can neglect all the outfits he himself brought to Tokyo, those he designed and borrowed from Choice, from Eunchae's latest collection, those he made for himself and had been waiting to wear for months.

He doesn't have to have a hand in everything, right? So what if it's not his own design he's wearing, but someone else's, something simple and normal, something... safe?

He remembers Yoongi's words, the night they met, when he told Taehyung he could have anything he wanted and it would be all him, his choice, his call. This isn't what that looks like.

Taehyung's an ordinary person. He's human, like everyone else, he's flawed and he's imperfect and he gets anxious and hides it beneath the noise he creates. That's what it's all about. But when he's forced to look boring, to look like everyone else, he's on the ground; he's naked. He's displayed for everyone to see, to analyse and make fun of, but with the clothes he himself designs - or at least, chooses - as wings, he can be above that, he can be displayed and analysed and made fun of and he can fucking own it because everyone else is on the ground.

Staying in, while everyone else goes and does what he's come here to do, that's what doesn't feel right. But going out there in whatever the hell Yoongi's staff picked out, it feels even worse.

So he calls Eunchae again and asks her to keep him company for the duration of the show. She agrees to come and pick him up.

He spends another half an hour trying things on, things he already knows look good, but he needs to check just in case. There are, however, no stains or tears and he successfully picks out the first thing he can think of, the one that feels like second skin.

It's sage green satin, and it's soft to the touch as he pulls it on and zips it up (with some struggle). The dress is long and flowy, and it's off the shoulders with a plunging neckline. Its design is pretty simple, except for the subtle lace details on the hem. He adds a corset belt to draw eyes to the waist and to match his shoes and purse.

It takes a few minutes of staring at himself in the mirror for his heart to stop racing and he decides to take it off so he won't ruin something while he waits. He can't stop smiling as he goes to the kitchen, prepares a fruit salad and eats it with a YouTube video playing in the background.

And so, when Eunhee, his stylist, shows up three hours later, panicked, she begrudgingly helps him get ready. Her jaw is tight the entire time, and she takes a break at some point to make an urgent call.

Taehyung's too busy playing with the hem of his skirt, too busy being incredibly fond of the short, bubbly blonde that is Jiwoo, his make-up artist, to notice that, as soon as Eunhee's break ends, his phone rings and it's a video call from Yoongi.

"Hey, Tae, what are you doing? How's it going?" he starts out. He seems to be in a car, probably on his way from the airport.

"I'm getting ready," Taehyung says, unable to conceal his smile. "I'm kind of nervous, I must confess. I hope you'll get here soon."

"I would be, too, I mean, it's a big thing. Everyone's gonna be there," Yoongi explains. He examines the make-up on Taehyung's face, the black leather of his corset. "Also, they'll be hoping to see you, they must have so many questions. You've been quite the attraction these past few weeks, all eyes will be on you. It must be scary."

"It was, I admit, this morning, but I'm doing better now."

Whatever tactic Yoongi has, he must see it's not working, so he changes it. Drops it altogether. "Maybe you should wear the suit Eunhee picked out for you?"

Taehyung's smile falls. Yoongi's still looking at him, those same dark eyes he was drawn to back at Rêveuse, when they made his skin crawl with their scrutiny, making him feel transparent. He feels transparent now, with his bare shoulder visible in the frame. He is naked, again.

"But this is one of my designs. I've wanted to wear this all along." His voice sounds so fucking small, even to himself. Yoongi chuckles.

"I know, Tae, but maybe you should look more professional. It's day one, keep it simple. Look, I'm in the lobby, I'll come right up and we can talk."

He does come up, two men behind him, carrying bags. Taehyung thinks he now knows what the spare room is for.

"Hyung," he starts out right away. "I think the outfit I will be wearing is not your priority."

"Oh, but it is my priority. Everything that has to do with you is my priority because you are my priority. You and how you look, behave, what you say and do."

"The most important thing is that I'm comfortable, isn't it? I guarantee you that's where it starts. And I will be the most comfortable in something I've chosen myself."

Yoongi shakes his head, one hand in his pocket, and gestures to the two men to carry his bags into the spare room, as Taehyung suspected. When Jiwoo raises her eyebrows in question, Yoongi lifts one in return, as though daring her to speak. When she doesn't say a word and Taehyung doesn't, either, he decides to respond. "We could've discussed it way earlier, organised this better, now it's too late to change the make-up, everything else."

"Actually, the make-up is already perfect for his outfit!" Jiwoo chirps, rubbing his shoulder. Taehyung's heart squeezes in his chest at her efforts. "The dress is a lot, so we kept it simple, there's this graphic - kind of - moment, some shimmer and boom! Isn't he stunning?"

"Miss Park, I think you're there to do your job the way you're told, not to interrupt conversations between me and my client, isn't that right?"

He sounds like Kim Namjoon.

"Actually, hyung, she's correct." Taehyung clears his throat, feigning a smile the way he's always done in situations like this, with CEO Jeon, with his dad, with Kim Namjoon and with Eunchae, that first time. "Our Jiwoo here has done an excellent job and all she's doing now is explaining her inspiration. She's doing her job, there's no need to scold her."

"Listen-"

"As for the outfit, the reason why I am where I am, the very source of my supposed fame and importance comes from my designs, from what I create. I'm a creator, after all, that's what you told me when we first met, is it not?" He doesn't wait for Yoongi to confirm it. "Therefore, I will be wearing my own design tonight because it's a part of who I am. My call."

Yoongi blinks up at him, slow and lazy, like a cat, before he chuckles. "Sure." He licks his lips. "Your call, Tae. But don't rebel too much. Never ends well for those who do, no matter what they tell you. Vanity doesn't suit you, by the way."

He's gone before Taehyung can properly hide the tears that prickle his eyes.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
o

kay so hi. i'm back, sorta? i was initially gonna do like a long ass chapter but then it got too long so i split it into two parts. the second one isn't finished yet btw but i'll tryyyy!!

i have no time whatsoever rn :/
i should be studying. i really should be. idk if that's gonna happen tho

sooo yes. tae is struggling and yoongi is part of the reason. he's becoming a little controlling, he's gaining influence over him and plot twist!! the corruption arc mentioned among the warnings is still relevant

but yes! i missed writing this. i have been writing sooo slowly these past few months, to the point where i clearly remember writing that previous chapter on my birthday (august). how crazy is that?

but i'm in college now :((

my exams are literally in like ten days so i'm sort of dying, i'm working on this, working on heroes and all the other fics i've paused, also planning a new hyunsung story and a new robin buckley one, so i'm taking it slow. hope y'all understand!

i'm sorry if the chapter isn't what you guys expected. take care of yourselves and i love you all so much<3