II-FRUSTRATIONS

THEY SAY THAT familiarity breeds contempt, that the more acquainted you become with someone, the easier it is to dislike them. But with Kim Taehyung, it's the complete opposite.

It's almost ridiculous how sweet the kid is. For example, while filming some behind the scenes footage, one of the cameramen had coughed a few times. Taehyung, with genuine concern expressed on his face, had asked the man if he was getting enough rest and if he was eating well enough.

Another time- several times, actually- he'd gone around and made a point to strike up a conversation, no matter how short or long, with everyone (everyone) on set. He'd asked Seokjin for acting tips with a hesitant smile on his cute face and how could he dislike a kid that nice?

Right now, Taehyung is chatting up the makeup artist who's painting a fake cut onto his arm. "My cousins have so much energy- they're always running around or making messes and my aunt's always yelling at them. My mom says that they'll calm down once they get older, but my aunt says that she doesn't know what she's talking about 'cause my siblings and I were all pretty quiet when we were younger and apparently she had it easy."

Seokjin's noticed over the past couple weeks that Taehyung has a (frustratingly adorable) habit of rambling. It makes people like him more; Seokjin wonders if he's too old to act like that.

The woman chuckles quietly, swiftly switching from a brush to a sponge. "Yeah, my daughter is like that, too. Always running around. It's hard to keep her still."

"Good thing there are two of you for one kid, then," Taehyung laughs. "My aunt's got five kids. She and my uncle go crazy trying to keep them behaved."

The woman hesitates. "It's just me, actually."

"Oh!" Taehyung looks surprised. Pauses for a moment. "Well you get double the credit, then."

The makeup artist doesn't reply, but the small smile splaying across her lips speaks volumes.

Maybe it's because they both have significant roles in the scenes that they're filming today and they're within closer proximity of each other, but Seokjin finds that he's learning a lot more about Taehyung today than he has ever before. The stuff he's picked up so far is pretty trivial, things that no one would ever bother to ask. Yet he finds himself going over them while he's not preoccupied with filming scenes.

So far, he's learned that Taehyung is from Daegu; that his group is called BTS and they debuted on June 13th, 2013; that he likes little kids and puppies; that he used to want to work on his grandmother's farm; and that he wants everyone to know about BTS so that his hyungs will be happy.

(Seokjin thinks that last one's kind of cute.)

"My Yoongi hyung's from Daegu, too," Taehyung's saying to the cameraman, who's adjusting some settings. (Seokjin has learned that his name is Jungkook.) "It's pretty cool. We're the only two who are from the same place- There are only four of us, though, so I guess it's cool that there are two of us who're from the same place, anyway. Namjoon hyung's from Ilsan and Jiminie's from Busan."

The cameraman looks up at this, recognition flickering across his face. "Busan?"

"Yeah." Taehyung nods. "Busan's really pretty. Have you ever been there?"

"Oh, well-" Jungkook grins, "-I'm from Busan, too."

"Really?" Taehyung looks a tad more excited than people normally would after learning something like this. (It's cute, annoyingly cute.) "I didn't know that! You don't even have an accent or anything- Busan's such an awesome place- Y'know, Jiminie would be thrilled to find out that there's someone from Busan here. Or maybe- I dunno if he'd be too busy, but maybe he could come visit. Then I could introduce you guys to each other!" He giggles (Seokjin has to actively stop his lips from twitching up into a smile) and brings his hands up to his face. "Imagine that: Jeon Jungkook and Park Jimin, the Busan friends."

Seokjin glances over just in time to see a boxy grin spread across Taehyung's lips. It's only when the makeup noona brushes some powder across his cheekbones and asks him to keep his face neutral that Seokjin realizes that he's smiling, too.

He's able to escape the clutches of the makeup artist a few minutes later, and the thought of Taehyung leaves his mind entirely when Hoseok calls him over to film another scene with Sooyeon. It's a relatively short sequence, and all the shots take only a little over half an hour to film. After that's over, and after he says a quick farewell to Sooyeon, who's leaving early since she has to come back in early for shooting, Seokjin gulps down some water as he watches Taehyung nervously walk over to film this next scene.

Taehyung is picking at the hem of the school uniform, bangs untidy and hanging over his face. His gaze keeps flitting around, lingering on Hoseok and Seokjin and the cameraman who is not Jungkook and the other crew members before seeming very interested in his sneaker-clad feet. Seokjin wonders why Taehyung is always so quiet around him when he's always chattering away to everyone else. The first time they'd talked he seemed cheerful, but every time after that he'd become increasingly quieter. Did he come off as rude or something? He hopes not; he kind of wants to know more about Taehyung.

Soon, an hour of filming flies by with significant progress. The sun sinks down below the horizon, and so does Seokjin's energy levels. (Which might be a good thing, since Joonhee is supposed to be tired.)

After a quick break, where Seokjin steals a bite of Sejin's burger, they continue filming. He's outside now, and has to chase Taehyung down the street and into an alley where he ultimately catches him.

"Stop once you've disappeared into that alleyway, okay?" Hoseok says, pointing at the gap in between the buildings where the two will be running. "We'll film the part down there separately."

Seokjin nods, rubbing at his eye and quickly stops when he catches the eye of a makeup noona. "Got it."

"Action!"

Seokjin starts running, sprinting, trying to keep the boy in sight. He reaches his arm out to grab something, but his fingers just grasp at thin air. Taehyung slips into the alleyway, and after an unintentional stumble, Seokjin follows.

They shoot the scene a few more times from various angles. By the fourth reshoot, Seokjin is coughing; Taehyung glances at him in concern as he gulps down some water.

("I'm fine, Hoseok. Seriously. Let's just finish filming this now, it'll be easier than doing it tomorrow night."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive.")

"Action!"

Taehyung darts into the darkened alley and Seokjin is fast on his heels. He manages to grab the backpack and swings the younger around to push him against the wall, hands gripping his forearms in a certain way to make it look like a tighter hold than it actually is.

Joonhee is supposed to be furious, but Seokjin falters.

Taehyung is staring at him with eyes blown wide, lips parted and chest heaving. His hands are curled into tight, scared fists and the soft fringe hanging in front of his eyes only add to the image of vulnerability that he's projecting.

Seokjin falters, lets go, can't bring himself to yell at this kid, this sweet, adorable kid.

Somewhere in the back of Seokjin's mind he registers Hoseok's voice yelling out, "Cut!" and he steps away, blinking in confusion as Taehyung's expression mirrors his own.

"Seokjin hyung, are you sure you're okay?"

"Um." Seokjin looks at Hoseok. "I'm... tired."

Taehyung is staring at him with a concerned gaze and a creased brow as his fingers restlessly twist the hem of his shirt. (Seokjin wonders how he'd ever disliked him.

He also thinks that if Seokjin was anyone else, Taehyung would be reaching out and animatedly asking if he was okay instead of just staring at him.

What the hell had he done wrong?)

Hoseok sighs, reaching up and draping an arm over Seokjin's shoulders. "You should've said that earlier, hyung. Don't worry about how long filming'll take; your health is important." He glances back and beckons for Taehyung to follow as they go back into the more brightly lit street. "Okay?"

"Okay, mother," Seokjin deadpans, and hears a giggle (a giggle, how fucking cute is that?) from behind him. Taehyung ducks his head the moment he makes eye contact with the elder.

"Don't give me that sass, young man," Hoseok is saying, and Seokjin looks back and snorts very unattractively, lightly shoving the younger male.

"I'm older than you."

"Whatever."

Light stands are put away and makeup is wiped off, and Seokjin grabs all his stuff to go back home. "See you, Hoseok," he says, clapping the man on the back as he pores over the camera with one of the cameramen. The director wordlessly offers him a wave, and Seokjin chuckles to himself before turning away to follow Sejin into the car.

On his way out, he spots Taehyung, who's following his own manager into a vehicle. He has a face mask on, and he blinks sleepily as he shuffles towards the car. After a second of thought, Seokjin calls out, "Bye, Taehyung-ssi!"

Said boy looks over in surprise, eyebrows raised as he pulls the mask down. "O-Oh," he stutters, tentatively lifting his hand to wave at him, "bye, sunbaenim!"

A second passes. Two. Three.

Taehyung's lips curl up into an awkward smile, and Seokjin positively beams.

✧

the long overdue second chapter is here! please let me know what you guys think :)