Fortieth
:Chapter Forty:

Taehyung helped place the needed equipment in the back of the bus to help prepare for their away game.

The team was all readying up for their very next playoff game, it being away and against a team they haven't played before in this season. They've played them before in previous seasons, just not this one.

They were pretty good, definitely a challenge but they had their cons.

However, Taehyung wasn't really thinking about the game they were preparing for, no. He was thinking about Newbie surprisingly.

He tried to catch Newbie when they were alone but the younger seemed to not be in the mood to talk.

Taehyung knew why but he decided to give the younger the space he silently requested, figuring it would be the best option at the time but now? Taehyung really wanted to clear this up before the game.

With that in thought, he managed to spot just the boy he was looking for. The teen was making his way back into the school to probably go grab something.

It was the perfect timing, he was going in alone and Taehyung could just make up some bullshit lie on why he needed to excuse himself.

He could tell them he had to use the bathroom, forgot his headband or glove or somethings, just anything to get him out of the bud and closer to Jeongguk.

He didn't know why but it just bothered him. They were trying for a friendship and he knew he said some hurtful things. It bothered him; Jeongguk being mad at him. Oddly enough.

     Taehyung exited the bus, scratching the back of his neck as he walked over to the corridors. He tugged the door ajar, slipping inside the building.

He didn't know where the younger was heading but he assumed he could go check in the locker rooms first, thinking the boy might've been in there.

If he wasn't then he would have to turn to somewhere else to look but with very little time.

     The team captain quietly made it to the locker room, peaking his head in first to check it out. He didn't know why he was sneaking but here he was, trying his best to push the door a bit wider without making a noise.

He was about to call out until he heard a trickling sound, soft humming right after it.

He frowned, letting the door close softly behind him. Before anything more could be done, a flush echoed throughout the locker room.

     Taehyung just stood there awkwardly, supposedly waiting for Jeongguk to get out of the restroom since that's where he resided.

     The stall opened and Jeongguk walked out, pulling his zipper up. He then looked up and froze, surprised to be greeted by Kim who stood there, hands dangling by his sides.

Jeongguk was confused, adjusting his T-shirt. He didn't have his uniform top on just yet, just the bottoms. He would have to eventually change sooner or later.

"You're stalking me now?" Jeongguk inquired, a cocked brow. His surprised-look was short-lived and died into irritation.

Taehyung shook his head. "No, I just got in here . . . I was waiting." He uttered, feeling sudden nerves.

"Sure," Jeongguk shook his head, walking over to the sink and turning it on. "There's more than one stall, you know."

Taehyung watched him, not having a sudden clue on why he was in here all of a sudden. He frowned, gulping thickly. He didn't even have a witty remark to comeback with.

     "So, you're just going to stand there? Escort me out of the bathroom? Gee, how sweet of you." Jeongguk made eye contact with Kim through the mirror, feeling the awful tension just grow worse.

"No, um," Taehyung shook his head slightly. "About earlier—"

"There's nothing about earlier, Cap." Jeongguk cut off the elder, grabbing some paper towels and turning around as he dried his hands off. "It was nothing, forget it, 'kay?"

"No, it wasn't nothing."

"So you meant what you said?"

"That's not what I mean, Jeongguk." Taehyung sighed. "I just- I'm playing into the enemy thing."

"Why?" Jeongguk questioned, a scowl on his lips. He tossed away the napkin, waiting for a valid answer. "Because you're embarrassed to say we're friends now? Is that why?"

"Not embarrassed," Taehyung said quietly but Jeongguk caught onto it.

The younger sucked his teeth, walking over to the exit so he could excuse himself. "Whatever, Kim. Talk to me when you're not a little bitch." He scoffed.

Taehyung suddenly had balls and stepped in front of Jeongguk, placing his hands on his chest to push him back. "No, I'm not embarrassed. I just—"

"You just what? What's the point of hiding the fact we want to be friends?" Jeongguk stood there, neither one of them paying much attention to Taehyung's hand placement.

"I kind of like the secrecy." Taehyung admitted. "Think of it this way, we don't have to hear Hoseok talk about how this fantasy love story he has stuck in his head. And let's just say we go back to barking at each other like wild dogs, then if no one ever knows we were friends, what's there to tell?" He rambled on, giving an excuse.

Jeongguk stood there, eyes sharply looking between Taehyung's, the other looking back up at him.

     It was silent between the two, Jeongguk trying to see if it were a reasonable response or not but something else grabbed onto his attention.

He looked down and saw the hands placed on his chest, Taehyung's eyes following downward.

He slowly retracted his hands away, uttering a quiet 'sorry'. 

Jeongguk looked back at him, brows still narrowed. "I get the slick comments, Kim, but don't purposely try to go out of your way to hurt my feelings."

Taehyung nodded. "I just, I was just trying to sell the illusion. Plus, don't act like you didn't say shit first."

"I don't care what you're trying to sell." Jeongguk said before he walked past Taehyung, leaving the boy alone in the locker room.

The elder scoffed, shaking his head to himself. He wish he could bark back but he was here to apologize, not to argue and restart their civilized friendship.

Taehyung didn't waste anymore time inside, taking his attitude as he left the locker room not too long after Jeongguk left too.

He figured he should get going sooner or later so he doesn't hold up the rest of the team and their practice time.

"There you are," is what Taehyung was greeted with the moment he stepped outside, seeing his Coach ready by the entrance of the bus.

"Since you're captain, I need you to write everyone's size, name, and number on this sheet of paper." Coach told. "We're getting letterman jackets for the team and, quite frankly, I don't got the time for that so you can do it."

Taehyung blew air out his nose, chuckling quietly. "Whatever you say, Coach." He uttered, taking the whole clipboard from his Coach along with a pencil to write it all down.

The team captain entered the bus, taking a look around at the players and the seats that were still opened.

Thankfully for him, Hoseok had an open seat right next to him which was saved just for Taehyung.

That being the said case, Taehyung made his way down the narrow walkway. He took his seat and crossed one leg over the other even though it was a tight squeeze.

"What's that?" Wondered Hoseok, pointing to the clipboard. Taehyung began to explain it, telling Hoseok the task he was given by their Coach. It was nothing he had to go in detail for.

     Taehyung looked towards the bus entrance/exit, looking back towards Hoseok but he had to do a double take to make sure his eyes didn't deceive him.

Jeongguk was at the front of the bus, standing by the person he was sitting with, shirtless. His muscles were on full display, not caring who saw his rock-hard body.

Newbie heard something one of the other players said about him and laughed which just made his muscles flex more than what they were.

It was short-lived however when the boy pulled on his jersey, concealing his muscles from everyone's eyes.

Taehyung didn't even realize he was staring until Hoseok had spoke up, luckily not aware of Taehyung's dream-state. The captain was thankful for whatever god was on his side that Hoseok didn't catch on.

"I think we're going to win, especially since you've gotten so much better at pitching." He rambled, eyes glued outside the window as their Coach was saying some final words to some random person outside.

Taehyung could feel the warmth in his cheeks as he realized what he did and how dumb he probably looked having flies leave his lips since he sat there staring with his mouth wide open.

The boy saw Jeongguk's build multiple times before. They've been damn near nude in the locker room together and have even fought there when Jeongguk was shirtless before. He didn't know why he stared so hard now but he tried to shake it off, gulping.

"Uh, yeah, w-we'll for sure win. I don't see why not." Uttered Taehyung, looking down at the clipboard that was empty on his lap. He shook his head and began to write down the sizes, names, and numbers of his teammates.

When it came to Jeongguk, he aimlessly wrote, 'Newbie' down as the name, putting the size and number right beside the nickname he referred to Jeongguk as.

***

As soon as the boys got off the bus was as soon as they got back on but not without another victory.

The Panthers defeated the opposing team nine-to-seven, maintaining the two-point league for majority of the game.

They were piling the bus, all ecstatic and proud of themselves for winning yet another playoff game. So joyful about it that they didn't care who they were sitting with, as long as they got to talk to their teammate about the glorious win.

That meant that the seat beside Hoseok was taken by someone else.

Taehyung wanted to say something but the other players were pushing their way through, all cheering and being noisy per usual. They didn't even realize that they had pushed Taehyung back, making him fall into a seat.

And onto someone.

Taehyung could feel the warmth of someone, looking up since he was basically laying down on Jeongguk's lap. The aforementioned looked back down at him.

     "Are you good?" Jeongguk chuckled, not necessarily mad or upset since he watched Taehyung get shoved to the side.

The elder quickly pushed to sit up, shaking his head. "Damn team," he tried to play it off, not wanting to show his embarrassment, especially not to Jeongguk who would make it a teasing game.

"Eh, they're just excited." Jeongguk replied, shrugging. "But they should be, you should be."

"Oh, I am," Taehyung muttered, not looking at Jeongguk.

"Good," Jeongguk said. "That was a really good steal to home. I just know the catcher was upset when he fumbled with the ball." The younger laughed.

Taehyung, instead of replying, stayed silent. He just nodded weakly, leaning back in his seat beside Jeongguk. He didn't really want to engage in conversation and for his lame excuse at that. It was a shame they couldn't talk in public because of Taehyung's poor reasonings.

Jeongguk side-glanced Taehyung, realizing he wasn't going to get a response. He just weakly snickered, not knowing if he expected more or less from Taehyung but what could he do? He couldn't force the boy to talk to him nor did he want to do any of that.

Jeongguk was just going to have to deal with the secrecy and call it a day.

________
A/N:

Anyone else pick up on the sexual tension these two have? It's a push-and-pull effect! They get into moments of closeness before pulling away and trying to distance themselves. I hope I made that clear!