His phone was ringing.

  It wasn’t the first time, but the third. Taehyung  heard it from the bathroom, not really willing to detach himself from the water, so he stayed half-laying in the tub, silent. 

  His mind since the past two days was occupied by that person whom he'd locked into the secret chember of his heart. He made himself so busy in his work that he barely got time to ruminate on the moments they were together. Even some of the most vivid memories began to fade, worn thin by the passage of time. He used to think that if Jungkook ever came back, he'd probably overlook him like a stranger which he deserved. But unanticipatedly the sudden appearance of him made him feel a lot of other things. Like surprised, angry. Totally fucking pissed. 

  Are they going to meet again? 

  Hell no. Never, he thought. But the thought itself was killing him inside. 

  The annoying ringtone started again and he groaned. 

  Reluctantly he lifted his body from the water and came out of the tub. Came out of the bathroom while tying a loose knot at the end of his robe and swiped the screen to take the call. 

  "Why weren't you answering? You alright?" Jimin's concerned high pitch voice came through the device like a warm breath on the side of his face. He smiled. 

  "Was in the bathroom." 

  "Ohh! I thought you were sleeping."

  Taehyung's eyes swept to the unmade bed, "I am going to sleep by the way." He sat at the edge, stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankles. 

  "Now?"

  "Right after breakfast." He'd already ordered some smashed potatoes, boiled eggs and a cheese sandwich fifteen minutes ago. wondering why they hadn't served it yet. 

  A moment later he heard Jimin say, "Can you meet me? The weather's nice, and we got a day off so I was thinking of going out. Maybe cycling to the beach?"

  "Beach is too hot and cycling is too tiring. I'd rather sleep all day." He murmured, running his hand through his wet hair, needed to blow dry them first. 

  "You're so boring." Jimin remarked with a mild huff. "Okay sleepyhead, sleep as much as you want, but remember to dress prettily in the evening."

  "Why? Are we going to that restaurant?" 

  "You forget things easily." A sigh was heard, "Remember that cute girl Jennie invited us for her birthday party?"

  Taehyung opened his mouth to say yes but closed it immediately when Jungkook's face hit his mind. 

  "I know," Jimin continued, "Birthday parties are boring. But you cannot break that cute girl's heart, right?"

  "Cute you say. Are you interested in her?" Taehyung spoke looking down to his toes. Noted that he'd visit a spa later that day. 

  "Uh," He heard Jimin huff from the other side, "You know me. Yeah she's cute but she's a girl. Of course I'm not into her. If she had a brother half as cute as her, I wouldn't think twice before hopping on his lap." A pause, "Don't laugh, I'm serious" 

  "Bet you'll find someone cute to hop on their lap tonight." Taehyung held his laugh, swinging his crossed feet left and right.
 
  "Why just someone?" Jimin replied smugly. "Why not that cute hot guy who came with her that day?  He definitely has something that attracts people. Something charismatic like he belonged on the silver screen but ended up choosing the wrong job." Taehyung's feet slacken, breathing too when Jimin said, "He won't be easy, that I can say, but again who am I? Park Jimin. Nobody can resist my charm for long." 

  "I’m not going there." Taehyung pressed his lips together firmly, said nothing more. 

  "Jealous?" Jimin interjected in a sultry voice, "The way you were staring at him, I guessed you'd be." Jimin kept on speaking about him making Taehyung's blood boil. Maybe he was doing it intentionally to corner him and pull out all the truth from his stomach. But that wasn't happening. "If you're interested, you can keep him by yourself,  I'll probably find someone better."

  "I said I'm not going there." Said Taehyung, voice suddenly way too loud, husky, "You can bang whoever you want, I don't fucking care." He screamed the last words and cut the call. 

  This was getting annoying.

  Jungkook, Jungkook, Jungkook was all he was thinking lately, as if his name were imprinted on his chest like a tattoo. And Jimin did nothing but bring him back to his mind. Great. 

  With friends like this, who needs enemies?

  When the bell rang he walked to answer the door, thinking that the room service had finally got time to deliver his food. They were surely getting an earful for keeping their customers waiting, but as soon as the door opened, his eyes got stuck to the beauty of nature— A beautiful bouquet of hundred pink roses wrapped in pink paper packing mollified his wrath, making him too mesmerized to speak. 

  Nature was indeed the biggest mood lifter.  

  The corner of his lips curved into a soft smile. His hand urged him to run his  thin fingers onto the velvet of the petals. He did, very gently. But the moment it was lowered by the person holding it from behind and he caught a glimpse of that man, his soul nearly left his body. 

  Jungkook! 

  It must be Jungkook because after blinking several times he could only see him. Today he was wearing a white button down with chocolate brown tie and black pants. His chest looked broader in white and his skin glowing over the collar. His hair neatly parted at the side making his face seem matured and slim,  those wide bambi eyes had the same tiny glint he'd that day.  

  But why was he here —and the flowers! 

  Taehyung didn’t move. Not for long moments. As soon as the previous memories flashed in his mind he held the door tightly, ready to shut it on his face. 

  "Wait," Jungkook placed his hand just above his to prevent him from closing it, he succeeded, though Taehyung didn't leave it fully. 

 "How dare you come here without my permission?" Glared he, "I'll sue those receptionists certainly."

 "Not their fault," Jungkook applied some more force and shoved his one leg . "I told them not to call you." 

  "Get lost," Taehyung went taut, consciously tightening every muscle to close the door shut but failed when Jungkook pushed it open, coming through and locked it behind him. 

  He panicked, recalling the past incident. They were alone in the room when he—

  "You psycho, get lost." He growled but the other made no move to open the door. Instead he stepped closer to him, invading his personal space.  Taehyung didn't step back. Why would he? Jungkook broke in like a thief, not him. His eyes shifted restlessly to the flowers he was holding and then back to his eyes, "Your petty devotion won't work on me. Get lost with your flowers."

  "They're from Jennie," Said Jungkook calmly, "I'm here only to talk with you." 

  From Jennie! 

  It wasn't supposed to break his heart, but it did. What else he would expect from the person who'd given him immeasurable pain? That he'd suddenly come and pacify him with pretty gifts? Of course not. 

  "There's nothing I want to talk about. Just go." He asked in his most icycold voice. His chest moved in a rise and fall rhythm.

  Jungkook didn't move, but wrapped his fingers around his wrist. Tension sparked from the contact, he could feel his pulse beating strong and fast. There were so many things he wanted to say, and his eyes were silently begging him to listen to it. 

  Jungkook's  hand was warm and strong around him, Taehyung couldn't pull his hand immediately, but panicked, "Why are you touching me suddenly? What the hell are you planning to do? I said go."

  "I will." Jungkook squeezed his hand gently, "But first listen to what I'm saying."

  "Enough with this shit,"  With the other hand that was free, angrily, Taehyung threw a fist and Jungkook, letting the bouquet fall towards the gravity, caught his hand before it landed on his face. 

  No! 

  Blood rushed to his head, Taehyung was feeling so helpless as both of his hands were trapped into the other's stronger grip. 

  Moving quickly, he lifted one of his knees in an attempt to smash the balls between the other's legs, but the bathrobe made his movement clumsy and the blow failed to land at the exact place giving the other the impression that he wasn't going to stop so easily. 

  Jungkook by that time moved him to the edge of the bed, whirled him around, pushed him on the mattress and pinned him there seizing his wrists behind. 

  "Let me go." Taehyung jerked his head at his side,  swinging and kicking his legs desperately, trying to roll away and climb to his feet but with the 70 kg heavy figure sitting on his thighs, he couldn't do much. 

  "I'm not gonna hurt you, calm down." Jungkook's grip loosened but not totally left them. 

  "You'll be so dead. I'll kill you with my own hands." Not in a mood to let him walk away alive, Taehyung muttered through gritted teeth and kept stirring his body, trying to release himself as if his life depended on it. 

  I'll kill you with my own hands! 

  Could that be possible if he didn't let his hands free! Jungkook fought back a smile.

  "You've become quite stronger, huh!" He couldn’t help but appreciate the fighter side of Taehyung. He wasn't that lean fragile nineteen year old anymore, he'd become a man now. His muscles were right on their places, not stiff but tender, some unshaven facial hair around his chin gave his face a bold look. At this close proximity, he could even count them. His arms were long with soft skin. And the long tanned slender legs on which he was sitting were damn pretty. Prettier than most of the girls he'd seen on the beach. 

  He looked totally pissed, sulking and Jungkook found it cute. 

  He dropped down to a forearm, lowered his face to his ear and whispered, "Still you're no match for me."

  "Are you," Taehyung shut his eyes when his cool minty breath ghosted over his ear, his jaw, his flushed cheek. Enough cool to draw a shiver throughout his body. "Are you mocking me?" 

  "No." Jungkook watched him pressing his lips together, twisted his body and applied all his force to release his hand, even though it was hurting him. He sighed and put a hand on the knot of his necktie and tugged it free. "I've been," He looked at the reddened skin of his wrists where his grip was at, "Trying to talk with you for the past five minutes."  Then tied the wrists with his tie very gently, taking his time. "But you aren't listening."

  "Oh fuck!" Taehyung gasped, realizing what he'd done with his hands. "Let me go."

  "Listen to me please." Immediately his feet landed on the floor. He sat on his knees beside him to level their eyes, "For once. I won't bother you again."

  There was something soothing in his voice that made the other calm.

  "Agrh. I hate you." Taehyung bit his inner lip and looked at him. Good heavens! Jungkook looked so handsome up close, he forgot to blink. It was true that Jungkook was the most handsome man he'd ever seen, and sadly his heart was still with him. 

  Should he just kill him to take it back? 

  "Tae," Jungkook's hand slid on the mattress and held his bicep to make him sit but Taehyung groaned and jerked it free, staying in that position— not willing to obey. Not because he didn't want to, but because the belt of the robe was now unloose with all the scuffle he made and if he turned at his side with the hands tied in the back, he'd be turning naked. 

  But how the hell he'd tell this to him? It was a whole lot embarrassing. 

  "Tae," Jungkook said softly this time, holding him still, not forcing more. 

  "Will you please shut up and release my hand?" Yelled Taehyung, then lowered his voice in a sulky murmur, "I'll listen to what-da-ever you've to say." 

  Jungkook studied his expression. He saw a speck of two front teeth gliding over his pink lip and disappearing in his mouth. Cute. 

 "Ten minutes." 

  "What?"

  "I need only ten of your minutes." Said Jungkook. 

  "Cut it to five. I've got an important appointment, don't have time to waste on criminals." 

  "Ohh!" Jungkook looked down. Taehyung's words wedged themselves in his chest. He hadn't imagined anything could hurt him as much as those words, 

  'Don't have time to waste on criminals.'

  The man who used to talk so softly with him seemed like had been exorcist out of his body. This man was totally different. This man was inclined to hurt him and he accepted it. It was actually good. Good that it hurt, at least he hadn't become a grim reaper like people say. 

 "I will never show up again." Said he, eyes lingered on the floor. "You can be sure about this. But you've to do something to protect yourself."

  "Protect myself?" Taehyung lifted his brows, lifting his face to him, "From you?"

  A sharp breath and Jungkook faced him, "I'm serious."

  "I wasn't joking either." 

 "Look," Jungkook took a deep breath and calmly said, "I don't have much time to convince you, but this matter is extremely serious. Do not go to that party. Don't go anywhere near Min Kyunghoon's house, okay? I've already booked a flight for you and your manager. You're going back to Seoul."

  "What?" 

  "This country isn't safe for you."

  Taehyung' stared at him for a moment and said, "I can't. My shooting in here isn't done."

  "Quit this drama."

  "Not possible." He declared, "I've a reputation to maintain. I've worked so hard to gain it." 

  "Your reputation can't be bigger than your free will. Can you live all your life under others' conspiracy?" 

  "Stop talking in circles and—" Both Taehyung's eyebrows swift up, "Wait a sec," A sudden thought occurred to him, belatedly, "You came here to tell me this?" 

  Jungkook stared at him with his familiar wide eyes. 

  "I thought you'd be asking me how I am doing, whether I missed you or not or will I forgive you if you say sorry!"  Taehyung's voice sounded disappointed and Jungkook seemed nervous all of a sudden, 

  "That's,"

  "That's so stupid of me, I know. What am I even expecting?" Taehyung turned his head to the wall, pressed the side of his head to the mattress, pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth to stop the sting of the pain that could swallow his voice. Laying in his position, helpless, tears were the least thing he was expecting at this moment.

  "I," Jungkook let out a breathy whisper but couldn't say more. 

  "Did you miss me?" Taehyung asked the wall and turned at him, making him taken aback, "I don't know what to call you. Bunny, Jungkook or Jkay?" It was just some weightless words, however hatred, disappointment and anger were included in it. "Tell me, did you miss me?"

  Jungkook swallowed his sigh. 

 The way Taehyung was watching him with those big lucid eyes, he felt like hiding somewhere where he couldn't find him, or tell him that— 

  'You have no idea how badly I've missed you, my love. I missed simply hanging out with you, watching seasons' first snowfall together, going to movies, sharing lunch, staying up late at night, talking about something ridiculous and making you laugh. What I missed most was your smile. Not those smiles you show on screen, but those which were for me. Pure and serene. I missed the minutiae things we shared, those precious moments I'd taken for granted.' 

  —He had to get these words past the lump in his throat now, or he never would.

  Abruptly the doorbell rang and a flash of nervousness went through his eyes. He bit down on the words, and said, "You have to return to Korea no matter what."

  "Shit," Taehyumg groaned, "Untie me first." 

  Jungkook got up on a forearm in the bed, holding his gaze, whispering rapidly, "My men will be at the airport, so you don't have to worry about anything."

  "Shut up you idiot and remove that thing." Taehyung groaned again. The way Jungkook was staring at him unbothered, looked like he didn't care about the world. But the doorbell continually declaring its presence, making him lose his mind. "Have you lost your hearing ability? Release me or else I'd scream."

  It worked. 

  Jungkook unfastened the knot and let the tie slide off the curve of his lower back. Then pried his eyes from that spectacular part of his body and blinked at his face, "Um—"

  "Turn around." 

  "Huh?"

  "Never heard of the word 'privacy'?" 

  When Jungkook finally turned, he lifted himself up, this time he didn't fasten the belt loose and jumped down off the bed towards the door, nearly tripping. 

  Room service wouldn't be a problem, he thought, but if it were Jin hyung, he would surely be going through homicide investigations or worse. 

  His hand halted on the door knob in a stilted way and head whirled back to him —what if the person or the persons were actually police! Like last time they were in the same room the police broke in. —No! No matter how much he hated Jungkook, he never wanted him to get arrested. 

  Here he was worried to the core of his gut and just look at this guy Jungkook, relaxed, hands in his pockets, watching his every movement curiously. Would he take it as a sign to go on and open the door? 

  Holding breathe he finally opened the door and kept it open with arm extended.

  Not a flicker of surprise— it was Jimin.

  "Hey, I was just joking, why did you cut the call— " Jimin's tone came two octaves down when his eyes  darted past his friend straight to the man behind. One eyebrow up suggestively, "Am I interrupting something?"

  "Not at all." Taehyung said, his voice forcibly cheerful. He left some space to let him in unwillingly and absentmindedly stepped on something soft, "Ohh," He bent to collect the huge bouquet and showed it to him, "Jennie sent these flowers to me. Aren't they beautiful?"

  "Indeed." Jimin smiled almost mischievously, nodding his head. "And her bodyguard escorted them to you. Inside your room." He said the last words in a way that Taehyung could bet it had a different meaning. 

  "Yeah." Taehyung shrugged, internally crushing the centre of all his problems. Then she changed the subject, "You were talking about cycling to the beach, right?"

  "Ah—" Jimin grinned knowingly, side eyeing Jungkook, "It's totally fine if you wanna ride something else."

  "I changed my mind. Let's go to the beach."

  "Really? Shall we?" Jimin's other brow raised to match the first, smiling widely, "That's great." Then he turned to the bodyguard and said, "Hey, Jkay, we haven't talked much that day. Wanna join us?"

  "Excuse me." Jungkook walked past them, said nothing and left. 

  "What's with him?" Jimin said, confused. 

  "Nothing." Taehyung released the breath he was holding for this time.  "Didn't you hear what she said? He doesn't know how to talk with celebrities."

●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○

 Usually Taehyung liked to read books, memorise scripts or listen to calm and soothing music while travelling. City and the people outside his car always were a subject to avoid. But today he wasn't in the mood to do any of those. The crowded street compensated for the empty dark sky outside, he wasn't looking at it exactly. His mind was wandering to the words Jungkook had left for him in the morning. 

  'Your reputation can't be bigger than your free will. Can you live all your life under others' conspiracy?' 

  What did that mean?

  "Hey,"  Jimin said from his side. Taehyung glanced and saw him smiling mischievously. "Don't tell me you changed your decision because of him?"

  He answered in a distracted voice, "Who?"

  "That hot shot bodyguard who made you feel hearts and flowers?" Jimin seemed to be on a mission to make him talk. 

  He'd been quite the whole ride to Min Kyunghoon's mansion to attend her daughter's birthday party. Of course he wasn't going back to Seoul. Just couldn't walk away from his work. Also he needed to know Jungkook's motif of suddenly appearing in his life and telling him all those weird things without explaining. 

  He needed a proper explanation. 

  "He's so handsome." Jimin kept on saying beside his ear, "Even if he wasn't good looking, you would still find him attractive. Right?"

  "Why are you talking about him all the time?" Said Taehyung calmly. His posture relaxed, however tensed internally. 

  "Because I've never seen you reacting so immaturely around someone." Said Jimin, "That guy has done something to you that you're avoiding to tell me."

  He took a breath, felt a little agonising as he replied to him, "He kinda irks me. My hand twitches up to hold his throat and choke him to death."

  Jimin studied him before breaking into laughter. "I didn't know you're into BDSM!"

  "What no!" Taehyung shook his head and huffed, "I don't like such stuff."

  "Because you never tried it." Jimin was right, he always was, "But I can bet you've fantasized."

  Taehyung said nothing, fingers fiddling with the hem of the chocolate brown necktie with which his hands were being tied. It was Jungkook's and he didn't know why he was wearing it to the party. What was he expecting that Jungkook would recall that moment and picture him in his bathrobe again? 

  That's ridiculous. 

  However, the kinky thought about the intimacy of that moment shivered through him. Did Jungkook have any idea what he was doing with him? His big, heavy, warm body felt so good on him, and he would certainly not mind being tied by him again. 

  The moment the thought formed in his mind, he rejected it by shaking his head. Bit his lip to punish his mind.

  "On our next vacation, surely-" Jimin crossed his legs and leaned back on his seat, "I'll teach you all the things."

  "I don't want to." Talk also. 

  "The course is absolutely free for you honey." Jimin whinked, making him roll his eyes. 

  "Not interested." Forcefully he turned his gaze outside just so they could stop talking about this. It worked though. Jimin got himself busy with his phone and Taehyung with his thoughts.  In his mind he could hear Jungkook whispering, 

  'Still, you're no match for me.'

________________

Stream Yet to come. Borahae💜