It was a long time since Des and Taehyung first fled to Paris at the end of their whirlwind summer. 

Now, winter had come around and for one of them especially, things weren't going quite as expected.

Taehyung found himself at home alone most days while Des attended her classes. 

And for a while it was fine but having no job and no life of his own in Paris made the hours long and lonely. 

Desiree's second year of culinary school demanded more work and bigger assignments, most of which she had to do in groups. Groups that didn't include Taehyung, weekends that he spent on his own while his girlfriend attended study group after study group and went away on field trips. 

It was true that Teahyung had done his best to look for a job or at least something to keep him occupied. He wasn't used to feeling this stagnant, this useless.

Night after long school night, Taehyung would wait up for Des but her evenings  stretched on for so long most days that the only way Taehyung would ever get to spend time with her, was while they were both asleep in bed.

He sat in the dark of the attic bedroom they shared and swiped a finger to illuminate his phone. 

Taehyung sighed as his eyes scanned along the message. 

Des was working on a recipe for her exam. She was going to be late.

Again.

There was a soft knock at the door and Taehyung looked up expectantly.

"Still asleep?" the girl's voice startled him.

But it was only Shayla.

"Uh, no. I'm up." Taehyung answered.

"Can I come in?" She asked quietly holding onto the frame while peeking inside.

"Yeah, sure." Taehyung replied.

He got up and started tidying stuff around the room, not entirely certain what to do with his hands.

Shayla watched him silently for a minute. She leaned against the open door in a cleavage- baring crop top and a pair of black sweatpants, oddly paired with a sleek pair of heeled designer sandals which, in all honesty was very Shayla-esque. 

That's when it occured to him, "Hey, weren't you supposed to be away for a while doing, what is it called... fashion week.. for another couple days?"

Shayla leaned against the door frame, "I was supposed to," She frowned thoughtfully, "But at some point, I got a bit, I dunno, bored of it."

"Really? Des said you were super stoked to go. Its like a big deal to you every year or something.."

"So, you guys talk about me.." Shayla smirked and Taehyung watched her berry-red stained lips curl plumply together into an intrigued smile.

"Not really," Taehyung laughed, "But I remember Des did say that.."

"Oh," She nodded, "So, what you up to?"

Taehyung thought he was going to be the only one home alone today and before Shay came in, the only plans he had were to finally get out of bed and tip-toe downstairs to hopefully find something in the kitchen that would stop his stomach from rolling.

"Ah, not much." Taehyung sat down on the bed and eyed her steadily.

Shayla was her usual inquisitive self, inspecting his face with sparkling eyes. She nodded wrapping her arms around herself, then her gaze turned to the window behind and lingered on the streets of Paris below. 

For a couple seconds, she was silent. They were both silent. A few taxis honked their horns and the distant chatter of french pedestrians wafted through the glass panes of the poorly insulated window.

"Is there something I can help you with? Or.." Teahyung questioned. 

He didn't know how he felt about being alone with Shayla while Des wasn't there. 

Whenever they'd hang out, it was usually always the three of them and the busier Desiree got with school, the less time there was for hanging out. So Taehyung usually just said 'hi' to Shayla around the house and left it at that. He was comfortable enough with that.

She stepped slowly towards him and Taehyung swallowed awkwardly. 

She came to stand in front of him and Taehyung did his best to keep his eyes on her face.

"I was just wondering," She arched an eyebrow, "Do you want to go grab something to eat?"

Taehyung felt stupidly flustered and at the same time relieved to hear a perfectly normal proposal come from Shayla and was about to refuse when his stomach made a loud and embarrassingly, deceptive lurch.

"That's it!" She stamped one polished foot with mock authority, "You're starving. Me too." She grinned, "Let's go."

"I probably shouldn't..." Taehyung responded slowly. Would it be like a date? Was he overthinking? 

Shayla read his expression and gently put her hand on his shoulder. Taehyung felt it. Warm.

And when he forced his eyes up to meet hers, they were warm too. 

He could see some strange understanding there but of what? Taehyung felt pained for a minute, thinking again about the new situation in Paris and his straining relationship with Des. He'd thought many times about texting Hoseok or even going to Shayla for advice. But that wasn't really his style. His entire life he'd learnt to rely only on himself and despite how compelling it was, the idea of just having someone to talk to- 

The truth was, he didn't want to tell anyone about this. He wanted to keep things only between himself and Desiree. What they had felt precious to him and so much of what happened in their past was entirely too unique for anyone else to understand. 

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Shayla frowned and her arms fell at her sides. "I'm meeting up with a few cool people and it could be fun."

"Nah, you go ahead. It was nice of you to ask but I'm sure you don't want me tagging along."

"Tagging along? Tae, I'm inviting you." She said smiling, "We can even meet up with Des if you want?" Her eyes glinted mischievously, "I know where she hangs out after school."

Taehyung tilted his head.

"It'll be a bit of eating, drinking, a bit of talking at first but then, if you wanted alone time with her..." Shayla suggested smirking. "No one would notice if you snuck off later."

"OK." Taehyung got up and swiped his hands through his hair. The thought of seeing Des and having her all to himself while she was awake and conscious to boot, made him feel tingly and eager.

"Okay?" Shayla grinned, "Good. Meet me downstairs. Ten minutes." She bat her lashes while shutting the door behind her. 

Less than ten minutes later, Taehyung joined her on the doorstep. He showed up dressed in comfy clothes and carrying a little brown bag over one shoulder. A sophisticated trench coat and tiny beret atop is straw blonde locks made Shayla realise everything and more that Desiree had ever seen in him. Physically, anyway.

They followed the music into the bar which, to Taehyung looked more like a club.

"You said there'd be a few people." He said to Shayla over the noise.

Making their way through the crowd and past a couple tables, the place was packed with people talking loudly in french and cigarette smoke stifled the air. There was at least a hundred college students packed into the venue, all dressed quirkily and leaning on walls or sitting on the backs of tufted furniture and elaborate bean-bags. The pub is lit up in green, pink and blue strobes as the only source of lighting and Taehyung squinted a little trying to find Desiree's face somewhere. 

A good-looking girl with a flame of red hair falling down her shoulders in gorgeous waves intercepts them as they pass by.

"Oh my God, Shay!" She came towards them with open arms for Shayla, pecking her on both cheeks.

Her eyes fall greedily on Taehyung and Shay notices.

"Oh, this is Tae. Say hi, Tae" and he grimaced a smile, "This is Des' boyfriend."

The red-haired girl's eyes widened with intrigue, "Des has a boyfriend!" 

She chortles and claps her hands with a drunken sheen in her blue eyes. 

"Yeah, she does." Taehyung answered feeling slightly bothered. 

Shay gave a high pitched laugh before leading the girl away from Taehyung, "You need some water. Let's get you some water."

She looked back and him, motioning her finger around the room as if to say he should have a look around. 

He rocked awkwardly on the balls of his feet for a moment, not sure where to turn first before proceeding at random. 

He went all the way to the back of the pub, then up some stairs. 

 Taehyung felt a bit uncomfortable and embarrassed just walking about aimlessly like that. He would occasionally bump into someone or make eye contact and the unfamiliar or unpleasant glances were excruciating to endure. What was he doing here? 

The crushing unease nearly made him head for the stairs again to go back down and find Shayla but then he heard her name.

"Des, your turn!"

Taehyung whipped around. Suddenly his ears were pounding, his heart raced.

There she was, thronged by a group of people. No wonder he hadn't seen her at first. They were huddled together, she was almost sitting on the ground with a notebook in her lap and flushed cheeks. She wore a bandeau top with denim dungarees over it, the cuteness of the outfit negated by the sexy curve of her slender neck exposed due to her hair being swept up into a messy bun.

"Maybe a hint of tarragon?" She suggested meekly. 

The others nodded in tipsy agreement and then she laughed giddily and scribbled the ingredient down. 

A boy in a bright pink beanie and utility pants put his two fingers up to silence the rest, "Now this is the most important," He drawled in a thick accent, "Chicken or fish stock? Choose you answers wisely!"

"A voloute is not a veloute without, chicken!" One person shouted. 

"Suit yourself, I love fish," Shouted another.

Taehyung watched Desiree laugh as her friends bickered. He could tell she had been drinking too but was still sober enough to write everything down. 

He thought of calling out to her or maybe walking over to them and asking to talk to her. 

"Perhaps a hint of paprika!" Another one shouted.

"...would you listen to yourself!" Another retorted in disgust. 

As if by magic, a server showed up handing them all shots. They clinked their glassed together and downed the harsh liquid together in one gulp.

A shrinking  feeling came over Taehyung, like he shouldn't be there. 

He backed away quietly while he could get away without being seen first.

"Where are you going?" Shayla appeared at the top of the stairs.

"I... think I better go." He said gripping the strap of his satchel and angling himself towards to the flight of steps down. "I'll catch you guys later back at the apartment ok?"

"No, no, definitely not." Shayla held him to the spot, "We haven't even eaten yet. Aren't you hungry?"

"I've been here for almost 30 minutes and I've seen absolutely no one eating."

"So what? You just get whatever you want once you ask for it."

"Right.. I think I'll pass." 

Shayla's smile flickered then collapsed into a restrained calmness. "Well what about Des? Don't you want to see her?"

"I've seen her Shay," Taehyung motioned to the far corner of the room where his presence still remained undetected. His eyes wandered over again to the table where it seemed some type of drinking game was starting up. "She looks fine without me, don't you think?"

Shayla's hopeful countenance falls when she takes a moment to see what Tae was looking at which gave him the perfect opportunity to slip past her and rush right out of the stifling pub.

The street was dark and empty outside, like Taehyung's tummy and his heart. 

He started walking when Shayla burst out after to him. She spotted him about to cross the street and jogged over, "Tae don't leave just like that, I'm sure Des would want...."

"You really don't need to waste your time Shay, I'm not going back in."

His gaze dropped to her and he scratched his brow looking a little bewildered, "Will you do me a favour, Shay...don't tell Des that I was here, ok?"

Shayla's mouth gaped to reply when someone shouted for her from the door and Taehyung realised that it was the red-haired girl. 

With her index finger,  Shayla gave the girl a one minute signal then faced him again.

"Looks like you're needed." He gave a wry smile before stepping back and off the pavement,  crossing the street anyway. 

Shayla's eyes lingered sad and confused on him, watching him go. 

 ***

A/N: I know its been a while..

Also, how do we feel about the dynamic between Taehyung and Shay?

   🌴 I hope you enjoyed x 🌴

Please remember to vote and comment along the way!

✨ BJF ✨