CHAPTER 6

dripping gold
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"No disguise."

Harin's words pounds inside the mind of Taehyung as he studies himself in the body-sized mirror in his room, his head tilted to the side. Nibbling on his bottom lip he narrows his eyes at his reflection before glancing at the clock on his bed-table, noticing he spent too much time on picking an outfit already.

Sighing out aggravated, he runs a hand through his blonde locks of hair before walking to his closet once more.

At the sound of the door bursting open Taehyung turns his head and catch another male with a huge smile plastered on his face walk inside of his room. It's almost like the room lights up from it's dull and dark atmosphere as soon as Hoseok walks inside. Catching sight of Taehyung, Hoseok raises his eyebrows.

"Sorry, didn't know you were in here. I just wanted to borrow that tree-shirt of yours, you know the one I like so much." He says, his eyes widening with a innocent look.

Taehyung's face remains blank, his mind not really in the mood to small-talk since he will be running late if this indecisive outfit picking keeps up this paste. So he just nods his head at Hoseok, who in return grins big and clap his hands excitedly.

"You going somewhere?" Hoseok's voice bothers Taehyung once more making him close his eyes and breathe through his nose.

"Yes."

"Looking like that?" Hoseok raise his voice, putting pressure on the ending of his sentence — his tone teasing.

Taehyung turns around and puts his hands out to the sides while a desperate look paints his delicate features.

"Well probably, since I don't have anything to fucking wear!"

Hoseok cocks up an eyebrow before shaking his head a little at the irritated male in front of him. The blonde hair on him is tousled from him running his hands through it so much.

Shrugging his shoulders, Hoseok walks to Taehyungs closet his hands running over the different types of fabrics inside of the oak storage.

"Let me see what I can do ..." He trails off, his eyes focused on the clothes. He shifts in taking out a pair of trousers, pairing it with a shirt or t-shirt before tilting his head just an inch to the left, indicating that it doesn't fit together.

Taehyung is glancing over Hoseok's shoulder, his eyes wide in hope that his fashion guru would be able to help him out.

"You know it would be easier to help if I knew what the occasion was ..." Hoseok glance over his shoulder and look at Taehyung with an amused glint in his eye, watching how the younger male swallows and darts his eyes to the ground.

"I'm just meeting someone." Taehyung's voice is low as he pokes his tongue in the side of his cheek.

Hoseok turns around again and smile to himself, his chest warming up with fondness that Taehyung isn't hiding inside of his room as he had been doing for the past two months. Something had changed and he knew it was for the better.

"A certain someone?"

Taehyung hums as a reply, feeling how his cheeks is getting warmer.

"Wear this then." Hoseok cheerfully says, the clothe hanger in his hand loaded with dark materials, a printed t-shirt amongst them, "And also put this on. I won't need it right away." Hoseok turns and walk to the bed and pick up the borrowed tree-printed shirt and put it in the warm palm of Taehyung before he continues with his fashion teaching.

"And don't forget accessories. Jewelry, maybe glasses, a mask—"

"I can't wear a mask." Taehyung stops him abruptly making Hoseok furrow his brows in confusion.

Taehyung sighs and purse his lips. "No disguise is the order I was told."

The corner of his mouth lifts, a small smile grazing his pink lips.

"Well, since you'll be recognized if you won't wear anything — wear a bucket hat and some big glasses. And— pray for the best." Hoseok grins before ruffling his dark-brown hair, his feet turning towards the door.

"Good luck on your date!" Hoseok then says with his back turned to Taehyung, not seeing how his mouth opens in surprise at how his older brother could see through him so easily. On the other hand Taehyung doesn't see the amused grin on Hoseok's lips as he walks out the door, leaving Taehyung to handle the rest himself.

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Taehyung's steps are hasty as he hurries through the crowd of people in the streets this Wednesday, the good weather attracting everyone to go and have a good time in the late hours of Seoul.

The sun is setting slowly, but steadily as an orange cast starts to paint the dark buildings surrounding them.
Taehyung pushes his black bucket hat further down on his head, not wanting someone to recognize him. As he does so, he glance down on his clothes that Hoseok picked out for him, feeling somehow relieved on the choices he made.

The way the sun is casting, he knows he's running late which is making him pick up his paste, until he turns around the familiar corner and find the usual occupied area empty.
No sign of dancing, no sign of Harin.

Taehyung stops in his tracks, his brows furrowed as he release the breath he has been holding.

Did she forget?

Feeling how the disappointment sets in he looks at the clock once more — but he did make it on time.

"Tae!"

Raising his eyebrows at himself he wonders if he really is going crazy or if a female voice just yelled his name out loud from somewhere in the human-moving snake of people in the streets.

I really am going crazy, aren't I?

"Excuse me— Tae!"

Casting his brown eyes in the crowd, he spots the familiar brown hair bouncing up and down, Harin jumping up to make him see her smaller frame in the midst of the crowd.
As soon as he sees her, his heart skips a beat making him aware of how much he has been looking forward to this.

Taehyung smile widens the more close Harin gets and he chuckles as he sees her struggle to push through the crowd of people.

"I'm so sorry, I— I had an outfit-crisis..." Harin pants as she gets to the same spot as Taehyung, her big brown eyes looking up at him with innocent eyes, her chest heaving for air. Taehyung notices how her eyes narrows a little, a small crease erupting between her brows as she had a swift thought.

Does she recognize me?

"Well, I was running late as well, because of that exact same reason. I thought you wouldn't show up." Taehyung quickly says and smiles at her, his eyes crinkling in delight.

He quickly studies what exactly she chose to wear and is happy to find out that her style is casual as well.

She's wearing a pair of black denim oversized pants, a white t-shirt accompanied with several golden necklaces while a beige/blue checkered wool jacket captures her frame. She's wearing cute, white socks with yellow lemons on them while her familiar clean, white Nike Air Force 1's are on her feet.
Her makeup is natural, but still he can tell that's where she put in some extra effort. Her smiling cheeks are painted with a gorgeous peach color, her cheekbones highlighted beautifully, the setting sunstrokes illuminating them even more. Her brows are strong, pushed upwards with gel, a bushy but somehow appealing look to them. Her long eyelashes coated with a brown mascara, the color matching with her brown orbits making Taehyung entranced.

And then her lips. Her lips have a subtle gloss on them, the plump almost pillow-like colored with a tiny bit of tint making them even more inviting than they already are.

"And you look amazing, Harin." Taehyung compliments her, watching as her blush intensifies instantly.

"You don't look to bad yourself, I must say. And of course I'd show up." She responds, her teeth catching ahold of her bottom lip making Taehyung smile at her cute behavior.

"Why didn't you perform today? I was just going to wait until you had finished." He then asks, still confused about her not performing when he showed up.

They start walking next to each other and Taehyung can't help stealing a few glances at Harin's gorgeous side-profile, watching how the sun reflects in her highlighted cheekbones, how the reddening sun puts the same effect to her brown, shiny hair.

"I didn't want to be all sweaty when you came," Harin says, before she looks up again catching sight of the brown eyes of Taehyung that somehow took her breath away,

"And besides, I had something more important to look forward to tonight."

Taehyung breathes in at her words, feeling how his chest warms up rapidly. He remains silent, enjoying walking next to the beautiful girl into the more quiet streets now, their feet following each others rhythm without any guidance.

It isn't until Harin speaks up again, taking a few fast steps in front of Taehyung before turning around, her arms to her sides as she twirls around. The orange circle behind her illuminating her small frame, the golden-hour sun melting into her stunning features as she smiles wide.

"So where exactly are you taking me tonight, Tae?"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A/N NOTE 💌:
hello loves! it's tuesday and update time. i hope you enjoyed this chapter with hobi as a feature as well — his style is no doubt the one i'd cop if i could. he's out of this world !!!

anyways— i hope you are all well. and that you enjoyed your weekend 🥰

... oh and btw prepare for the next chapter ... this story ain't all lovey dovey ... enough said !!

bye see you soon <33