Archive of Our Own

The night started out pretty boring, which didn’t always mean a bad thing in this part of town. You much preferred the quiet and the regular patrons of the bar, instead of the trouble makers who sometimes walked in like they already owned this place. Even if it meant the tips were scarce and that you and the couple of girls who worked with you didn’t have a lot to do. 

Two blocks away from the back gate of the Special Duty military base, Guardian’s Rest was the only real place to eat a properly cooked meal or drink for miles. It sat directly across from a brightly lit gas station with a CU convenience store attached, its faded green sign humming faintly in the night air.

Inside, your bar felt worn but cared for in all of the ways that mattered. The wooden floor was swept clean despite the scratches from scraping chairs, the counters polished until they gleamed under warm yellow pendant lights. Cracked leather booths lined one wall, patched here and there with tape, while metal stools stood in a neat row along the bar counter. 

The air carried the familiar mix of grilled meat, soju, and a hint of lemon cleaner you used every night. A few framed photos hung behind the bar, old unit shots, men in uniform, quiet reminders of better days.

“Shadow boys incoming.” Mina announced from where she was standing near the front windows, the easy excitement carrying in with her tone. 

Well, maybe it was still too early to call this night boring. 

Not five minutes later the door swung open with the familiar jingle of the old bell you kept meaning to remove, letting in a rush of warm night air. Four members of the Special Duty Team stepped inside; Ji-hoon, the tall one with the easy laugh who had a major crush on Mina, Minseok, the quiet stocky guy who always ordered extra kimchi, and Hyun and Woo, the two sergeants who never never behaved like their titles demanded. 

At least not when they visited the bar. 

Walking in behind their loose formation was someone you didn’t recognize: tall, wide shoulders, sharp-jawed, black beret still slightly crooked like he’d just pulled it on. The new man moved with the same confident ease as the others, shoulder-checking one of them with a grin when the Ji-hoon ribbed him about something. 

New military faces weren’t really that rare here, every year you got a new surge of fresh young men who thought the SDT would turn out to be just like their video games, most of whom didn’t last the first six months before asking to be transferred to another base.

But the way this new guy blended in so well with the four veterans, you could tell he had at least been around for a while, working hard enough to join this particular team and earning his stripes. 

As the five of them walked in, taking their usual round table in the further left, scraping an extra chair so the new guy could sit with them, Mina walked closer to the bar, keeping her voice louder than you’d hope:

“We got new meat.” she chuckled, wiggling her eyebrows and throwing a charming look over her shoulder as one of the boys waved either of you over. 

“You’re taking that or should I?” you asked, and before your friend could say anything else, you clarified: “The table.” 

“You go ahead, I’m still ignoring Ji-hoon.” Mina shrugged, giving you the go ahead to serve them. “But share the tips if they are good.” 

“You really break my bank, you know that, right?” you scoffed, but always agreed. 

You and Mina traded places, with her going behind the bar, and you pulling your work phone from your apron front pocket. You might not have a lot of high tech at the bar, but at least you had an app where you could type the orders and they would go straight to Mrs. Kim in the kitchen. 

“Good evening, boys.” you smiled sweetly at them as you walked to the table, watching them light up. 

“To what do we owe the pleasure of being served by the owner herself?” Minseok offered you a little crooked grin. 

“Not the owner yet,” you corrected him with a friendly hand on his shoulder. Then you nodded your head at Ji-hoon. “You can ask that one what he did now, because Mina won’t come near him.” 

“That’s not what she was saying last night.” Ji-hoon was already standing up to chase after your friend, making his own groan and try to stop him without any success. 

Out of all of the Special Team men that frequented your bar, these boys were your favorites. Yeah, Ji-hoon had a way of going through your waitresses, and Minjae liked to hit on you from time to time, but overall, they had never been anything but respectful to you and all the workers. They even helped paint the outside of Guardian’s Rest last year, without asking for any payment in return. 

You could only hope the new guy would turn out to be just as cool. 

“I see you adopted a rookie.” you looked at the new man, still leaning against Minjae’s shoulder, studying the new guy with a tilted head. 

“That’s Taetae.” Hyun said, which earned him a scoff from the new guy. “He just joined the crew seven months ago.”

“Taehyung is fine, thank you.” the man introduced himself, taking his black beret off and placing it on his lap out of respect. 

Then it clicked, now that you were closer, where you knew that face from. 

Everyone and their mother would know BTS and you weren’t immune to kpop idols or pop culture, but this bar had seen many celebrities over the years; thanks to the mandatory military service that made sure even the most famous of idols were still forced to serve. 

The most impressive part wasn’t that BTS’ V was in your bar right now, but that he obviously chose the hardest branch of the military to join. 

“Welcome to Guardian’s Rest, Taetae.” you smiled, and watched his lips falter in a smile he was trying to hide. “Drinks on the house tonight.” 

“Oh, fuck yeah–” Woo was about to celebrate, but you clicked your tongue. 

“Not for you four, just for him.” you corrected, having a little too much fun with the way they all groaned. “It’s first time hospitality, don’t think your pretty face has anything to do with it.” 

“I won’t.” Taehyung laughed under his breath, legs stretching under the table. His chest lifted just slightly, shoulders settling as his gaze drifted back to you. His eyes were dark and warm, with that shadow of mischief that explained how he ended up with this group. You appreciated that even after a full day of training he still smelled clean, like crisp soap and something faintly woodsy. “Do I get your name?” 

“Once you earn it.” you told him with a small shrug, watching him lick the corner of his lips and nod slowly like he’d accept that for now. “So what’s it gonna be tonight, boys? Are we doing usuals or mixing things up?” 

“Half & half chicken, two orders of kimchi jeon, and some seasoned rice.” Minseok told you their usual order you already knew by heart, making it easier for you to type it on the phone app. “We’ll have five beers with that.” 

“Actually,” Taehyung lifted a hand just enough to catch attention, and you really hoped he wouldn’t ask for the expensive, top of the shelves liquor just because you said he could drink for free tonight. “Do you have any flavored soju?” 

“I think we have peach and strawberry.” you told him, no judgment from you when the others clearly didn’t agree with the drink choice. 

“I’ll have the strawberry, please.” 

You finished typing the order just as Ji-hoon returned to the table, the softest smidge of lipstick on the corner of his lips like he was pretending he tried to wipe it off, but still wanted something to show off to his friends. Military men or not, they were still just boys at the end of the day. 

You made your way back behind the counter, pulled four cold beer bottles from the fridge and grabbed a bottle of strawberry soju along with a small shot glass. The drinks clinked together as you loaded them onto a tray before balancing them with practiced ease back to the table.

The guys were already loud and lively then, voices overlapping as they roasted Ji-hoon about the lipstick mark. Taehyung leaned back in his chair, one arm draped casually over the backrest of another one, laughing along with the rest while shooting you another quick glance as you set the bottles down.

You didn’t linger any more than you had to, just placed everything in the middle of the table with a small nod and turned back toward the counter.

That was when tires screeched sharply outside, cutting through the quiet night. Your stomach dropped instantly, as you unfortunately knew that sound a little too well. You heard it at least once a month for the past three years, and when that used to be your uncle’s problem, now that the man was gone, it had become yours. 

Please, not tonight, you thought, holding onto hope and you sent Mina a quick look. She caught it immediately and slipped behind the counter, disappearing into the kitchen without a word. 

The front door opened a second later and Mr. Han stepped inside. 

He was dressed in a crisp button-down under a black suit, no tie around his thick neck, with expensive-looking slacks, but his graying hair was slicked back too harshly and his yellow teeth showed when his lips pulled into a thin smile. 

Mr. Han walked straight to the counter, his expensive shoes clicking against the wooden floor. He leaned one forearm on the polished surface like he belonged there.

“Evening, Yn.” he said, voice low but carrying. “Month’s payment. I’m here to collect.”

“I paid everything I could last week.” you hated how your voice trembled around the words. “It’s only been seven days since then, it’s not–”

“You didn’t pay the full amount, did you?” Mr. Han pointed out, and you hated every moment he spent in your safe space. “Interest keeps running. You know how this works.”

A few heads turned your way as Mr. Han wasn’t an anonymous figure in this town by any means. And he’d been to the bar quite a few times, with requests exactly like this one, for patrons not to guess what it was about. From the corner of your eye you saw the boys’ table go rigid, Ji-hoon’s laugh cut off mid-sentence, Minseok’s shoulders squared, like both were ready to intervene if this conversation lasted much longer. 

“Can you come back in a couple of hours?” you lowered your voice, trying to keep this contained. “I’ll sort it out, just– not right now.”

Mr. Han glanced around the room, clearly enjoying the attention he was getting, and more than happy to make you squirm. 

“I’ll just stay and have a drink, then.” he decided, perching himself on a bench by the counter between you. “You know, catch up with the regulars.”

Your stomach twisted at that possibility, because that was much worse. Your throat tightened with a lump as you took two steps towards the register, punching the code and watching the old machine open. There wasn’t enough in there to pay all the workers for tonight’s shift as it was, you didn’t know how you’d tell Mina and Mrs. Kim that you had to give whatever little you had to pay someone else’s debt. 

But you took the money anyway, along with the small stack of tips you had in your pocket from waiting tables tonight, and slid the money towards the collector. 

Mr. Han took it with that yellow smile of his and counted the bills slowly, thumbing through each note as if he wanted you to see his disappointment.

“You know I’m not trying to hurt you here, right?” he looked up after pushing your money into the breast pocket of his suit. eyes flat. “I’m just trying to get what I’m owed.”

You said nothing because there was nothing worth saying and you refused to let him see the tears you were fighting back.

“I’ll see you in two weeks.” he threatened more than warned. 

Mr. Han gave the room one last sweeping look, then turned and walked out. The door shut behind him with a quiet click that stayed in the air long after the footsteps faded.

You stood there behind the counter, hands still pressed flat against the wood. The bar had gone quiet in a way that made every small sound feel too loud: the low hum of the fridge, the soft clink of ice in someone’s glass, the creak of a chair as someone shifted. You wanted the relief to come, the chance to pull in one full breath, but your chest stayed tight, the pressure sitting right behind your ribs like something heavy had settled there and refused to move.

Eyes were on you, you could feel them without looking up. Some carried that familiar pity, the kind that made your skin crawl because it changed nothing. Others held judgment, the quiet kind that assumed you must have made the kind of choices that led to men like Mr. Han.

None of them knew the whole truth, and even if they did, it wouldn’t matter.

You wanted to run, to turn around, push through the back door, and keep walking until the night swallowed this whole mess. Instead you wiped your hands on the front of your apron, and forced your legs to move with as much grace as you could manage. You kept your head down as you stepped out from behind the counter, the floorboards uneven under your shoes, but they still felt like home. 

On your way to the bathroom, you passed the circular table without looking at any of the boys you’ve grown so fond of. You knew they would be watching, you felt the weight of their attention on your back, on the side of your face, but you did not turn. Not even a glance. Your hands stayed loose at your sides even though your fingers wanted to curl into fists.

You pushed the door to the women’s bathroom open, stepped inside, and closed it behind you with a soft click. The lock turned under your fingers and for a second you just stood there, palms pressed against the cheap wood, forehead resting on it.

Then your legs gave out.

You slid down the door until you were sitting on the cold tile floor, knees drawn up. Your hands came up to cover your mouth, pressing hard so nothing loud could escape. The pressure in your chest pushed harder, rocking through you in tight waves. You breathed through your fingers, short and shaky, eyes burning but staying dry. You could not fall apart here. Not completely. There was still a shift to finish, bills to pay, and a room full of people waiting on the other side of that door.

But for this small moment you let yourself feel it. The fear. The exhaustion. The sick weight of knowing two weeks would come faster than you could fix anything.

-

-

“Thank you, both of you. For staying late again tonight.” you walked the two women to the front door of the bar, all three of you knowing they had stayed past hours just to make sure you wouldn’t need to be alone for any longer than necessary. “I’m sorry about the payments. I won’t let it happen again.”

Mina waved a hand, already pulling her coat on. 

“Stop that. We’re good, Yn. Really.” she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around you in one of her quick, tight hugs. Her jacket smelled like cigarette smoke and the vanilla lotion she always kept in her locker. “Besides, Ji-hoon left me some decent tips tonight. I’ll be fine.”

“My husband is doing well at the gas station.” Mrs. Kim gave a small nod while buttoning her cardigan, her movements slow but always steady. “They’re talking about a promotion next month. We’ll manage until things settle.”

You knew neither story was completely true, you could hear the careful softness in their voices, the way they tried to make the words sound light, like your bad luck wasn’t harming them at the end of each work week. Still, the thought settled warm in your chest. 

“Thank you.” you gave them both a small smile and nodded. 

Once they left, you locked the front door with the carefulness you didn’t need once upon a time. The keys felt cold and heavy in your hand as you turned the deadbolt, then slid the extra chain into place. You turned around slowly, eyes moving across the room; chairs were tucked neatly under tables, the floor already swept, glasses lined up behind the bar. Everything sat ready for tomorrow’s noon opening. The sight should have felt comforting, instead it only reminded you how much still needed to stay standing.

You turned off the lights one by one and the main room went dark in stages until only the faint glow from the exit sign and the streetlight outside the front windows remained. In the sudden quiet you walked back to the kitchen, grabbed your bag from the hook by the staff door, and slipped the strap over your shoulder. 

Outside, the night air hit cooler than you expected, which made you regret deciding against your jacket when you left home this morning.

You locked the back door carefully, checking the handle twice, then bent down for the two black trash bags you had left by the step. They rustled as you lifted them, the plastic slick against your palms. The bin sat a short way down the alley. You carried the bags over, heaved them inside, and wiped your hands on your jeans.

You were just turning toward the street when movement caught the corner of your eye.

Kai stood leaning against the side wall of the bar, half-hidden in the shadow where the security light had burned out weeks ago. His shoulder pressed to the brick, arms loose at his sides, like he had all the time in the world. He knew your routine, had learned it long enough for you to be uncomfortable. The way you locked up alone, the exact path you took to the trash bins, the minute or two it took before you headed for the bus stop.

Your stomach rolled hard, a sour push that made you swallow fast. You held it down the same way you had held everything since his father first walked in tonight. The taste stayed at the back of your throat anyway.

You were so tired... Your shoulders ached from carrying trays and tension for hours, and now this. You knew what Kai wanted, and you knew what he was capable of when he did not get it. The knowledge sat cold under your skin.

Despite the exhaustion, you were raised to survive and to keep going. Your eyes flicked across the street, to the gas station lights that were still on, bright white against the dark. Mrs. Kim’s small car waited in the usual spot near the pumps, her husband visible through the window as he finished closing. 

If you had to, you could scream. You could run. Someone would hear. Someone would look.

“I don't have any more money, Kai.” you told him with a sigh as you kept walking. 

“You know that's not what I want.” he said, tone too gentle to match his morals. “I can get you out of this debt, baby, you know you just need to say the word.”

“As much as I appreciate the way out, our time isn't up yet.” you said, and felt the small shiver running down your spine when he started to follow after you. 

“You really think your uncle will honor that?” Kai asked, and you hated how you both knew the answer to that. “He hasn't been in town for the past five months.”

“Just because you haven't seen him at the bar, doesn't mean he skipped town.” you lied through your teeth. 

Well, you had no idea, actually. One day, your uncle simply stopped showing up to his own bar and stopped answering your calls. Your best guess was that he ran away, leaving you behind to deal with his mistakes.  

“We own this town, baby.” Kai gloated, and the only reason you stopped walking was because you refused to give him your back. “Han has eyes everywhere, so unless uncle dearest hasn't left his apartment in five months…”

You wouldn’t put it past your uncle, actually. You loved the man, he’d raised you from when you were fifteen and was the only family you had in this town. But he had his demons and sometimes they made him make bad decisions. Like selling your soul to the local devil and running away before he had to see it taken. 

“Why don't you let me make it easier on all of us?” Kai reached you in two steps, and you hated how you stumbled backwards. “Let me collect now, the debts will be cleared by sunrise.”

“And I'll become a slave.” you swallowed, but held your shoulders up. 

“That hurts.” Kai placed his hands over his heart, like you were offending one here. “I wouldn’t treat you badly, you know me.” 

“Hardly.” you rolled your eyes, already disgusted. 

“I can be gentle…” another step. A rough laugh. “The first time.” 

“Please leave, I have work tomorrow.” you sighed, holding the straps of your bag so you wouldn’t hurt your palms with your nails.  

“Let me take you to dinner,” Kai said, looking at you in a way that made your skin pull tight. “Can’t have you eating leftovers or cup ramen everyday. You need your strength for when I get my hands on you.”

Another voice cut through the night, deep and low: “I’d keep those hands to myself, if I were you.”

You did not recognize the voice right away, so the new sound sent a fresh spike of anxiety through your chest, sharp enough that your fingers tightened harder around the straps of your bag. Then you saw the uniform jacket, the rows of decorations on the chest, and your stomach flipped again. 

Taehyung was still here. Or he had come back. You could not think clearly enough to decide which one was more likely.

“‘the fuck are you?” Kai asked, stepping forward. He was not bothered by the uniform. The two men stood almost the same height, same width in the shoulders, facing each other like neither planned to back down first.

“Seargent Kim, special division.” Taehyung answered, voice calm. His posture said something else entirely. “And you are?”

“Her boyfriend.” Kai said without hesitation, claiming something that had never been his.

You scoffed before you could stop yourself, shaking your head. The sound came out tired and disbelieving. Taehyung’s mouth curved slightly. 

“She doesn’t seem to agree with that.” he crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head, looking every bit the warrior the title named him to be. 

“She likes playing hard to get, you know how they are.” Kai tried, shifting into that fake friendly tone men sometimes used with each other.

Taehyung did not smile back. He took two steps and placed himself between you and Kai, his back solid and close enough that you could feel the warmth coming off his jacket. 

Usually you would have stepped around him and handled this yourself, you had done it plenty of times before. But tonight your legs felt too heavy and your chest too tight. The weight of Mr. Han’s visit, disappointing Mina and Mrs. Kim, everything pressed down at once from all sides.

“I know you should leave.” Taehyung said simply.

Kai stared at him for a long second, his jaw worked like he wanted to argue, maybe even throw a punch, but something made him think better of it. 

“I’ll see you again soon, baby.” he looked past Taehyung’s shoulder at you instead. “You better have the money. Han isn’t as nice as I am.”

Kai turned and walked toward his car parked along the sidewalk, got in, and the engine started a moment later, loud in the quiet street, and the headlights swept across the front of the bar as he drove away. The small parking lot stayed dark except for the single motorbike near the side entrance, probably Taehyung’s.

The moment the taillights disappeared around the corner, the air left your lungs in one long breath. Your shoulders dropped and the relief came so fast it made your hands shake a little where they still gripped your bag. Right now you only felt grateful that, for once, you had not been left alone with Kai.

“Did I make it worse?” Taehyung asked, turning around to face you. The sharp edge he had worn with Kai softened the moment it was just the two of you. 

He looked younger suddenly, more boy than warrior under the flickering side light of the bar. You shook your head, still feeling a little raw around the edges. 

“I don’t think that’s possible.” your voice came out quieter than you meant it to. “Thank you, seriously. You didn’t have to do that, but I appreciate it.”

“No problem.” he smiled, small and easy, and for a second you got a little lost in it. The way the corners of his eyes creased, the warmth that reached somewhere you had not expected tonight.

“Usually I’m better at handling this, but tonight I just–” you stopped yourself, suddenly feeling a little silly. “Sorry. You don’t care about my rambling.”

“Actually I could use a rambling that doesn’t involve drills and weapons talk.” Taehyung said with a low chuckle. “Or Ji-hoon hyung’s unhealthy obsession with Mina.”

A real laugh slipped out of you, surprising you with how warm it felt in your chest. It was the first one that had felt genuine all night.

You stood there together for a moment as the summer breeze moved through the alley, lifting strands of your hair and pushing them away from your neck. You barely noticed how Taehyung’s gaze followed the motion, settling on the part where your neck and shoulder met, then a small peek of collarbone before avoiding it altogether. 

You felt the weight of his stare, warm and steady. You were used to men looking at you, you had learned how to use it for better tips, how to smile just enough without giving anything real. You weren’t necessarily coy by any means, but Taehyung was just so handsome even under this unfairly soft light that you didn’t know how to recover.

“Can I walk you to your car?” he asked, voice casual like the offer cost him nothing.

You nodded toward the bus stop a few meters down the street: “You can walk me to the bus stop.”

Taehyung glanced at the watch on his wrist, checking the time. He thought about it for only a second, then looked back at you.

“Can I drive you home instead, then?”

You didn’t know what it was about a man in that particular uniform, it's not like military men were necessarily always nice or safe to be around. Working this close to the base, you met quite a few scumbags who thought they could get away with being handsy just because of the badges strapped to their chest. 

But the special forces were usually a different story.

“I don't want to keep you.” you said, thinking back of the base he needed to go back to, and just how far away your apartment complex was. “Don't you have a curfew?” 

“My day off just started fifteen minutes ago.” he told you easily, and you didn’t want to think about excuses anymore.  

That’s what made you nod, watching his eyes light up in surprise and satisfaction. Taehyung led you to his motorcycle, keeping his respectful distance and hands at his back. 

“I just have one helmet, so you can take it.” the man told you like he suddenly didn’t care about his own safety, taking the one black helmet that was hanging from the handlebar. 

“Isn't this illegal?” you halted. “You could get in trouble.” 

“I would be in more trouble if something happened to you, trust me.” he clicked the straps of the helmet open, handing it to you. “That lady cook is scary.”

“You wouldn't be wrong.” you laughed, reluctantly taking it. 

Taehyung stepped closer and helped you settle the helmet properly on your head. His fingers worked carefully under your chin, tightening the strap until it felt secure. The back of his knuckles brushed your jaw once, warm and steady. When he was satisfied, he gave the top of the helmet a light pat.

“Take this. It gets cold.” he shrugged off his black uniform jacket and held it out to you. 

You took it without arguing, you had worn jackets like this before, but the weight of it felt familiar in a way that pulled at something old in your heart. You pushed your arms through the sleeves. The fabric carried his warmth and a clean, subtle scent that settled around your shoulders.

Taehyung pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to you. 

“Can you put in your address?”

For one long second you thought he was going to ask for your number instead. The silly assumption made your face warm. You typed the address quickly and gave the phone back.

He strapped it to the visor, then swung one leg over the motorcycle. The black Harley looked smaller under him. His shoulders filled the space, thighs steady on either side of the tank. He twisted the handle, and the engine roared to life, the deep sound making you jump and you laughed at yourself.

You climbed on behind him after that. 

There was not much room at all, no choice but to have your thighs pressed against the outside of his, the heat of his body immediate through the thin denim. You rested your hands lightly on his back at first.

“You need to hold on better than that, hustler.” Taehyung chuckled, the sound low enough you felt it under your palms. 

The word landed soft in your stomach, after everything Kai had thrown at you tonight, so ‘hustler’ felt different. 

You slid your arms around his middle and locked them properly, his body surprisingly solid in all of the right places. When Taehyung twisted the throttle again, the engine rumbled louder. You held on tighter as the motorcycle rolled forward, the night air already starting to move against the jacket sleeves.

The motorcycle moved smoothly through the quiet streets, the engine a low steady rumble under you. Taehyung followed the GPS without hesitation, turning when the screen told him to, his body leaning slightly with each curve. The summer night air filled your lungs and cooled your cheeks as you kept your arms wrapped around his middle, feeling the shift of muscle as he handled the bike.  

Even though he was still mostly a stranger, you felt safe in a way you had not expected. Part of your brain kept repeating the same thing: that’s because you knew him. Not personally, but from the news, from the posters, from the way people talked about the idols. Kim Taehyung, or simply V. The name carried weight in this country. Your mind had decided that someone millions of people cared about could not hurt you. 

Still, you used to be sharper with strangers, famous or not.

The ride stayed easy, since it was late enough that most lights stayed green and the streets were nearly empty, which you were thankful for since only one of you had a safety helmet. 

It was only at that realization that you thought about how crazy it was that he had given you the helmet. That he had decided your safety mattered more than his in that moment. While this man was the one who meant something to millions, and you could count on one hand the people who would even notice if you disappeared tomorrow. 

A little while later the motorcycle finally slowed and Taehyung turned into the entrance of your apartment complex and parked near the front steps. If he noticed how lower middle class it was, when he was probably used to high luxury, he didn’t comment on it.

You climbed off the bike, legs a little stiff, and unbuckled the helmet. 

“Thanks for bringing me here,” you said, handing it back. “And again, for what you did back there.”

“Don’t sweat it.” he took the helmet with a genuine smile that reached his eyes.

You slipped off the jacket next, hoping it did not smell too strongly of the alcohol you’ve been handling all night and the bulgogi Mrs. Kim had fried at the last hour. You folded it carefully and gave it to him.

“I saw you leave with the veterans.” and… Just because you could not leave it unsaid, you asked: “Why did you come back?”

Taehyung looked at you for a moment, the streetlight catching the side of his face.  

“You never told me your name.”

-

-

Taehyung held his tray with both hands, careful enough not to drop any of the food balanced carefully on it, as he ventured around the cafeteria of the base. The familiar midday rush was already filling the long room, with metal trays clattering against tables, voices overlapping in easy bursts of laughter and half-shouted stories; the warm smell of rice, grilled meat, and kimchi hung thick in the air, always smelling better than it tasted. 

Lunch was the one stretch of the day that felt almost ordinary, like the base forgot for forty minutes that they were all soldiers ready to go to war if the North decided it was time. Taehyung liked it for that reason, no drills, no orders, just the low hum of people being people.

Taehyung scanned the rows of tables out of habit, eyes moving across the sea of twin uniforms even though he knew exactly where his friends would be. Same corner table by the far window, same loose arrangement of chairs. 

Most of the faces around him still looked too young, smooth cheeks and bright eyes that had not yet carried the full weight of the years he had lived before enlisting. Tae felt the difference in his shoulders sometimes, a quiet heaviness that had nothing to do with the pack he carried on marches. A few heads turned as he passed, no matter how many times he’d been seen in this camp before. 

Some soldiers tried to hide it, others did not bother to pretend. The stares were the same ones he had gotten since the first week: half awe, half disbelief that the man from the Grammy stages was now just another private carrying a tray of bulgogi and rice. He had stopped minding it months ago. It was easier to let them look than to pretend he was invisible.

Since Tae was the rookie, if compared to his closest friends at the base, the group of veterans that took him under their wing two weeks into serving, it meant he always fell to the end of the meal lines, and by the time he made it to the table, his friends were already there. At least Minseok had the decency to pretend to wait for Taehyung to join them before he started scarfing down his lunch. 

“What was up with you today, bro?” Hyun didn’t even wait for Tae’s tray to touch the table top before accusing: “Your time was awful during drills.”

“It was still better than yours.” Taehyung shot back, sitting down with more force than needed, making the folding chair complain. 

“I'm older than you.” the hyung shot back, about to scold him for disrespecting the elders. 

“By less than a year.” Taehyung said, picking his chopsticks and starting to eat. 

Taehyung was used to eating fast, in the Bangtan early days, if he didn’t, he’d go without food because everyone else would finish whatever little food they had to share. Here it was a different kind of feeling. His tray was filled with more food than he’d consumed during a lunch before; when he’d always been worried about staying light and keeping weight off, here he enjoyed bulking up. All of the protein in his tray made sure he was well fed so he could handle the harsh drills. 

Like the one today, which he was eight seconds slower than he’d been last week, as his friend so kindly pointed out.  

But here, he ate fast for another reason entirely. As soon as he finished his meal, he could do whatever he wanted with whatever time was left. Taehyung could nap, read a book, walk around the camp, sit under a tree. Having the freedom of choice to do what he wanted with his time, when the rest of it was minutely timed by his superiors and packed into schedules that made his muscles hurt. 

It was something so trivial and normal, and now that he didn’t have that type of free will anymore, he desperately held on to the fifteen or twenty minutes he managed to save every other day. 

“Don't give him too much shit, he's in love.” Ji-hoon said from the other side of Taehyung, between sips of his water bottle. 

“What?” Minseok’s eyes were wide saucers. 

Taehyung scoffed with his mouth full of rice. “'fuck you on about?” 

“You talk in your sleep you know?” Ji-hoon continued, which made Taehyung freeze for half a second.  

“What did he say??” Woo leaned forward on the table, like a girl waiting the gossip. “Was he having a wet dream??”

“Ew?!” Minseok made a face and eyes his plate with disgust, like the mental picture was too much, but it only lasted for a second before he continued eating. 

“It happens–” Woo looked really offended by the older man’s reaction. 

Taehyung ignored them both to ask: “What did I say?”

Taehyung knew he talked in his sleep, especially when he was stressed. Back at home, it happened during comeback preparations and before whatever new album they were working on had to be approved by the company. During the week before their debut showcase, in fact, Taehyung talked so much that Hoseok-hyung almost smothered him with a pillow to get him to shut up. 

But here in the military, being stressed was his normal, everyday state, so he hadn’t really been doing it. Not that he was aware of, at least, and Ji-hoon and the other guy he shared a tent with hadn’t complained until today. 

“Nothing cohesive, but you did mention the word 'bar' a couple of times.” Ji-hoon said, and Tae almost regretted asking. 

“You got a drinking problem we should be worried about?” Woo asked, suspicious. 

“Not that I know of.” Taehyung shook his head, shoving pieces of unseasoned grilled meat into his mouth.  

And then, ignoring Taehyung’s pleading eyes of ‘shut up now’, Ji-hoon said: “You also mentioned Yn a couple times.”

That was enough for the other three to erupt in cackles and ‘oooohs’ that were too loud for Taehyung’s liking.  

“You met the girl once and you're already dreaming about her?” Minseok asked, as if he hadn’t been the one melting under your hand on his shoulder three days ago. “I know we can get needy while we're locked up in here, but damn.”

“I don't remember.” Tae said, half honest, half unsure.  

Because he wasn’t really the type of guy to remember his dreams, unless they involved his grandmother. But you just had a way of getting stuck in Taehyung’s head that he couldn’t tell if his thoughts happened when he was asleep or awake. 

Apparently both. 

He couldn’t help it when you left such an impression. You were beautiful, yes, obviously so. But it was more than that… You also had a thunderstorm behind your eyes, holding so much on your shoulders, in ways Taehyung couldn’t even comprehend without gathering more information, that he was afraid you might break. 

Yet you kept getting up again, every time he saw you.

A hustler if he’d ever seen one. 

“What's the deal with that Han guy?”

Taehyung’s question was enough to shut his friends up, which never ever happened. If Tae didn’t think you were in trouble before, he did now. The four hyungs looked at each other, as if mentally discussing amongst themselves who would be the one to answer. 

With each second that ticked by without an answer, Taehyung became more concerned. 

“He's a loan shark who runs half this town.” Woo started, and Taehyung lost his appetite. “At least the other side of the tracks.”

“Mina told me Yn's uncle owes him a lot of money. Like... A lot of money. More than what the bar is worth.” Ji-hoon continued then, and the other guys paid attention too. “The uncle dipped town so he wouldn’t start losing fingers every time he failed a payment.” 

“Jesus.” Taehyung swallowed hard, feeling the meat scratch his throat uncomfortably. “And he left her alone to deal with it?”

“It's worse than that.” Minseok was staring at the table when he said: “She's the collateral.” 

The words dropped straight into Taehyung’s stomach. His chopsticks stopped halfway to his mouth, the piece of meat suddenly too heavy on his tongue. His throat worked once, twice, trying to swallow what now felt lodged there. The whole cafeteria noise dulled for a second, like someone had turned the volume down on everything except the tight press of his own pulse in his ears.

Tae kept seeing it in his head... The bar with half the tables empty even on a weekend night. The two lights outside that still needed replacing, their bulbs dark and useless. Your apartment complex under the streetlight, honest and simple, nothing like the places he was used to taking for granted. 

He remembered Mr. Han leaning on that counter like he already owned it, forcing you to empty the register and dig into the earned tips. You had done it without fighting back, handing over money you clearly did not have just to buy yourself two more weeks. 

And none of it was even your debt. You were paying for mistakes your uncle had made, and if the money ever ran out completely, you would be the final price.

Taehyung pushed his tray forward an inch when the food no longer looked like lunch. 

“She's a person, not an item to be given.” Taehyung grumbled, jaw ticking. 

“These guys don't play by the rules, if you haven't noticed.” Minseok kept his tone just as quiet.  

“What else did Mina say?” Taehyung looked straight at Ji-hoon, who looked conflicted between keeping your secrets and being honest. 

“She said that Yn hasn't left town because too many people depend on their jobs at the bar to survive.” Jihoon finally answered. “This shithole isn't exactly bursting with opportunities for the locals.” 

“It's a shame her uncle is such an asshole, she's a really nice girl.” Minseok chewed on his cheek, looking younger than he was and his military ranking allowed. “Everyone here likes her.” 

“We even thought about creating a fund to help pay the debt, but Han wouldn't take it.” Ji-hoon continued, clearly not happy about any of that. “His son is obsessed with her.”

“Kai?” Taehyung’s mouth moved before he could think better of it. 

“How do you know that name?” Woo asked, suddenly concerned. 

Taehyung didn’t need to answer for his friends to take a wild guess that he might have run into the guy, even if they didn’t know what he had to watch you deal with. 

“Bro. Stay out of it.” Ji-hoon warned. “I'm fucking serious.” 

“He's right, Tae, these people are messed up.” Minseok agreed. “You're too valuable–”

Tae shook his head. “Why does that matter?” 

“Because if something happens to V of BTS while in the special units, how do you think the country will react?” Woo was back in sergeant mode, lunch was over. “Our name will be dragged through the mud, the fucking government will get involved and this could all be shut down.” 

Ji-hoon nodded, even if it hurt. “Duty over matter.”

-

-

You were in big trouble, which was the understatement of the year when basically all aspects of your life were falling apart around you. Mr. Han hadn't been back in two weeks, and you hadn't seen Kai for just as long, but instead of being relieved by it, you couldn’t help but think they were preparing something big. 

Your rent was three months late because you just couldn't afford it when every penny had to go into paying your uncle's debt when he was nowhere to be found. 

And now you had a fucking crush.

Because sure, what else could make your life just a little harder for you? 

Wanting someone so ridiculously unobtainable that just last night you had a pity party for one over the last scoops of ice cream you found in the back of your freezer. 

But you couldn’t help yourself! Not when Taehyung kept coming back every two days, whenever his drills and time off allowed, sometimes with the other guys, sometimes by himself just to pick up some food to go and bring back to the base. 

Some days their runs passed right in front of the Guardian's Rest, and even in the middle of a hundred other men, your eyes still found him every single time. 

That's how you knew you were practically screwed at this point. 

Not only was that man attractive as hell, he was also the funniest in a very weird way. And he was kind, soft spoken even when his friends were being loud, an easy company to keep. Being around him made you forget your problems for a few minutes, which was more than you had in months. 

You kept catching your heart trying to leap out of your chest every time the bell above the door rang, hoping it would be Tae again. 

Sometimes, it was just a few of the regulars or deliveries you also could barely pay for. But other times, like today, it was him. 

The bell above the door rang again just after twelve-thirty, cutting through the Monday lunch noise. The place felt busier already than it had yesterday, which was usual for mondays once upon a time, but not recently.

A young family sat in the corner booth, the dad helping the little one with chopsticks while the mom wiped recently spilled sauce from the table. Over by the side, four gas station workers were laughing loud enough to fill half the room, their uniforms still carrying the smell of diesel as they ate lunch. In the far booth, two school-age teenagers had notebooks and textbooks spread out, heads bent together as they worked through homework and stole bites of complimentary fries. 

For the first time in weeks, Guardian’s Rest actually felt like a bar again instead of a place just trying to stay open for one day.

At the new bell warning, you looked up from where you were standing in the salon and there they were: just Minseok, Woo, and Taehyung today. It was rare to see any of them on a Monday, especially since all three wore civilian clothes, so you guessed they must be having some kind of day off already. 

Taehyung looked particularly breathtaking even in simple jeans and a plain white tee that sat close across his shoulders and chest, the fabric stretching as if trying to fit his new build. He scanned the room until his eyes found you and the smile that spread across his face was soft and open, the kind that made the corners of his eyes crinkle.

You smiled back before you could stop yourself, the warmth hit your chest uninvited, quick and bright, but right after it came the familiar twist. Nope, not today. Nuh uh, you could not do this today. Not with him looking like that.

Your heart was already beating too hard against your ribs just from the way his hair was already a little longer, you didn’t need his jeans sitting low on his hips, risking exposing a bit of stomach if he raised his arms too much . 

You refused.

The last thing you needed was to stand here feeling stupid and hopeful while the rest of your life stayed messy.

You wiped your hands on the front of your apron and tried to keep your face normal, watching as the boys headed toward their usual table. Taehyung’s gaze stayed on you a second longer than the others, like he was checking if you were okay.

You might never be okay ever again, but you could run away from at least some of your problems. 

“Hey, can you take the tables?” you leaned over the counter, right in front of Mina.  “I'll cover the bar.”

“You hate covering the bar during lunch rush.” the girl lifted her head to look at you with suspicion written all over her face. “What's up?”

“Please.” you groaned, trying not to use the boss card unless she forced you to. 

Mina snorted a little laugh with the desperation she picked up from you, which you’d admit wasn’t a good look, but at least you could say it was unusual. Then she looked around with lines between her brows as if trying to check if there was anything actually wrong, and you could see it in her knowing smile just when she realized what was causing this out-of-character reaction. 

“Ohh, I see.” she grinned, giving up on wiping the laminated drink menus. “It’s the new pretty boy.”

Mina didn’t ask any questions, but you answered anyway: “No.” 

“Yes it is, she was googling his songs during breakfast.” the voice came from behind you, as Sana passed by with the dirty plates she took from the family in the booth. 

“Yah!” you snapped your head at the day-time waitress, wishing you had given her the day off. 

“Alright fine, I’ll take the floor.” Mina sighed dramatically, adding: “Just because I know what it’s like to be tangled with a military boy.” 

You wanted to point out that there was no tangling happening, and if there was, you and Taehyung would never be as messy as Mina and Ji-hoon. But! No tangles! Just an almost-bar-owner and an idol-turned-special-unit. 

You traded places with Mina, already feeling safer back there, as if you were behind a thick wall and not a bar counter that had seen better days. Besides, Mina was a lot faster taking orders and delivering plates than you were, you always found a way to stay a few seconds more and chat with the tables. 

You’ve practically lived in this bar since you moved in with your uncle at fifteen, so everyday after school you’d come in and help him with the workload. You knew all of the patrons by name, and they knew you, so it was easy to get carried away with ‘how have you been?’ and ‘little Seungkwan is already graduating? Wow!’. 

“Hi.”

His deep baritone came accompanied by the musky, clean scent that followed him around, making you both hate and appreciate the sharp breath you sucked in involuntarily. 

When you looked up, Taehyung was already seated in one of the bar stools, making you wonder how long you were zoning out for. 

“Hi.” you repeated, brain completely blanking after those two letters. 

Get it together. 

“Busy day?” Taehyung asked you with that habitual slight tilt of his head. 

“Yeah, but I like it. Means it’s louder than my thoughts.” you replied, but grimaced just as the words came out of your mouth. “Damn, that was depressing.” 

“A little.” he laughed, running a hand through his hair as if forgetting it was now shorter than it used to be. 

“Sorry.” your nose scrunched. 

“It's fine.” Taehyung was still smiling and you hoped he’d never stop.

“How’s training going?” you asked, genuinely curious.  

“Kicking my ass, that's for sure.” he chuckled, rolling his shoulders as if he could still feel the aching in his muscles. And if you had to guess, you’d say those pains never went away. 

“You do know you could have chosen an easier military branch, right?” you said, leaning forward with your hands on the counter, just to have somewhere to put them. “You didn’t have to come all the way here.” 

“Yeah, but what's the fun in that?” he shrugged, leaning forward from his side, resting both stretched forearms in front of him and you could almost feel the ghost of his touch. 

“You chose the special unit because you thought it would be fun?” you asked, equally surprised and confused. 

“I chose it because if it's something I'm forced to do, then at least I would get to try something different.” Taehyung explained, like it was no big deal. 

You nodded. “That's fair.” 

“I didn’t know I'd have to learn how to climb down the side of a building, though.” he admitted with a grimace, pulling a face that still didn’t make him any less handsome. “Terrible for my fear of heights, I tell you.” 

“Did you do it?” you wanted to know as you leaned in just a little closer, clarifying: “Climb down the side of the building?” 

“I didn't have a choice, you either go down on your own or they push you down.” Taehyung told you with a whisper, as if letting you in on a military secret.  

“Seriously?” you decided to amuse him, gasping. 

“Oh, yeah.” he said. “They can be very convincing.” 

Then you recited what had been drilled into you decades ago: “Swallow your fear and complete the mission.” 

“Exactly.”

If Taehyung wondered how you knew that motto, he didn’t ask. It was easy to assume you learned from working so close to the base, when half of your regulars were military men. And he still wouldn’t be wrong.  

“Yo, lovebird.” the shout made both of you look at the table where Woo and Minseok were sitting.

“What?!” Taehyung groaned out. 

“We'll start without you.” Minseok pointed to the lunch that had just been served in front of them. 

“Yeah, yeah, go ahead.” he waved his friends off, turning back to look at you with a small nervousness that wasn’t there before. “That's uh, stupid nickname they give you at the squad.” 

“Sure.” you giggled, because you realized he was suddenly shy.  

Taehyung watched your face, and your lips, and then anywhere but your face as he reluctantly got down from the stool. You could tell he didn’t want to go back to the table, but for your sanity, and for his own schedule, he had to. 

But not before testing your previous theory about heart problems.

“Hey, so... Are you busy this weekend?” Taehyung asked, hands still on the counter as his biceps flexed unfairly. “We're having a friends and family event at the base.” 

“The summer festival?” you frowned slightly, pulling it from memory based on the month. “Is it this weekend already?”

“So you've heard of it.” he moved his weight from one foot to the other. “Will you come?”

“Don’t you need an invitation for that?” something deep inside you fluttered at his question. 

“I'm inviting you.” Taehyung said, direct and earnest.  

“What about your family?” you asked him, just because you knew the event was a limited people situation and you wouldn’t want to take Tae’s chance of spending time with his parents or siblings that he probably hadn’t seen in months. 

“They can't make it.” he told you simply, reading where your mind was going next as he said: “And my members are all serving in other branches, so they can't come either.” 

“It could be fun.” you agreed with a grateful smile. 

“Sergeant Kim!” Minseok yelled again, which made Taehyung’s posture go instantly rigid and straight, out of muscle memory as if he was about to salute an official. 

A second later, realizing it was just his friend being an ass, his shoulders dropped and he said: 

“I have to– but I'll see you–” 

-

-

You sent Mina home earlier tonight, because she covered the lunch shift, and Mrs. Kim had left twenty minutes ago, her husband waiting in the car with the engine already running. 

The bar was quiet for a while now, just you and the low hum of the fridge that started threatening to quit even though it was so not the time for that. You finished locking the front door as usual, sliding the chain and bolt into place, then moved through the room turning off the lights one by one as always. 

In the kitchen you picked up the list Mrs. Kim had left on the counter, scanning the items  –almost out of onions, cabbage, and the big bottles of soy sauce again– and made a quiet mental note to call the supplier first thing in the morning. Maybe you could negotiate a little more time on the payment. 

Your thumb rubbed over the edge of the paper as you tried to calculate how much you could stretch the next deposit.

A sound outside made you jump.

It came from the back parking lot, a low grunt, something heavy hitting the ground, then shuffling footsteps and muffled voices. Your stomach dropped fast and you stood still for half a second, heart already hammering against your ribs, before you reached under the counter and grabbed the old baseball bat. 

You pushed the back door open slowly, meeting only darkness at first, since the third security light had burned out again, leaving the lot mostly in shadows. Movement was the only thing that tipped you off of the two figures who were shoving a third man on the concrete. 

“Hey, assholes!” you shouted, stepping out with the bat raised. “I called the police! Get out of my parking lot. Now!”

The two men turned to the sound of your yell. They looked younger up close, barely into their half twenties. Their eyes widened when they saw you coming at them with the bat and for a second they froze, then scrambled, grabbing at each other as they ran toward the street like cowards. 

“Jesus Christ–” you turned back to the man still on the ground and the word died in your throat. “Tae?”

Taehyung was already pushing himself up into a sitting position, one hand pressed to his side. “I’m good… I’m fine.” 

You dropped the bat with a clatter and crouched beside him in the same second. Your knees scraped against the rough concrete, but you could feel the sting of it later. Up close you could see the sweat on his tanned skin, the wet darkness running from his nose and the corner of his eyebrow. Your chest tightened so hard it hurt to breathe.

“You’re bleeding.” you whispered, the words slipping out before you could stop them. You looked at the way he kept holding his side, like that was where it hurt the most. “Did they cut you?”

“Just scrapes.” he tried to shrug it off, but the small movement made him hiss through his teeth.

Your hand moved without thinking and you held his chin gently, turning his face from side to side under the weak light, checking the split skin. Your fingers trembled slightly against his jaw, but you kept your touch soft.

“What happened?” you asked, voice low as if speaking louder could hurt him, too.

“They were waiting for you.” he told you and your stomach dropped harder, a cold weight that spread through your whole body. “I jumped them before they had the chance, though.” 

“You–” the words tangled in your throat. Part of you wanted to thank him, another part wanted to scold him for being reckless. “Two against one?”

“If I’m being honest I didn’t see the second one at first.” he laughed quietly, even though it made him wince.

“Will you let me take a look at you?” the words felt heavy on your tongue because he was hurt because of you, and the sight of blood on his face made something twist tight behind your ribs.

“I have more pride than that.” Taehyung tried to push himself up with a quiet grunt and his balance wavered for a second and he caught himself, one hand braced against the concrete. “I’m fine.”

You stepped in anyway, slipping under his arm so your shoulder fit against his side. Your arm went around his back to support his waist, careful not to press where it hurt or jostle him any more than necessary.

“As far as I know, you can get a penalty for fighting civilians,” you pointed out, keeping your steps slow and steady. “So you can either let me take a look at you or I’ll write a note to your supervisor and have you on onion cutting duty for two days.”

He went quiet. You felt the small jolt of surprise run through his body before he let out a long sigh, half amused and half betrayed. 

“You really are a hustler.” his weight leaned a little more into you. “Okay, fine.”

“Let me grab my bag and we can go.” you helped him over to the back wall of the bar so he could rest against it while you went inside. 

“Go?” confusion slipped into his voice and he blinked at you like the word did not quite land, and worry flickered through your chest that maybe he had hit his head harder than he let on.

“To my place.” you explained, keeping your tone soft even with anxiety lodged deep in your chest. “I’m not staying here and waiting for those goonies to come back.”

“Goonies?” Taehyung laughed despite the pain, one hand pressing to his side as the sound turned into a wince.

“I like eighties movies.” you shrugged, relieved that at least one of you seemed to be taking this lightly. 

-

-

You didn’t think Taehyung had taken a bus in the last decade of his life. Unless you counted the airport shutters to take him from one airplane to another, or a tour bus, maybe. 

But here he was, sitting next to you on your way home after you refused to get on his bike with the way he could barely stand on two feet. In the bright lights of the bus, you could already see a small bruise already starting to show under his eye, he definitely had a cut on his eyebrow, and his nose most likely wasn’t broken, but he’d taken a punch hard enough to make it bleed. 

Before you left the bar, you’d taken a few ice cubes and wrapped them up in a tea towel, which now Taehyung held against his face to help with the swell. It had earned you a second look from the bus driver, who kept checking on the two of you from his rearview mirror. At least the two of you and an old lady were the only ones taking the bus, and you highly doubted she would recognize him as V of BTS. 

The walk from the bus drop off to your apartment complex was short, thankfully, and Taehyung swore he was feeling better and his ribs didn’t feel broken like he feared. He was breathing better now, too, which you appreciated. Still, you stayed close to him the whole time, his arm around your shoulders as you tried to hold some of his weight for him. 

You only parted from him once you reached your apartment door, which had a paper stuck to the wood, with big red letters that absolutely mortified you.

‘DEBT NOTICE’.

It’s not like you didn’t know you owed rent, you just didn’t want Taehyung to see it thrown in your face like this. And he was so polite that he didn’t ask, in fact, he pretended not to notice it altogether. 

“Just another man asking me for money I don’t have.” you said, trying to joke about it while also wanting to be honest. Because if this man was bleeding for you, at least he had the right to know why. 

You pulled the paper out, hating how the glue of the tape was now staining your door until you had time to scrape it off like you had done all of the previous times. Taehyung waited patiently for you to find your keys in the bottom of your bag so you could unlock it and let the two of you inside. 

You removed your shoes at the smallest landing known to men, eyes quickly scanning your apartment to make sure nothing was too messy or out of place. Taehyung already saw the testimony of how you did not have any of your shit together at the moment, he didn’t need to see any dirty laundry thrown about. 

“You can sit anywhere you want, I’ll be right back.” you told him, letting him do his thing and not feel too pressured to hold back any reactions from seeing your tiny apartment. 

Because your home was small, the kind of compact one-bedroom unit you’d find in any quiet town outside the big cities; affordable, unassuming, but undeniably yours. The main room served as both living area and kitchen, with pale wood laminate floors that you kept spotless and a faint, comforting scent of vanilla and warm linen lingering in the air from the reed diffuser on the windowsill.

A soft beige sofa took up most of one wall, its cushions neatly arranged and draped with a simple cream throw blanket you’d picked up at the local thrift store. Across from it sat a low coffee table with a few coasters, a small stack of books, and a single potted fern that somehow still thrived under your care. 

The kitchenette was tiny but organized, which you prided yourself in, white cabinets, a two-burner stove, and a small fridge adorned with a couple of handwritten notes and a magnet from Busan. Nothing flashy, just functional.

A narrow hallway led to your bedroom and the bathroom, both doors currently closed. You opened the first one, going into the bathroom and crouching down to search your small counter for the first aid kid you kept around for emergencies. 

You really hoped Taehyung didn’t need any serious care, because all you had at hand was the very basics for treating stove burns and kitchen knife cuts. 

You stepped back into the living room with the small emergency kit in your hands, the plastic case cool and a little slippery against your palm. Taehyung was sitting on the floor, back resting against the base of the couch, knees bent and arms loose across them. 

At least he had turned on the warm lamp in the corner between the wall and the couch; its low glow spilled across the rug and caught on the edge of his jaw. The rest of the apartment stayed dim and quiet, the kind of late-night hush that made every small sound feel close.

“When I told you to sit anywhere, I meant like the couch, or a chair.” you said, the words soft around the edges of a small smile as you eyed him there on the floor.

“Your couch is too clean and my clothes are dirty from falling on the floor.” he answered, voice lower than usual, eyes round and almost innocent in the lamplight. The sharpness from earlier at the bar had smoothed out of him, leaving something quieter, almost careful.

“That’s very thoughtful.” 

You hadn’t expected that look from him, or how much the room had settled now that the two of you were alone and away from everything outside. The quiet pressed in from all sides, warm and a little unsteady, but not uncomfortable. You felt it in the way your steps slowed as you moved closer, the way the floorboards creaked faintly under your weight. 

You lowered yourself to the rug right next to him, close enough that your knee brushed the side of his thigh when you settled. The emergency kit went on the low coffee table with a quiet plastic click. You opened the lid and let your fingers move through the supplies, checking what you had, buying a second to steady the way your pulse had picked up.

“Can I?” you asked, barely above a whisper so it wouldn’t break whatever new space had opened between you. He nodded once. “It might hurt.”

“‘is okay.” he said, the words almost slurred, tired. 

Taehyung turned his face toward you and leaned in just a little, offering the cut along his brow bone, the tiniest cut at the bridge of his elegant nose. The movement brought him closer than you had ever been, close enough that you caught the faint warmth of his breath and the clean salt smell of his skin.

It made the work easier, sure, but it did nothing to quiet the heavy thud of your heart. Your fingers stayed gentle as you dabbed at the dried blood with a cotton pad wet with the bottled saline solution, the cotton pad coming away faintly pink. 

“I didn’t know you were like that.” he spoke so quietly you almost missed it. 

“Like how?” you asked, exchanging the cotton pad to a new one to clean the dry blood under his nose above his lips, noticing the faint moles he had there. 

“Bratty.” he chuckled before clarifying: “When you threatened to tell my supervisor.” 

“I'm not bratty–” you gasped at the accusation, which only made him laugh harder and wince from the pain it caused. “I've just been around military men my whole life, the bar is two blocks away from the base. You learn how to deal with guys like you.”

“I can see that.” if he minded what you said, he didn’t show. 

Because telling Taehyung that you’ve never met someone like him in your life felt too forward. Too telling. 

The ice he had pressed to his face earlier had done its job; the swelling on his cheek bone had gone down, but you could already see the bruise blooming underneath, deep purple at the edge that would darken more by morning. 

You studied his face while you worked, letting yourself look longer than you needed to; he had a small mole just below his right eye, too. Your thumb brushed the skin beside the cut on his brow, light as you could make it, checking for anything you might have missed, and you felt the small shift in his breath when you did.

You kept your touches careful, the guilt sitting heavy but quiet in your chest, showing only in the way you lingered a second longer than necessary, the way you made sure nothing hurt more than it had to. He was here because of you, and now he was in your space, tired and close and looking at you like the rest of the world had fallen away. 

You didn’t say any of it, you just kept working, slow and steady.

You held the side of his face with careful fingers, just to turn his cheek more fully toward the lamplight. But you couldn’t help but drag your thumb across the smooth skin of his good cheekbone, feeling the faint warmth and the small shift under your touch. You didn’t know when you would ever have the chance to touch him like this again. 

The thought made you feel bad, because you didn’t want this if it meant he was hurting. Your hands dropped back to your lap as you decided you were done cleaning him up.

“Can I ask you something?” he asked, the words quiet, almost like the lack of your touch had bothered him too.

“Of course.” you nodded and reached for the kit, fingers moving through the small packets until you found the tube of ointment.

“How do you know so much about the military?” he said. “Because working close to the camp doesn’t explain how you know our mottos.”

“My dad was a Lieutenant Colonel at your camp.” It felt easy to say it to him. 

If it had been anyone else, you would have avoided speaking altogether. Taehyung let that sink in, and you could see the way his brain worked as he tried to remember everyone he knew at the camp, the stories he had heard about fallen heroes.

“Park?” he repeated your last name, and you nodded. So he made the connection. “‘The’ Lieutenant Colonel Park?”

“So you heard of him.” you looked down at the ointment bottle in your hand, turning it slowly and pretending really hard to read the expiration date as if it was more important than his recent discovery.

You kept turning the ointment tube between your fingers, the plastic smooth and cool, while Taehyung’s voice filled the small space between you.

“Every member of the special unit has. He’s a hero.” he said, the words warm with clear admiration. Then his tone softened, almost careful: “Was… I’m sorry for your loss.”

The words settled over you, the kindness in which Tae offered them to you. 

Your father had been kind in a way that made people trust him without questioning, brave enough to spend his whole life in the military, the kind of man who would have been working alongside Taehyung right now if things had gone differently. 

The mission that got him killed had been labeled routine, something easy that he’d done a dozen times before. You had been fifteen when the call came, old enough to understand that he sacrificed himself to protect his squad, but not brave enough to ask for the rest of the details. 

And you still weren’t. All you had ever needed to know was that he had died doing what he always did, looking out for the people around him. 

“Thank you.” you said, the smile small and genuine because his condolences didn’t feel like politeness. They felt real. “Yeah, that’s how I know so much. I grew up around it.”

Taehyung stayed quiet for a beat, then his voice came again, still soft but carrying a new edge of boldness as he said: 

“I was thinking you had a military boyfriend serving somewhere.” he sounded almost playful. “Had hoped it could at least be an ex.”

“No military boyfriend.” you laughed, the sound shy and too full of everything you felt for this man, heat rising fast in your face. “No exes either.”

You reached for the cap for the ointment tube, fingers a little unsteady as you tried to twist it. Before you could manage it, Taehyung’s hand moved over yours, warm and steady, covering it completely. You looked up then, and his face was close enough that you could see the faint flecks of gold in his dark eyes and the way his gaze had dropped to your mouth, open and unguarded. 

Your heart fluttered hard against your ribs, making it difficult to pull in a full breath, but the closeness felt right too, like he was sharing his own air with you.

“Don’t look at me like that…” you murmured, the words barely loud enough to be heard.

“Why?” his free hand lifted, brushing the smallest strand of hair behind your ear. His voice had gone low and raspy, the sound brushing across your skin.

“Because I have rules.” you fought to hold his eyes even as warmth flooded your cheeks and neck, the heat making your pulse feel too loud.

“What kind?” he asked, just as low.

“The kind that doesn’t let me get involved with people who leave.”

You didn’t mean that whatever this was had to last forever, you just wanted the possibility that someone might stay long enough for it to matter. In nine months, Taehyung’s service would end and he would go back to Seoul and his famous friends and expensive life. You couldn’t let yourself start something that had an expiration date already written on it.

Taehyung’s thumb kept moving in that slow, careful stroke, his hand still warm over yours on the ointment tube. 

“I’m really good at breaking rules, hustler.” he rasped, and that stupid nickname was all it took. 

Because when so many people in your life had already left you, what was one more?

You leaned in before you could talk yourself out of it, closing the last inch and pressing your mouth to his. For half a second he went completely still against you, surprised, and then you felt the grin slowly curve against your lips. His hand moved to the back of your neck, palm broad and steady, fingers sliding into your hair as he pulled you closer.

The kiss started gentle, careful, just the soft warmth of his lips meeting yours and the shared, slightly shaky breath between you, but neither of you could keep it that way for long. 

The kiss deepened slowly, growing heavier, like the relief of finally giving in was too much to hold back. His tongue traced the seam of your lips and you gasped softly, parting for him without thinking. The first slow slide of his tongue against yours sent heat blooming low in your stomach. 

He tasted faintly sweet, and the way he explored your mouth was unhurried, thorough, and hungry, making your fingers curl into the front of his stained shirt. His hand at your neck tightened just slightly, thumb pressing into the sensitive skin below your hairline as he tilted his head and kissed you deeper, slower, like he wanted to learn every part of the way you felt against him. 

Your heart hammered hard in your chest and you could feel the steady thud of his pulse too where your bodies pressed closer together, his chest rising and falling against yours.

When Taehyung tried to tilt his head to the other side, his nose brushed yours, and he winced. You pulled back instantly, eyes searching his face.

“That wasn’t you.” he assured you with a chuckle. “My nose still hurts.”

“Sorry.” you said, sheepish, heat still burning across your cheeks. Then, because your curiosity always won in the end, you asked: “Was that your first kiss since you joined the military?”

“It’s been longer than that.” he admitted, no shame in it at all, his lips still brushing against yours with every word. “Could you tell?”

“A little,” you answered, smiling. “But I liked it.”

You leaned forward again and caught his bottom lip between your teeth, tugging gently before letting it go. The sound he made then, a low, surprised moan that vibrated against your mouth, might have been the most beautiful thing you had ever heard. His breath hitched hard.

“Stop hustling me.” he said, sounding completely wrecked and out of breath. You were the one grinning now. “I literally cannot take this teasing right now.”

“Then I probably shouldn’t ask you to take off your shirt, then?” your head tilted in a way you had definitely picked up from him. 

Taehyung actually groaned, eyes falling shut for a second like the words had hit him somewhere deep. Somewhere low. When he opened them again the look he gave you was so openly hungry it made your stomach flip. You lifted the ointment a little higher, voice softer now but still teasing:

“I need to take a look at those ribs.”

-

-

The bed Taehyung slept on nowadays was a lot more comfortable than the ones in the communal tents new recruits were put in during their first two weeks at the base, and incomparably better than the sleeping bag he resorted to whenever they had field trips in the forest. 

But he still couldn’t find a good position to lay in, when everything around him annoyed him. The bedroom was too empty of the things that brought him joy; there were no paintings on the walls, no other furniture beside the two bunk beds and small lockers where his belongings were shoved into. There was no color besides green and grey, no record collection, no distractions other than the one book he’d stolen from Namjoon, and most definitely no you. 

“Are you gonna be sulking all day?” Ji-hoon snorted from the bed next to Taehyung’s as he tied up his boots tight enough so they wouldn’t fall off his feet during training today. 

“What do you think, hyung?” Taehyung just grumbled, crossing his arms to his chest and looking annoyed as fuck. 

“I think you should be grateful that you got away with a ‘day off’ and not a write up.” Ji-hoon was annoyed about Taehyung’s annoyance, picking the crisp white pillow from Minseok’s bed and throwing it at him. 

Taehyung caught it right away, throwing it across the room instead. “It’s not a day off if I can’t leave the camp, is it?” 

“Would you rather I tell Lieutenant Jung that you’re feeling well enough to run the drills today?” his friend threatened, and Taehyung held his tongue, because he did have a point. “Maybe I’ll strap an extra 20kg to your bag for almost breaking your face.”

“I was defending my girl, doesn’t that count for shit in this camp?” he grumbled under his breath.

Ji-hoon took a long and hard look at Taehyung then, the kind that told Tae that hearing him refer to you as his girl softened something reluctant in Ji-hoon. Maybe it was that claim itself that finally sold Ji-hoon on the fact that Taehyung was serious about you. 

And then Ji-hoon was letting out the world’s longest sigh as he stood up from Minseok’s bottom bunkbed and walked all the way to the corner of the room. 

“It does, because that girl is like a sister to me.” Ji-hoon replied. Kneeling on the floor just off to the side of his locker. “Which is why I’m going to show you something, but I swear to fucking god, if you mess this up–”

That had Taehyung’s interest growing exponentially, sitting up so he could watch the other man shove his arm behind the locker and feel around as he looked for something. 

“Don’t tell me you have drugs in there.” 

“Shut up.” Ji-hoon hissed, then pulled out a brown paper envelope and from inside of it, he produced a cellphone. “This is private.”

“Shit.” Taehyung’s eyes went wide with the thought of his friend hiding a phone in their room, where it was strictly prohibited to have any type of communication with the outside world. “You mean contraband?” 

“In here, that’s the same thing.” Ji-hoon stood up and walked back to Taehyung, turning on the phone.  

“Why are you showing me this?” he asked.  

“Because you won’t be able to see your girl again before the summer festival, and I don’t want to come back here and after a long day and have to hear you complaining about it.” Ji-hoon was not wrong about that, but Taehyung also didn't say that. 

Instead, he let hope replace frustration. “So I can call her?!”

“Yeah, but be fucking quiet about it?!” Ji-hoon hushed, looking at the door as if expecting Major Jungwi to come bust their asses at any moment. “We could both get kicked out if they find you with this.”

“Thanks, hyung.” 

Taehyung got up from his bunkbed and hugged Ji-hoon, holding the older man's head to kiss his forehead with a smack. It made Ji-hoon complain with a grunt and push him off without real strength, handing Taehyung the phone with one last warning look. 

“Her number is already saved there. Just don’t call anyone else.” Ji-hoon warned, walking to the door before he was late. “And don’t fucking look at the camera roll.”

Taehyung laughed. “Would I find Mina’s nudes?”

“And my fucking dick, so it’s up to you.”

Taehyung waited for his friend to leave before locking the door and securing it. If one of the Majors really wanted to get into this room, they would definitely have the master keys, but at least it would give Taehyung enough time to hide the phone before they did. 

Nowadays, in his rank and division, Taehyung was allowed a lot more freedom when it came to calls and using his own private phone, but there were still rules about it. Like no phones in the bedrooms, and no unsupervised use while inside the base grounds. 

So just by holding this phone right now, Taehyung could go to jail. But at least you'd be his last phone call. 

Taehyung was relieved to find the phone had no password, which sounded a little reckless when he thought about it, but it made it easier to go into the short list of contacts and find your name. 

A few beeps later, the call connected. At least he thought it did, but you still didn't say anything. 

“Hey, hustler.”

“Tae?” you finally replied, along with a breath of relief. 

“Forgot my voice already?” Taehyung laid back down against his thin pillow, ignoring how the back bar of the bed dug into his shoulders. 

“No, I just…” you hesitated a little, then your explanation made him feel bad. “This is an unknown number, so I thought it could be Mr. Han.”

“Fuck, I should have texted…” he winced at his own lack of common sense. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I’m glad it’s you.” you were smiling on the other side, he could hear it in your tone. “How is it you, by the way? Usually the camp calls go through a landline and they tell you who’s calling before they transfer.”

“I told you I’m good at breaking rules.” the excitement from talking to you like this beat any anxiety from breaking said rules, but he was still careful with the volume of his voice. 

“Who’s the hustler now, huh?”

He grinned. “Still you.”

Taehyung looked at the door of the bedroom when he heard rushed footsteps approach, the unmistakable sound of heavy boots he was more than used to against the concrete floor. He held his breath for a moment, but then the steps went away and down the corridor; someone was probably late for drills. Yikes.

“Did you get into too much trouble, with your face and bruises?” you asked, shuffling slightly on the other side of the line.

“Nah, hyung covered for me. Said we were training and I fell from the climbing wall.” Tae chuckled, remembering how he had to act it out for their superiors that his wounds were a few hours fresher than they were.

“That’s good.” a yawn. Damn, it was still early, Taehyung didn’t even think that he could have woken you up. “Did they let you rest?”

“Yeah, I’m having time off.” even if it felt like jail time. “But I can’t leave the base camp, so I’m stuck here.”

“Oh.”

Something in your tone shifted around that tiny sound, and Taehyung couldn’t help it:

“You sound disappointed.”

“Do you want me to be?” your voice was so soft that you couldn’t have been awake for longer than an hour.

“Are you?” he pressed, hoping you might indulge him.

“Yes.” and you did. “But I’m glad you could at least call.”

“Me too.” the hand that wasn’t holding the phone against his ear moved behind his head for extra support and comfort. “I was gonna go crazy just staring at the ceiling all day.”

“Are you at the top bunk?” you asked, curious, and Taehyung looked around as if about to describe the room for you to picture it.

“No, the bottom.” he looked up again, seeing the bottom of Ji-hoon's bunk staring back at him. “So I guess I’d be staring at wood planks.”

“I wonder how much the rooms have changed since I was there last.” you said, and it was easy for Taehyung’s imagination to picture you there. 

“Did you ever come here with your dad?” he asked you as carefully as he could manage, given the delicate subject. He didn’t want this conversation to turn sour.

“All the time.” your tone stayed light. “I actually loved it there.”

Taehyung scoffed lightly. “Easy for you to love it when you’re not forced to stay here.”

“Are you looking forward to leaving?” 

Your question came out locked and loaded, with so many nuances around it that it made Taehyung sit with it for longer than he should. Did he enjoy this same everyday routine? No. Did he miss his family, his friends and members? Yes. Was he ready to be on stage again? Desperately. Was he looking forward to leaving?

You cleared your throat. “Sorry, that was too much.” 

“It wasn’t,” he shook his head for the ghosts in the room. “It’s just that I was surprised by how fast I wanted to say I’m not.”

“What makes you want to stay?” you asked, knowing the answer for it already. 

“There you go, hustling me again.” Taehyung smiled, chest lighter than it felt in months. 

“I’m just saying, if one kiss was enough to change your mind,” you started, sounding too nonchalant for the words that came out of your mouth next: “How will you feel when I really get my hands on you?”

“Well, fuck.” 

Taehyung couldn’t hold back the curse, not expecting this to be the direction this conversation took whatsoever. Like at all. His reaction and little choppy breath made you giggle on the other side of the line, like that was exactly you were expecting.

“Are you at the bar?” he asked, because that information seemed important if you were going to start talking like this. 

“Nop. Still in bed.” as if to prove it, you let out a long groan that was followed by the rustling of sheets, as if you were stretching. “Gave myself a late morning today, Sana can open for lunch.”

Taehyung definitely thought you deserved a break, and he didn't need to be a genius to know you didn't allow yourself many of those. You were his little hustler, after all. 

And then his mind went places. 

He hadn't been to your room last night, stayed in the living room like a good boy, but he wondered if it was just as girly and pretty as the rest of it. If your bed was big enough for everything he wanted to do to you on it. 

“You went awfully quiet.” you noticed, too innocently. And then surprised him again: “Won’t even ask me what I’m wearing?”

“I have more class than that.” his laugh was always easy with you, ridiculously so. “And you’re bold over the phone.”

“I’m bold in real life, too, just not with you.” you admitted. “You make me nervous.”

“Good nervous?” he asked, a little too interested in the answer.

You hesitated before the words came, soft and steady. “The type of nervous that would make me do anything you ask.”

He nodded to himself, the movement small against the thin pillow. There was nothing he could say to that without pushing things further, and the last thing he wanted was to pressure you.

Then you took his breath away completely:

“Does your door lock?”

“Yeah,” he said, voice dropping without meaning to. “Why?”

“Because I’ll do anything you ask over the phone, too.”

Taehyung’s body reacted instantly. Heat rushed low in his stomach as his cock twitched hard inside his pants, already more than halfway hard from every teasing word and little sound you had made. He shifted his hips on the mattress, trying to ease the sudden ache, but it only made the fabric pull tighter against him.

“It’s locked, hustler.” he could hear how low his own voice had gone. “Now tell me… what’s going through your mind?”

“Just hoping you’ll kiss me again when I see you next.” you said, the words gentler now. He heard the soft rustle of sheets on your end and pictured you turning onto your stomach, legs shifting under the covers because talking to him like this made you too restless to stay still.

“Is that the only thing you want me to do when I see you?” he wanted to push you just a little, see how far you would let him take this.

“Not really…”

“Don’t get shy on me now,” he said when your answer didn’t feel like enough. “A minute ago you had more words than that.”

“That’s because picturing you in your bed right now is making it hard to think.” your laugh came through the phone, soft and a little embarrassed, followed by more shuffling.

“What is it you’re picturing?” his free hand slid down his own stomach and pressed against the growing bulge in his camo pants, giving himself some slow relief. “I might tell you if you’re right.”

“I don’t have a uniform kink,” you said after a thoughtful pause, “But it looks too good on you, so I think you’re wearing that.”

He glanced down at himself, smiling at your easy guess. “I am.”

“And I also think you’re starting to get hard.” your voice had gone dulcet, almost sweet, and it made his cock jump again under his palm.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” he clicked his tongue. “I’ve been hard since you picked up the phone.”

“I also think you’re big.” the words came out like a whine and he bit down on his lower lip, hard enough to feel the sting.

“You think what is big, hustler?” he pressed again, voice rougher now.

“Are you gonna make me say it?” you groaned, the sound sending another pulse straight to his cock.

“If you want to have it next time I see you.” he threatened, low and steady.

Taehyung waited, patient. He had nothing else to do today and the hallway outside had gone blissfully quiet, so he could let you take your time. His body didn’t agree, as his cock jumped inside his pants at every soft breath he caught from your side of the line.

“I think you have a big cock, Tae.” you said at last, the words careful. “And that I might have trouble fitting it in.”

“I’ll make sure it does.” he answered, voice low as he squeezed himself through the fabric, trying to hold back the sudden flash of pushing into your tightness. If he let the full picture form in his mind he would be finished.

“Can I have it in my mouth first?” the plea came soft and open, and his eyes fluttered shut for a second.

“You can have it anywhere you want.” he nodded to the empty room, the motion small against the thin pillow. “Do you like sucking cock?”

“I never tried it,” you admitted. “Guys have asked before. I just never did it.”

A quick, sharp twist moved through his chest at the mention of anyone else being close enough for asking, but he pushed it aside, focusing instead on the way your voice sounded right now. “Why do you want to do it now?”

“Because it’s you,” you said, and he could hear the smile in it. “And because I heard how you sound when you moan. I bet I can pull more of those with just my mouth.”

“I’ll make you work for it.” he warned, stroking himself slowly over his pants, the pressure enough to make his hips shift on the mattress.

“Don’t you mean you’ll make me ‘hustle’ for it?” you giggled, light and teasing, and Taehyung let out a frustrated groan.

“Damn, that was a perfect one. I can’t believe I missed that.” he laughed again. “You’re making it hard for me to think straight, too.”

“Are you touching yourself, Tae?” his nick name sounded too intimate when you said it like that.

“Just over my pants.” he told you, grimacing at how tight the fabric felt. “Scared I might burst as soon as I touch it for real.”

“You haven’t jerked off since you’ve been in here?” the teasing tone was impossible to miss.

“It’s kinda hard to find alone time in here, and when I have days off I’m still not alone.” another downside of being enlisted that he wouldn’t miss.

“That kinda makes me want to hang up.” you sounded like a little devil. “Save all that pent-up energy so you can paint my tits instead.”

“Fuck–”

The line went silent against his ear, so Taehyung pulled the phone away and stared at the screen. You had actually hung up! He snorted, half in disbelief and half in helpless amusement, then called you back right away. Three long rings passed and his stomach tightened with the ridiculous fear that you might actually stay true to your word and not pick up again.

But of course you did.

“The fuck.” he complained.

You laughed on the other end, clearly delighted with yourself for the little stunt you had just pulled. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it.”

“That was cute.” he warned. “But don’t do it again.”

“Is that a threat?” there was more shuffling on your end, and he pictured you pushing yourself up to sit against the headboard of your bed. He imagined it in some soft, non-obvious color, maybe butter yellow.

“It’s an order.”

“Yes, sir.” the words hit him low in the stomach. 

“Good girl.” he heard the small gasp you let out and filed it away in his mind like something precious. “I might just paint your face instead.”

The moan that left you then was high-pitched and needy, and it went straight to his already aching cock. Taehyung wanted to hear that sound again and again.

“Are you touching yourself?” he asked.

“I have way less self-control than you…” you mused. He could hear your breathing growing deeper, heavier.

“Maybe I should make us even and hang up too,” he tried, though you both knew it was an empty threat.

“You won’t.” you called his bluff without hesitation. “You want to hear me fuck my fingers.”

He pushed his tongue against the inside of his cheek for a second, fighting a grin. 

“Put me on speaker and place the phone on your pillow.” he waited until he heard the faint click and the change in sound quality. “Now take off your underwear and tell me how wet you are.”

“Shit…” you cursed softly. There was a pause, the rustle of fabric, and then your voice returned. “It’s very wet.”

“Words, baby.”

“My pussy is wet, Tae… Fuck.” you sounded annoyed at having to spell it out, and he found that ridiculously hot.

“Don’t get mouthy on me now.” he said, trying to sound stern even as a wide grin spread across his face.

“Then you better come here and make it busy then.” you snapped back, though the small whimper at the end ruined any real bite.

“I can make it busy from right here.” his head tilted out of habit. “Take those fingers out of your pussy and bring them to your mouth. Let me hear you suck on them like you want to do to my cock.”

You obeyed without hesitation. The wet, obscene sound of you sucking on your own fingers came through the phone, and Taehyung’s eyes slipped shut. The image hit him hard, you on your knees in front of him, pretty mouth stretched wide around his cock, cheeks hollowed, those same wet sounds echoing while you looked up at him with watery eyes. The fantasy was so vivid his breath caught.

He quickly wedged the phone between his ear and shoulder, freeing both hands. Fingers worked fast on his belt, the metal buckle clinking softly, then the button and zipper of his camo pants. He shoved everything down just far enough to pull his cock out. It sprang free, heavy and aching, the head already slick with pre-cum that smeared across his palm when he wrapped his fingers around the base.

“Fuck…” he breathed, squeezing hard at the root to keep himself in check. 

He was leaking steadily now, throbbing in time with every wet suck and slurp coming from the phone. The pressure built so fast he had to drag in a slow, deep breath, chest rising sharply.

And then you gagged.

The choked little sound went straight through him. His hips twitched up into his fist on instinct, another bead of pre-cum sliding down the length of his cock as he pictured your throat tightening around him.

“Take them out, baby,” he said, voice low and steady. “Slow. And bring them down between your legs. I want you to circle your clit for me.”

There was a soft, shaky exhale on your end as you obeyed. He heard the faint shift of sheets again.

“Tell me how it feels,” he continued, keeping his tone calm even as heat coiled tighter in his stomach. “Is it swollen? How wet are you right now?”

“It’s… really sensitive.” you answered, already a little breathy. “And swollen, yeah. I’m so wet, Tae. It’s embarrassing.”

He smiled to himself, the confession going straight to his cock just like everything else you were doing. 

“Nothing embarrassing about it.” he reassured you, just in case you needed it. “Spread that wetness around. Nice slow circles. Just like I’d do with my tongue if I was there.”

A small whine slipped out of you. “Feels good… but it’s not enough. I want more.”

“I know.” he murmured. “Keep going. Tell me every time it feels better.”

While he listened to your breathing grow heavier, Taehyung brought his free hand to his mouth and spit into his palm. There was no lotion or lube in this bare room, and he wasn’t about to start wondering what else Ji-hoon or Minseok might have hidden. Instead he wrapped the slick hand around his cock and started stroking himself in long, lazy pulls, matching the slow rhythm he was giving you. The wet sound of his own hand was quiet, but it mixed with your little gasps in a way that made his thighs tense.

After a few moments he spoke again: 

“Now slide one finger inside, baby. Just one. Go slow… exactly how I would.”

You let out a soft moan as you did it. He could hear the faint, slick sound of your finger moving.

“Fuck… it feels nice but–” you complained, voice turning pouty.

“Add another one. Two fingers.” Taehyung chuckled under his breath, still stroking himself in that same unhurried pace. “Curl them up for me.”

You did, and the moan that followed was louder, needier. 

“You know… I don’t think I have a g-spot. I think it’s a myth.” you told him out of blue and he couldn’t help the fondness to overtake him.

“It’s not a myth, hustler. I promise you.” he actually laughed, low and amused, hips rolling up into his fist once before he slowed himself again. 

“I’ve searched for it before.” you grumbled, still sounding pouty even as your breath kept catching. “No one else– fuck– found it either…”

“Then you didn’t have the right person helping you.” he replied, voice warm but firm. “When I see you, I’m going to prove it. I’ll take my time, keep my fingers right there until your legs shake and you can’t even say my name properly.”

You whimpered at that, the sound turning into a shaky little moan as you kept moving your fingers. He answered with moans of his own, still stroking himself languidly, thumb brushing over the slick head of his cock on every upstroke. 

“Faster now.” he told you, his own hand still moving in those slow, lazy strokes along his cock. “Rub your clit while you fuck yourself with those fingers. Don’t be gentle about it.”

You obeyed instantly, the change in sound was immediate; wetter, quicker, more urgent. Your breathing fractured into shaky little gasps that quickly turned into moans.

“Tae…” you whimpered, his name already sounding broken.

“That’s it.” he murmured, eyes half-closed as he pictured you spread out on your bed. “If I was there right now I’d push your thighs open wider and bury my face between them. I’d lick you so slow at first, just dragging my tongue over that swollen clit until you’re shaking. Then I’d suck on it, hard, the way you need it.”

A loud, needy moan spilled out of you. “Oh my god, Tae– please–”

“I’d slide my tongue inside you too, taste how wet you are for me. Keep fucking you with it while my thumb rubs your clit.” he kept talking, voice steady even as his own cock throbbed hot and heavy in his fist. “You’d be pulling my hair, wouldn’t you? Trying to keep my mouth right there.”

“Yes–, yes, I would.” you gasped, the words tumbling out faster. “Tae, I’m so close already…”

Your voice was getting higher, more desperate, every moan and broken breath feeding straight into him. He stroked himself a little tighter, matching the rhythm he could hear in your fingers.

Then he heard the tell-tale hitch in your breathing, the way your moans started pitching up further.

“Slow down.” he ordered suddenly, firm. “Stop moving your fingers.”

“What, why–” a frustrated whine tore out of you, but you still obeyed. “I was so close–”

“I want to hear you beg for it.” he gave his cock one slow tug, then stopped too, letting the ache settle deep. “Come on, hustler. Use that pretty mouth and tell me how badly you need to cum.”

You stayed quiet for a second, breathing hard. Then another small, embarrassed whimper came through the line.

“Please, Tae… I need it. I’m so wet it’s dripping down my thighs and I– I can’t think straight. Please let me cum.”

“Alright, baby.” he said, voice rough. “Fuck yourself harder now. Two fingers, deep. And keep rubbing your clit.”

“Fuck, yes–” you moaned loudly in response, the wet sounds from your fingers growing faster and messier. 

“That’s it. Just like that.” he matched you, stroking his cock quicker, fist tight and slick. “When I finally get my hands on you I’m gonna cum all over your tits… Then your face if you’re good for me.”

Your moan cracked into a desperate whine, his name spilling out again and again. The sounds you made, high, needy, and completely unrestrained, pushed him right to the edge. He barely managed to yank his shirt up with his free hand before heat slammed through him.

You came first, your moan broke into a long, shaky cry as your orgasm hit, and the sweet, filthy noises you made tipped him over instantly. Taehyung groaned deep in his chest, hips jerking as he spilled across his own stomach in thick, warm stripes. He kept stroking himself through it, breathing hard, until the last pulse faded.

For a moment there was only the sound of both of you trying to catch your breath.

“Did you cum?” you asked, soft and content, a little smile in your voice.

“All over myself.” he laughed, still blissed out and slightly dazed. “Made a fucking mess I don’t know how I’ll clean up.”

“Sucks to be you.” you giggled, light and playful.

“Come here and clean it yourself, hustler.” he shot back, grinning even as he shook his head.

You moaned again at that, the sound low and warm, and his grin widened.

“Come here and cuddle me…” you told him in return, voice sweet and a little shy now.

His chest tightened, because he wanted that so badly it almost hurt. Stupid fucking rules that prevented him from taking his bike all the way to your apartment complex so he could do exactly that. And then go for rounds two and three.

You both stayed silent for a while, just breathing together through the phone. The quiet felt comfortable, but a small worry still sat in his chest. 

“You know I won’t be able to see you before the festival, yeah?” he asked, careful. Taehyung didn’t want you thinking he was avoiding you or that he didn’t want to see you. That was the last thing he needed you to believe.

“Duty over matter,” you repeated the motto softly. “I know, Tae. Don’t worry.”

“The next four days are gonna suck.” he groaned, the tension in his shoulders easing a little at your calm tone.

“I’ll make it worth the wait.”

-

-

The SDT military base was already a little different than you remembered from the last time you’ve been here, the gates seemed smaller and the facial recognition system was definitely new. You were just led through security, along with a few of the many family members and friends that were slowly arriving at the Summer Fest for a day of organized fun. You adjusted the strap of your small crossbody bag on your shoulder, the one they had let you keep after a quick check at the gate. 

The morning air still carried a cool bite, fresh wind brushing across your arms and tugging lightly at your hair as you stepped further onto the wide open grounds. The main administration building stood solid in the distance, its grey walls catching the early sunlight, while white or green tents and long picnic tables had been set up across the central field for later lunches and activities. Further to the right you could just make out the familiar outline of the drill course, ropes and barriers quiet for now. 

Families moved in small groups, voices mixing with laughter and the occasional call of a name, while soldiers in neat training uniforms worked to keep everything running smoothly or waited near the edges, shifting on their feet as they scanned the arriving crowd for their own people. 

The whole place felt lighter today, the usual heavy rhythm of drills replaced by something more alive. Even with all the small changes over the years, the layout still pulled at something deep in your chest, familiar in the way that made your breath catch.

You refused to think about a much younger version of you, running around this space as if it was your own private playground, knowing that the soldier you always came to see in that memory would no longer be here. 

You kept walking forward at a measured pace, even though every step felt like it wanted to turn into a run because not too far ahead, a small group of too familiar men stood together near one of the open fields, their laughter carrying clearly across the neat grass. 

Ji-hoon and Minseok were easy to spot, both in their darker working uniforms, shoulders relaxed as they bickered about something with easy familiarity. And then there was Taehyung, a little apart from them in his short-sleeved black SDT shirt that looked a size too small on his wider frame, the fabric stretched tight across his chest and shoulders. His muscles shifted visibly under it as he laughed at whatever the others had said, thick arms and neck on full display, veins standing out along his forearms. 

If you looked hard enough, you knew you could just make out the faint lines of his abs through the front of the shirt. His dark green camo pants sat low on his narrow waist, the belt cinched tight enough to make his thighs look even more pronounced, and the black combat boots added extra height to his already tall frame. 

God, he looked even more handsome than you remembered, face lit up from whatever they were teasing him about, hair a bit messy from the wind.

Nothing about him was fair, if you could say so yourself.

Ji-hoon noticed you first, saying something short to Taehyung, a quick tilt of his head in your direction, and Tae’s head snapped around so fast it was almost comical. His eyes found you almost immediately after that, and his whole face changed to that bright, boyish smile breaking across it like sunlight hitting water. 

Your heart started doing drills of its own inside your chest, quick and insistent, the kind that made your steps falter for half a second before you forced them steady again. After four days of nothing but that one phone call and the memory of his voice whispering filth, seeing him in person again felt like the air had shifted.

“Hi, Taetae.” you greeted him with a smile, ignoring the shyness that tried to replace your usually assertive self.   

“Hi–” his breath got caught somewhere in his throat as he looked you over. “Jesus christ, hustler.” 

“What did I do for you to be calling me a hustler already?” you laughed, shaking your head, but his eyes were already telling enough.  

“Your dress.” one of his eyebrows twitched. 

“Do you not like it?” you played coy, giving him a little twirl so he could see the whole thing.  

The white sundress was innocent enough at first glance, the kind of thing that looked sweet and well-behaved with its short sleeves that covered just enough of your shoulders to be considered respectful, and the tiered skirt that swayed around your thighs. 

But the thin strings tied into a bow at the front of the square neckline pulled your breasts together in a way that made them sit full and inviting, and the smocked top cinched snug around your waist before flaring out into soft, flowy layers over your hips. This dress had been Mina’s idea, and you had been reluctant about it at first, but seeing the way Taehyung’s gaze kept drifting down and then back up to your face, you had to admit she had been right.

“I like it a little too much.” Taehyung spoke under his breath, an arm pulling her closer by the waist, kissing her cheek in what should have been a simple greeting if it didn’t land a little too closely to the corner of her glossy lips.  

“Behave.” you chuckled, but leaned into his greeting regardless. “All your officers are watching.” 

“I can’t believe you really came.” Ji-hoon greeted you next, but kept his distance and his hands to himself. His posture told you he was on full duty today. “We didn’t believe you two were really… Y’know.” 

“We’re getting to know each other.” you said, clarifying to Ji-hoon and Minseok.  

Taehyung disagreed. “Nah, you’re mine.” 

“Oh, really?” you scoffed, because such discussion had never happened, and you were an old school kind of girl.  

That apparently involved herself in phone sex before said discussion actually happened, but you never claimed to be perfect. 

“He’s been saying you’re his girl for days.” Minseok added with a grimace. “It’s a little awkward if you don’t agree.” 

“We’ll see how today goes.” you said, picking up on the boys’ obvious wingman tactics, placing your arm around Tae’s waist when his arm was still around you, too. “Are you working on any of the booths?” 

“We’re on hot dog duty later.” Ji-hoon replied, sending Taehyung a pointed look. “Someone else was supposed to be too, but he’s the captain’s favorite.” 

“I just beat all of you in training every week, so I earned this.” Taehyung justified his freedom today, and you were happy to know he could be with you all day. Then he looked at you and grinned: “I'm a Special Warrior now.” 

“Are you really?” you gasped, eyebrows raising. 

“Yeah.” he nodded with a mix of quiet pride and modesty. “I wanted to tell you in person.”

Taehyung’s arm moved from its perch around you so he could show you the side of his sleeve, which had a sown in patch that held his newest title change. You touched him arm to give it a squeeze that was supposed to show your excitement as you said:

“Oh, I’m so proud of you.” then you pulled him into a hug, breathing in his must and smelling the faintest bit of aftershave. “Next time you come to the bar, we’ll all celebrate.”  

“I have other plans of how we can celebrate, but okay.” Taehyung shrugged, and your neck went a little hot from the way his hand squeezed your waist. 

So he was still just as eager as he’d been on the phone. Just as eager as you. Good.  

“Are your family members coming?” you asked the other two, just because going this route with Tae right now was dangerous.  

“Maybe later.” Ji-hoon shrugged, his family lived locally, so he saw them regularly already.  

“My brother might.” Minseok shrugged, not sounding so sure. Then he asked Taehyung: “He’s serving in the same division as your hyung, right?” 

“Namjoon-hyung, yeah.” Taehyung nodded, but his eyes returned to you like he couldn’t get enough. 

“Okay, we better go.” Ji-hoon said, looking around as some of the more official looking men started approaching to make sure everyone else was doing their job. “Come find us later, let us serve you, for once.” 

“You got it.” you had no trouble agreeing with that.  

You watched as the two of them marched away, postures tight and hands on their belt lops, very much into the Military Men persona they had to pull off while inside these grounds and nothing like the friends you were to seeing at the bar. 

“What do you want to do first?” Taehyung asked you, giving you the freedom to make the calls today.  

Before you could run your mouth and say you’d be down for whatever as long as he was with you, you asked: “What’s on the schedule?” 

“Opening ceremony starts at eleven, sharp. BBQ at twelve, I’m slotted for a competition at fifteen hundred.” he relayed the information with the formality of someone who was used to staring at bulletin boards too often. “Everything after that is optional, so we can skip those if you want.”

“Sounds fun.” you smiled, looking around. “Will you give me a tour?”

“I’m sure you know this place better than I do.” he chuckled, slipping his hand into yours. “But there’s somewhere I want to take you to, actually. You up for it?” 

“Of course.” 

Taehyung led you deeper into the grounds, away from the main bustle of families and activities. The path grew quieter, the fresh wind still brushing across your arms as the sun climbed higher. Behind the main administration building, sitting a little off in an open space, stood a low, concrete one-floor box. It looked bulky and formal, no windows, just a solid wooden door that seemed heavier than the rest of the camp’s architecture. He pushed it open and guided you inside.

It took a moment for your eyes to adjust to the difference in brightness. 

The room was noticeably darker than the bright summer day outside, cooler too, the air conditioning humming steadily and raising goosebumps along your arms. Soft sconces lined the walls, their light mimicking the gentle flicker of candles. Rows of framed photographs covered the walls, each one paired with a small plaque bearing a name and a list of achievements. The space felt hushed, respectful, the kind of quiet that pressed gently against your chest.

“What is this place?” you asked quietly, already sensing the weight of the room. “I’ve never been here.”

“It’s the honor room.” Taehyung’s hand stayed wrapped around yours, his thumb rubbing slow, soothing circles on the back of it. “It holds the deeds of those who walked these halls and made a difference.”

“Do you think my dad…” you whispered, the words catching before you could finish.

“Come with me.”

He walked calmly, leading you deeper into the gallery-like space until you reached a more spacious alcove. Only one large photograph hung on the white wall there, a big achievement plaque mounted beneath it.

 You stopped in front of it, throat tightening as you looked at the picture of your father in his favorite official uniform. He looked younger than you remembered him, but it was unmistakably him, the same steady eyes, the same quiet strength in his posture. The feeling of surprise and missing him lodged itself in your throat and sank heavy into your stomach. You held it back, never one to allow anyone to see you cry.

Your gaze shifted to the small flower holder hooked to the right of the frame, noticing how fresh flowers sat there, bright and carefully arranged. Taehyung noticed you looking at them, too.

“I, uh. I brought those.” he told you, not like he wanted to boast, but simply to show you respect. “I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course, Tae.” you noticed how tightly your hand was squeezing his. “But why?”

“I figured I’d introduce myself, since I’m dating his daughter.” he said, looking at the man in the photograph as if they were already familiar. Then he turned back to you and his eyes held yours. “Right?”

“You are.” you smiled, small but real, knowing that fighting both him and the heart in your chest would be easier said than done, especially after this. “He would have really liked you, you know?”

“You think?” Tae looked at you with a hopeful sparkle behind his eyes. 

“You’re brave, loyal, and you’re also kind and dedicated to the team. Those are things he valued a lot.” you told him, as sure as the sky was blue. “And you treat me well. He’d value that most of all.” 

Ever since he met you, Taehyung had seen more of the ugly parts of your life than you usually allowed people to. It was absolutely not on purpose and he just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and yet… He hadn’t run away yet. 

In fact, he seemed to be intent on staying for as long as he could, as much as he was allowed to. And you had no idea what you’d done to deserve his attention and this level of dedication he kept showing you, but maybe for the first time in your life you could let your guards down around someone. 

“He really was an impressive man. I mean, he had to be, to have a daughter like you.” Taehyung smiled, and you knew he meant well, but you still felt the sting at hearing that. “I’m sure he’s proud.”  

“I’m not so sure about that.” you looked at the floor between you, but Taehyung didn’t allow you. 

His hand let go of yours to gently lift your head back by tilting your chin: “What do you mean, hustler?” 

“Do you really think he’d be proud of me when I haven’t been able to pay rent for the last three months? Going on four.” you chuckled under your breath, just because laughing at your misfortune meant you wouldn’t cry. “Or how I’m collateral for some old debt and might become a trophy wife to a loan shark’s son? Or how I’m running the bar to the ground and about to leave my employees without a job if I can’t make this work–”

“I think he’d be proud of you for taking on a debt that isn't yours and not running away because you’re not a coward.” Taehyung interrupted you, holding your face with both hands. The touch was gentle in the way he held you, but his eyes were firm like he was begging you for you to listen. “He’d be proud that you’re putting your own life on the line everyday to protect your employees and make sure they still have a warm plate of food every night when you’re living off ₩576 ramen every other day.” 

“How–”

“I spied in your trashcan, but that’s not the point.” his thumb brushed your cheekbone, then his lips smoothed the lines between your brows. “And even going through all that, you still offer free food for school kids, and you still give free drinks to new customers.” 

“Maybe that’s what’s taking my rent money.” you grumbled, smiling reluctantly. 

“Your father would be proud of you.” Taehyung insisted before you could run away from the subject. “And I’m proud of you.” 

You let out a long, dragged out sigh, allowing yourself to listen to his words, like he was trying to make you. You didn’t exactly agree with some of the things he said, because those were just the human thing to do, but you appreciated him pointing them out anyway. Because you were just a person trying to do the best with the cards life was dealing her. You didn’t always do well, but you still did all you could. 

“You know, you’re not good for me.” you allowed yourself to take a step closer and rest your forehead against his chest, taking this quiet and empty space to be vulnerable.  

“How?!” Taehyung laughed, and the rumble of it made you smile.

“I might actually fall for you, and then you’ll break my heart when you leave.” you murmured, but you knew he heard you when his breath caught. “But if I’m going to end up marrying someone I don’t love, at least I’ll experience it with you.” 

“Don’t say that.” his hands held both of your arms, firm enough for you to feel the press of his fingers but not enough to hurt. You looked up at him to see the pain written all over his face, and you hated to be the one to put it there again. “I won’t let that happen.” 

“You’re sweet for thinking you can stop it.”

You weren’t trying to sour the mood, but since Taehyung wanted to try to have a relationship with you, then he needed to know what he was getting himself into, while he still had the time to back down. 

Chuncheon was a small town, and gossip spread fast, so you knew he probably heard by now that you were the promised collateral prize if you weren’t able to pay what your uncle owed Mr. Han. And the old shark was only making it more difficult for you to get out of that debt because Kai had been in love with you since your school years. 

“Shouldn’t you be at the opening ceremony, Special Warrior Kim?”  a new voice broke the bubble around you both.

The tone and the recognition made Taehyung take a step back and salute, posture snapping straight in the way military men did in the presence of higher officials. Your stomach twisted for a moment, thinking you might have gotten him in trouble, but then you looked at the official and instantly knew who he was.

“Sir, Lieutenant Sir.” Taehyung said, still at attention.

“Uncle Jung…” you greeted softly, almost like a whisper.

This man had been your father’s closest friend since before their military days, the one who had been in the same mission when your dad died, the one to bring his body home. The one your dad had sacrificed himself to save. You had loved him like part of the family, just like your dad had. But ever since the mess with your actual uncle started and you got tangled up with Mr. Han, you hadn’t seen Uncle Jung anymore.

Seeing you standing there with Taehyung was surprising for the new Lieutenant, but his hard stance broke when he recognized you, and he understood quickly why the two of you were both here with your father’s picture right there on the wall.

“At ease, soldier.” Uncle Jung said, and Taehyung relaxed his posture but kept his head slightly lowered in respect, hands clasped behind his back. The man’s tone turned warmer when he looked at you. “You haven’t been back in so long… How are you, Yn?”

“I’m good.” you smiled, bowing to the man in respect and greeting. “How have you been, sir? How’s Yeunja?”

“She moved to Seoul last year. She got a job at a big tech company.” Mr. Jung told you about his daughter, who had once been your best friend. “I’ll let her know I saw you.”

“Please. I’ll text her too. We can catch up whenever she visits.” you lied, when the last thing you wanted was to hear how your once best friend was living out a dream you had shared once, while you were stuck in this town forever.

“And how do you two know each other?” Uncle Jung asked, looking between you and Taehyung.

“If you’re asking as his superior, I don’t know him,” you said. “If you’re asking as my dad’s best friend, he’s my boyfriend.”

“Yes I am.” Taehyung confirmed, more for himself than anyone else.

“Well, then you and this boy you don’t know should get to the auditorium before you miss the opening ceremony.” Uncle Jung was back to his official posture, but the small twitch at the corner of his lips gave him away.

“Yes, Sir!”

-

-

“So this is where you live.” you said, looking around at the barren room.

Two bunk beds took up most of the space, the thin mattresses made up with military precision, and a couple of metal lockers stood against the far wall, their doors closed tight. There was no color, no personal touches, no softness except for the single thin pillows on each bed. 

The air smelled faintly of clean laundry and the faint metallic tang of the building itself. It felt temporary, functional, and so unlike him that your chest ached a little at the thought of Taenhyung sleeping here day after day.

“It’s better than what I had when I first arrived, don’t feel too bad for me.” Taehyung was watching you watch the space, his back resting against the metal of his closed door. 

“Which one is yours?” you asked as you pointed to the two bottom beds, remembering how he told you had one of those. 

“The one on the left.” he nodded towards it, still watching you like you were a threat in the best way. 

Like he didn’t want to miss a single movement of you in his space. 

It was a little after twelve and the two of you should be having lunch with the rest of the visitors, but Taehyung asked if you wanted to see his room, and your hunger could wait a little longer. You walked to his bed slowly and sat down on the mattress, feeling how hard and creaky it was under your weight. 

You really didn’t understand how the government never funded the military in ways that made the living situation better for the men putting their lives on the line for this country every day they spent in here, but it wasn’t exactly something you could change yourself. 

Instead, you opened the small, locker style, steel nightstand on Taehyung’s side of the bottom bunk.

The owner chuckled as he asked: “What are you doing?” 

“Snooping.” you shrugged, shameless. “You snooped in my trashcan, I can at least have this.”

“You won’t find anything interesting.” Taehyung said but didn’t stop you. 

You weren’t looking for anything specific, just acting curious when you looked inside the locker, finding nothing but a book about a library, a nail clipper, reading glasses and a printed picture of a black and tan pomeranian puppy. 

“Told you there’s nothing interesting here,” he said. “When you come visit me in Seoul, I’ll let you snoop in my whole apartment. That will be much more fun.” 

There it was again, your heart doing the treacherous thing called hope. 

“I can see at least one interesting thing in this room.” you said, changing the subject slightly, steering it somewhere a little safer.

Taehyung knew you meant him. His head tilted as he let his gaze travel slowly down your body and back up again, open and hungry. He licked between his lips, and a small metallic click cut through the quiet room. It took you a second to realize he had just locked the door.

Your breath caught.

He pushed away from the door and walked toward you in slow strides, patient and calm. You stayed where you were, even though every instinct told you to move, to run. Tae’s hands settled on the sides of your hips, warm and sure, pulling you closer until your bodies met. You went easily, your own hands coming up to rest against his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing under your palms.

“You’re finally here.” he mumbled, face lowering closer to yours. Your eyes dropped to his lips, lashes fluttering as you waited for the kiss. But his mouth moved to your ear instead, breath warm against your skin. “Do you have any idea how many nights I spent here, thinking about you?”

“A lot?” your voice came out quiet and weak, your breath already heavier.

“More than I could count, if I’m being honest.” one of his hands slid to the back of your neck, fingers gentle as he tilted your face upward. “Especially after that damn call.”

“I really liked that call.” you admitted, looking up at his dark eyes through your lashes.

“I could tell.” his nose nudged yours, close enough that you could taste the faint mint on his breath.

“Tae…”

“Yeah, hustler?” he teased, the corner of his mouth lifting even though you both knew exactly where this was heading. He still didn’t close the distance, leaving just enough space to make your skin crawl.

Your hands moved on their own, sliding up to his shoulders first, then higher, fingers slipping into the short strands of hair at the nape of his neck. You looked at his face, studying the bruise on his cheekbone already fading to a softer yellow, the cut on the bridge of his nose and the one near his brow healing nicely. He was so handsome and intense like this that you had to use every bit of willpower not to look away, because that would only give him more power than he already had.

Instead, you pressed your front against his, your breasts pushing tight against the low cut of your top, and tugged at the strands of his hair.

That was all it took.

He groaned, low and rough, the hand on your waist tightening as he finally gave in. “Kiss me.” you said, sweet and pleading, barely above a whisper.

He leaned in at once, mouth meeting yours, his tongue slipping between your lips without hesitation. The kiss was slow but deep, sensual in a way that made your head feel fuzzy and your knees a little weak from the first flick of his tongue. 

You moved with him, lips parting further, sighing softly into his mouth as he groaned again at the way you kept tugging his hair. The sound vibrated against your tongue, warm and delicious, and for a moment everything else, the sparse room, the rules, the world outside, disappeared completely.

Your hands stayed in his hair, fingers curling tighter as you pressed your front against him, breasts pushing softly into his chest. The kiss deepened, slow and thorough, his tongue sliding against yours in a way that made heat pool. You couldn’t help the small sound that escaped you, nor the way your hips rolled forward, seeking him. The hard line of his cock pressed against your lower stomach through his pants, and the proof that he was just as affected made your thighs press together instinctively.

Taehyung moaned into your mouth, the sound turning into a low groan as his lips left yours to trail along your jaw, then lower, right below your ear. He kissed your neck with wet, open-mouthed presses, the occasional scrape of teeth and slow drag of his tongue sending shivers down your spine. Nothing that would leave a mark, but enough to make your skin feel too hot and your breath come shorter. You rubbed your thighs together again, the ache between them growing sharper with every touch.

“I never wanted anyone as much as I want you.” he said against your skin, voice rough and honest.

“It’s just the abstinence from being in the military.” you joked, even as the same desperate feeling settled deep in your chest.

“I’ll prove it to you.” his hand at the back of your neck tugged gently at your hair, tilting your head to give him more room. His mouth moved lower. “Years from now, when we’re living together in the big city, I’ll still want you just as much.”

“Don’t promise what you can’t keep.” you challenged, voice barely steady.

His hand slid from your waist to your ass, giving it a firm squeeze that pulled a soft gasp from you. “I never do, hustler.”

Taehyung pulled back just enough for you to see his face again, eyes dark and serious. Your brain wanted to argue that he wasn’t thinking straight, that this was all heat and fantasy, but you let yourself sink into it anyway; the shared daydream that he could save you from this town and the future already written for you. 

You rose onto your toes, pressing your mouth to his again, a tiny nod accompanying the kiss that you hoped he felt. You kept kissing him then, slow and deep, your hands roaming over his shoulders and down his back, squeezing the firm muscle there. His own hands weren’t shy either, sliding over your waist, your hips, gripping just tight enough to make you press closer. Both of you were breathing hard, chests rising and falling against each other, but neither wanted to stop.

“You made a promise over the phone, too.” you moaned against his mouth. “How about you keep that one first?”

Taehyung pulled back just enough to look at you, eyes dark and a little dazed, adorably confused. You were squeezing around nothing, already so aroused it ached, but you waited, watching the moment it clicked.

“I got something to prove to you, don’t I?” he grinned, wide and hungry, and you nodded.

Taehyung’s hands stayed on your hips as he gently walked you backward toward his bed. You caught the hint right away, ducking your head so you wouldn’t hit it on the top bunk, and lowered yourself onto the thin mattress. The single pillow was lumpy under your head and the bed creaked under your weight, the frame digging slightly into your back, but you didn’t care. Not when he was climbing over you, his body too big for the small bed, knees pushing your legs apart as he settled between them.

The ridiculous fit of both of you trying to share the narrow space made you giggle, but he covered your mouth with his hand, warm and firm.

“Remember to be quiet, baby.” he whispered.

You nodded under his palm, then teased against it: “As I remember, you know just how to keep my mouth busy if I’m not.”

Tae groaned, low and rough, and parted your legs wider so he could slot his hips between them. You had a bratty reply ready on the tip of your tongue, but then he rolled his hips forward, pressing his clothed cock right against your pussy. The friction hit your clit even through the layers of fabric and your back arched sharply, pushing your breasts up as you rubbed against him in return.

“God, I love how desperate you get.” he said, staring right at your face. “Never seen anyone so beautiful like this.”

“Tae… No time.” you complained, voice already breathy. “You can praise me all you want later, when we're living together in the big city.

Taehyung smiled at the mention of the future he had joked about, eyes too fond for what you were about to do. His long fingers found the thin strings of your top, giving them small, teasing tugs until the bow loosened and the fabric slipped down. 

“This okay?” he asked, voice low.

You nodded, reaching down to pull the top the rest of the way, letting your breasts spill free. Taehyung’s hips stuttered against you as he stared, like he was fighting not to drool.

“You’ve been walking around me in this dress all morning without a bra?” his voice was rough, almost disbelieving.

You shrugged, trying to look innocent even as heat flooded your face. “You could have found out earlier. I wouldn’t have stopped you.”

“Fuck…”

Your hand slid to the back of his neck, fingers slipping into the short strands there as you pulled him closer. His eyes stayed on you the whole time, dark and focused, letting you guide him exactly where you wanted.

You held one breast up with a small hand, dragging your nipple softly against his bottom lip, then pulling it down just enough to tease. His eyes rolled back for a second, a low sound rumbling in his chest. You tapped the side of his cheek gently, surprised by how pliant he was right now, giving you this small bit of control. 

He obeyed, parting his mouth and letting his tongue slip out, warm and wet. One of his eyebrows twitched up, and that was when you realized he wasn’t really giving you the control at all. He was hustling you, seeing how far you would take it. 

And fuck, that was hot.

Your back bowed again as you dragged your nipple across the flat of his tongue, watching it grow hard and slick with every slow pass. The sensation sent sparks straight between your legs until you couldn’t take it anymore. You laid back against the thin mattress, breath shaky.

Taehyung followed your breasts with his mouth, lips wrapping around your nipple as he sucked, slow and hard. His tongue swirled, teeth grazing just enough to make you bite your own lip hard to keep from moaning too loud. His right hand started moving down between your bodies, fingers finding the damp fabric of your underwear and pressing down with two fingers, firm and sure, right where you needed it.

“You’re gonna make such a mess on my sheets, aren’t you?” he mused, dragging the digits up and down your covered folds. “Everyone is gonna be able to smell you when they come back.”

Taehyung nosed between your breasts, breathing you in as you held them together for him, the soft weight of them pressing against his cheeks. Tae’s tongue dragged slow and wet over one nipple, then the other, while his hand worked between your legs. 

He finally pushed your underwear to the side with two fingers, coating them in your slick, and you felt the cool air hit your exposed skin for just a second before his thumb found your clit, rubbing quick, firm circles that made your hips jerk.

You squirmed under him, gasping, and he covered your mouth with his free hand, palm big and warm.

“Shhh…” he mumbled against your skin, the smile in his voice downright filthy. “Don’t make me gag you around my fingers.”

“Please, do.” you chuckled, delirious, the words muffled.

He pressed the tips of two fingers to your entrance, then pushed them in to the second knuckle. 

“I think you were right.” he whispered, voice rough as he kissed the side of your breast. “It’s gonna be a tight fit when I get my cock in you.”

The sound of heavy boots on the concrete outside made you both freeze. Your eyes went wide, heart hammering with sudden worry, but Taehyung’s stayed dark and heavy-lidded, completely blown out. The footsteps passed without stopping, fading down the hallway, but the reminder that people were walking just outside the door only made everything feel sharper.

Like a teasing menace, he pushed his fingers all the way in. It didn’t hurt, but the stretch made you clench around him, breath catching. He added his thumb, rolling it in slow circles against your clit to help you relax, the pressure steady and perfect.

The footsteps were still out there, soldiers probably finished with lunch, moving up and down the hall, but with the way he was fingering you deep, you couldn’t bring yourself to care.

“It’s so tight…” Taehyung praised, voice low as he dragged his fingers along your walls. His heavy cock pressed hot and hard against the inside of your thigh, twitching every time you squeezed around him.

You desperately wanted to moan, the sound building in your throat, but you knew how much trouble you’d both be in if anyone heard. Instead, you grabbed the hand covering your mouth, holding his wrist as you opened your lips for him. He watched, a little drunk on it, as you wrapped your mouth around his fingers and pushed them deeper, sucking gently.

“Good girl.” he murmured, the words rough. “That’s it. Keep that pretty little mouth full and quiet.”

He kept pressing his fingers inside you, curling and stroking, his thumb working your clit in quick, expert circles. You bobbed your head slowly, licking and making a soft, wet mess around his fingers, the quiet slurping sounds barely loud enough for the two of you to hear.

Then he pressed upward, curling his fingers just right, and a sharp, unfamiliar pleasure shot through you. 

“You look a little surprised there, hustler. I told you I would find it.” he looked cocky as hell, tongue pushing against the inside of his cheek. 

You drooled around his fingers, nodding desperately as his mouth moved to your ear. “Better keep those fingers in there,” he warned, voice low and filthy, “because I’m about to make you cum nice and hard. Got it?”

You nodded again, pushing his fingers even deeper down your throat. You swallowed around them and Taehyung moaned, low and raspy, right against your ear.

His fingers kept hitting that spot inside you, faster now, his thumb working quick circles over your clit at the same time. You could barely focus on sucking his fingers anymore, your eyes fluttering as desperate little moans and whimpers slipped out around them.

Taehyung didn’t stop, whispering filthy things against your ear, low and rough.

“That’s it, baby… feel how tight you are around my fingers? You’re going to cum so hard for me.” 

You didn’t remember ever feeling this good from someone else’s hands, not even from your favorite toy on your loneliest nights.

Then he flicked his wrist just right and everything broke. 

Your orgasm crashed through you, sudden and overwhelming, starting low in your belly and spreading hot and electric through your whole body. Your pussy clenched hard around his fingers, pulsing in tight, rhythmic waves that made your thighs shake and your back arch sharply off the thin mattress. A broken moan tried to escape your throat, but his hand over your mouth caught most of it, turning it into a muffled, desperate sound. 

Your toes curled, your fingers dug into his shoulders, and for a few long seconds the whole world narrowed down to the relentless pleasure rolling through you in heavy, shuddering waves. Even your vision blurred at the edges as the aftershocks kept coming, smaller but just as intense, leaving your legs trembling and your chest heaving.

He kept pumping his fingers through it, slow and steady, drawing out every last bit until your body finally went boneless beneath him, heavy and warm and completely spent.

“You look like a fucking mess right now.” he mumbled, voice thick with satisfaction. It felt like the highest praise. “How am I going to let you walk out there looking like this?”

You frowned, a tiny pout forming on your lips. “We’re going now? I didn’t even get the chance to suck you off.”

He looked a little embarrassed, cheeks flushed, but the grin that followed was anything but shy: 

“I came in my pants as soon as you brought your tits to my mouth.”

“Really?” your eyes sparkled, delighted and still a little light-headed. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should.” he leaned in to kiss your lips, soft and lingering. “But I do need to change my pants before we go.”

“Shit, I have to stay with a damp underwear for the rest of the day?!”

-

-

Given that you and Taehyung missed the actual lunch of today’s program, and then some, you were accepting of the idea that you would have to go hungry for a few more hours before you had the opportunity to eat something again. 

But then, as soon as you were sneaking out of the dorms and out into the open again –with your hair up in a ponytail, makeup wiped off after it was ruined, and dress a little more crinkled than when you arrived– Taehyung reminded you that his hyungs were working on the hot dog booth. 

And you fed those boys so many times that no one denied you a chunky hot dog, even if they were technically not allowed to start cooking them yet.  

“This is really good, my god!” you gushed through a mouthful, chewing on the best bite of hot dog you’ve ever had in your life. “Did you make this sauce yourself?”

You asked Minseok, who was looking the proudest at your praise as he sat on the other side of the picnic table across from you and next to Ji-hoon. The white tent above you made it so the summer sun wasn’t coming down on you too hard, but the cool winds from this morning were long gone. 

“Created it in the kitchen here at the base myself,” Miseok nodded, chest puffed. “I worked as a chef during my first months of enlisting.” 

“Wow, I’m really impressed.” you nodded, finally swallowing. “Can I buy the recipe to serve at the bar?” 

“You can have it for free.” he told you with a smile and a wink. “I’ll text you later.” 

“What are you texting my girl for?” Taehyung only picked up on the end of the conversation, making his way back to the table with two soda cans he stole from the kitchen. Or maybe they had vending machines now, you weren’t sure.  

Taehyung –now in black pants instead of the dark green ones he would have to deal with later– passed a leg around the long wooden bench to sit next to you, practically encasing your side with his long legs, placing the cans on the table top.  

“I’m stealing her from you.” Minseok replied in a deadpan, and Ji-hoon scoffed.  

“You had two years to get her, and now that I’m here you think you got a chance, huh?” Taehyung grinned, certain of his hold on your heart already. 

And he wasn’t wrong. Especially not when you watched those long fingers that had just been inside you popping the can open with just one hand.  

You blinked hard, offering the hot dog to your man. “Try this.” 

“That’s his secret sauce, right?” Taehyung asked as he studied the bun and the herbs-green sauce drizzled on top. “You should try it with fries.” 

The groan that came out of your mouth as you imagined trying this with french fries was very different from the ones you were letting out thirty minutes ago. Taehyung’s mouth opened so wide to take a bite of the food that you believed for a moment that he was about to take half of it at once. 

Ji-hoon looked at his watch, asking: “Shouldn’t you be getting ready for the–”

“Taehyungie?” 

You didn’t really recognize the voice calling your new-boyfriend, but he clearly did, perking up with surprise as he tried to swallow the giant bite and you worried he might choke. 

“Hyung!” Taehyung was getting up right away, swallowing with a tiny cough and running to the man who called him. “I didn’t know you were coming!”

You turned around in your seat, watching as Tae bear hugged the slightly taller man, who was also wearing full military gear, but not the SDT kind. He was hiding from the sun behind dark sunglasses and a cap, but you recognized him soon enough. 

“I wanted to surprise you.” Kim Namjoon smiled big and friendly, patting Taehyung’s chest and biceps. “Damn, you’re big.” 

“Bigger than you!” Taehyung agreed excitedly. “And Jungkookie too, we’re in a competition.” 

“I see that.” Namjoon smiled fondly, his eyes finding your table for a strange second before focusing on his brother again. “How have you been, Tae?” 

“Really good, hyung.” Tae followed the look, as if remembering you were still there, and pulled the other man closer. “Oh, I want to introduce you to someone.” 

Oh, god! Not when I have sauce all over my face!

You swallowed the small bite you were chewing and cleaned your mouth with a napkin, getting up as the men approached and wiped your hands as you smoothed down your dress. Not that the action made much of any difference. 

“This is Yn.” Taehyung started introductions as soon as you turned around and moved off the bench.  

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Namjoon-ssi.” you bowed politely, hands on your chest so you wouldn’t flash the man when you bent slightly to show your respects.  

“Likewise. I heard a lot about you.” the older man just nodded with his head, but his smile was friendly enough at first glance. Then he looked at Taehyung and said: “Jiminie told me you met someone.” 

“I told him not to–” Tae groaned, his hand finding the small of your back as if it was already second nature. “I wanted to be the one to tell everyone.” 

“Then text us every once in a while, or at least look at the group chat when you’re having time off.” Namjoon nagged him like an older brother, fond and warm.  

You quietly slipped from under Taehyung’s arm so you could go back to your hot dog, taking a few more bites and sipping the cold soda. The carbonation fizzed against your tongue, a welcome distraction as you listened to them talk. 

You had always known Namjoon and Taehyung were close, they had been in the same group for years, but sometimes those kinds of friendships looked better on camera than they felt in real life. Hearing them now, the easy way they teased and checked in on each other, made it clear this one was real. It made you happy in a quiet, warm way to know Taehyung surrounded himself with good people in every part of his life.

You turned your head whenever Taehyung mentioned you or the bar, smiling as he told Namjoon he had to come by if he stayed longer than a few hours for the event. 

You had always thought you were good at reading people, your dad had drilled that into you from a young age, that the world could be unkind even to good people, so you couldn’t help noticing the small off vibe from Namjoon. It wasn’t toward Taehyung, and not even toward Minseok and Ji-hoon, but toward you. 

For Taehyung’s sake, you shrugged it off, ignoring the uneasy twist in your stomach.

“Tae, you’re gonna be late for the game.” Ji-hoon called after checking his watch.

Taehyung looked panicked, eyes widening like he had completely forgotten. 

“Shit, we have to go.” he turned to Namjoon, grabbing his arm. “Hyung, you have to watch me kick these rookies’ asses.”

“You’re also a rookie?” Namjoon laughed, warm and fond.

“He’s a special warrior now.” you said, proud as you stood up again, brushing crumbs from your dress.

“Oh?” Namjoon looked from you to Taehyung, one eyebrow lifting slightly. “That you don’t mention?”

“It just happened this week.” Taehyung replied, a little abashed, clearly missing the tiny jab you had caught.

You all started walking toward the drills area, the group of five moving at an easy pace. Minseok cleared the trash from the table and grabbed Taehyung’s untouched can of soda for himself, grinning like he had won something. Taehyung and Namjoon fell into step ahead of everyone else, their voices carrying back to you as they caught up on things only they would understand. 

You didn’t mind. It made you happy, in a quiet way, that someone from Taehyung’s old life had shown up to support him today.

When you reached the competition area, Taehyung pulled you aside for a quick moment, his hand warm on your lower back. He leaned in and kissed you, soft and quick, but enough to make your stomach flip. 

“Keep your eyes on me.” he murmured against your lips.

“They are only for you anyways.” you told him, knowing it sounded cheesy but also knowing he would like it.

Taehyung grinned, then parted from you to go get ready with the other competing boys. When you looked back, Minseok and Ji-hoon had already left to help organize the competition, and you felt a little awkward now that it was just you and Namjoon, but you decided it was a good opportunity to get to know him better.

“Should we go find a place to watch?” you invited, trying to sound friendly.

“Lead the way.” he said simply.

You looked toward the shaded bleachers where loved ones were gathering and started walking there, knowing Namjoon would follow. You climbed up to the second row, apologizing quietly to the people already sitting there, and found an empty spot. Namjoon settled beside you, the shade already feeling much better than the direct sun.

You sat there in the shaded bleachers, watching Taehyung even from this distance, feeling both excited and nervous for him. You knew he would push himself harder today because you and Namjoon were watching. 

The silence between you and Namjoon felt a little too heavy while the competition still hadn’t started, so you turned to him, trying to make conversation.

“Did you really hear about me?” you asked, as friendly as you could sound.

“I did.” Namjoon kept looking ahead, not at you. “Which is why I came here today.”

“Oh, that’s so nice of you…” you smiled, but it dropped when he sighed and took off his sunglasses. “Right?”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, you seem like a really nice girl and all.” Namjoon turned toward you, and you felt your guard come up immediately. “But don’t you think this is all a bit pointless?”

“Pointless,” you repeated, unsure if he was talking about the competition, your small talk, or something else entirely.

“Listen, I’m going to be honest with you. You look smart.” Namjoon’s tone reminded you of a PR person, or even a politician. “He’s gonna leave in a few months.”

“I’m aware.” your voice came out a little flat.

“And as soon as he leaves, we have a job to do.” he continued, serious. “Tae can’t be wasting time moping around from a breakup.”

“So you’re already assuming we’re going to break up once his enlistment ends?” you saw the point he was making, you had run through all those bullet points in your own head too, but you weren’t about to agree with this stranger who was judging you after knowing you for ten minutes.

“Don’t you?” he asked, but it sounded rhetorical. “I’m not trying to be harsh here–”

“You’re just trying to find a way to tell me to stay away from your friend without sounding like an asshole.” you said, your cadence steady.

“Do you think you could keep up with his lifestyle?” Namjoon tried another route. “Or that he’s still going to be interested in you when he has more options?”

His words hurt, because he was saying with full letters that the only reason Taehyung was interested in you was because you were the better choice in this small town, that you were available and right there. It twisted an insecurity you didn’t know you should have, but thinking about Taehyung around models and idols and everything else made the hot dog feel heavier in your stomach than it had five minutes ago.

“Wow, I take it back. You really don’t mind sounding like an asshole.” you said with a short laugh.

“Not if it means I’m protecting my own.” he stayed serious. “Because I know Tae better than you do, and he’s probably already picturing a future with an apartment and kids with you, but that’s not realistic.”

“He can’t have a private life outside of the group?” at this point you weren’t even thinking about yourself or your future with Tae, but protective of Taehyung himself, even if his future wasn’t meant to be with you.

“Absolutely he can, just not–” 

“With me.”

“…right now.” Namjoon continued quietly. “He gets into things too intensely, too fast. And then when they don’t work out the way he envisioned them, he crashes hard. Trust me on this, I was there for all of his breakups.”

You sat with the irony that you had been thinking a similar thing, that Taehyung would be the one to break your heart, that you were growing too attached too fast. But you had decided to take a chance because it was Tae and you had never felt this way about anyone else. 

And now Namjoon was presenting you with the same facts, but with his best friend’s interest in mind. 

Had you been so naive to believe this could actually work in the long run? That you would somehow escape the shackle at your ankle called Kai, that he would ever let you leave just because you found true love?

Yeah. You and Tae were fated to not work out in the end, but not for any of the reasons Namjoon was hinting at. So maybe he was right after all, and you should break things off before you could keep hurting Tae. Even if it meant your own heart would start breaking today.

You sat there in the shaded bleachers, the noise of the competition barely registering. Namjoon’s words kept turning over in your head.

You didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of being right, but he was, and he didn’t even know the full story. If he only worried about Tae being sad after a breakup, he would lose his mind if he found out the type of people you were tangled up with; the debts, the threats, the way Kai had made you collateral in a game you never asked to play.

It made you feel selfish and irresponsible for letting Taehyung get this close to someone like you. He was famous, even if it didn’t feel like it in this small pocket of the world. If word got out about the two of you, about your mess, you would ruin his career. 

And you would never forgive yourself for doing that to him.

Your throat tightened, and you nodded to yourself, small and decisive, then stood up from the bleacher seat, brushing your hands down your dress as if that could steady you.

“Thank you, Yn.” Namjoon said quietly.

“I’m not doing this for you.” your voice came out small and choked, but you knew the tears wouldn’t come until you were alone.

You walked off the bleachers, legs moving on autopilot, thanking every higher power that Taehyung was still busy with the competition. You looked back at him one last time, heart breaking a million times over for what you had already done and what you were doing right now. 

He was laughing with the other boys, face bright and focused, completely unaware of the storm happening around him. Even now, seeing him like that made your chest flutter in the worst way, happy and aching all at once.

Namjoon would probably tell him something kinder, make you sound like the bad guy trying to take advantage. It would hurt, but in the list of things that could happen, that was the lesser evil. Let him hate you. Let him think you didn’t deserve him. Thinking of you fondly would only make it worse for him in the end.

You turned around to leave, taking a few steps until you ran straight into Ji-hoon.

“Where are you going?” he asked, but his smile dropped as soon as he saw your face. “Hey, what’s going on–”

“Please let me go.” you said, hating how your voice wavered.

“Yn, what–” he tried again, reaching for your arm, but you sidestepped him.

You were trying to leave with whatever dignity you had left, trying not to cause a scene, but people near the entrance were already looking. You felt small and broken under their stares, the kind of attention that made your skin crawl. 

Your legs kept moving, a straight line toward the gates that suddenly felt as big and far away as they had when you were a kid.

“Hustler!”

No no no no no. Keep walking. Don’t turn around.

You would crumble if you looked at him.

“Wait–” Taehyung’s hand caught your arm just as you reached the gates, warm and firm, stopping you in your tracks.

Taehyung stepped in front of you, blocking the path to the gates and you pushed a smile onto your lips, but it felt thin and wrong, nowhere near your eyes.

“Shouldn’t you be kicking the rookies’ asses right now?” your voice came out as weak as you felt.

“Ji-hoon hyung said you were leaving.” he looked serious, brows drawn together, the easy smile from the competition already gone.

“Yeah, sorry, something came up–” you tried to step around him, but he shifted with you, gentle but firm.

“Okay, let’s go.” he was already turning, ready to follow without asking twice.

“What?” you shook your head, guilt twisting sharp in your chest as he moved to save you again. This time he couldn’t. Not from this. “No, you can’t.”

“You’re about to cry, so something serious is happening.” he had already decided, eyes searching your face. “I’ll go with you.”

“No, you don’t get it.” your breath was getting harder to pull in, the words scraping up your throat. “You can’t come with me, because… You’re the reason I’m leaving.”

Taehyung stopped then, like you had slapped him across the face. The look he gave you hit harder than anything else had since your dad died, raw confusion and hurt all at once, his shoulders dropping, mouth slightly parted like he couldn’t quite believe what he’d heard. 

You knew there was no coming back from what you were about to say, but you said it anyway.

“Listen, Tae… I’m very sorry, okay?” at least that part was true. “Being with you was nice, but it was only a fantasy of what could have been if I wasn’t me and you weren’t you.”

“Where is this coming from?” his hand dropped from your arm, and the loss of his touch made your chest feel like it was already bleeding. “Because you don’t even sound like yourself right now.”

“Miss, are you leaving?” the guard by the entrance called out, voice flat and official. “You can’t just stand in front of the gates like this.”

“Yes.” you answered.

At the same time Taehyung said: “No.”

“Tae–”

“Talk to me, hustler.” his voice cracked on the nickname, pleading now. “Tell me the truth, not whatever this is.”

“You should forget about me.” you said, the words tasting like ash in your mouth. “It’ll be easier for both of us in the end.”

The gates were already opening, the guard stepping forward with a firm look that said this wasn’t the place for a scene. He walked you out without another word, his hand hovering near your elbow like he was ready to guide you if you didn’t move. Taehyung tried to follow, but the guard stopped him with a single raised hand and a clipped order. 

You felt Taehyung’s stare burning into your back the whole way, heavy and confused, like he was still waiting for you to turn around and explain.

You kept walking, one step after the other, even though every part of you wanted to run back to him when this was the worst thing you had ever had to do in your life. 

You wondered if it was possible to love someone you had only just met, because it felt like it was. The thought of turning around and begging him to run away with you kept flashing through your mind, but that wouldn’t fix any of the problems waiting for you. 

It would only make them worse for him.

So you kept walking, all the way to the bar two blocks away, the familiar neon sign blurring a little as you got closer. You hoped Mina would be there for a hug, or that you could hide in the bathroom until you could breathe again.

Instead, you saw the police cars parked out front, lights on and unmistakable.

-

-