Chapter 16
“Oh my god I’m quitting. I can’t tolerate these fan girls screaming unnecessary near my ears.” taehyung speaks dramatically while helping some staff to set up the debut stage for jungkook’s new song performance. The song was released yesterday and today is the debut stage.
“Are you new to this job?” a man asks whom taehyung hasn’t seen before.
“No… I have been working here for more than a month…” taehyung Answers in a way which sounds like he has been working for 10 years here.
“You are definitely a new boy. These screaming Are just the trailer. Once jeon jungkook comes on stage, It’s hard to be here due to all the screaming.” the same man speaks.
“I’m going. My ears are about to bleed. HYUNG! MANAGER HYUNG! PLEASE GIVE ME SOMETHING ELSE TO DO. I CAN’T BE AROUND THESE GIRLS WHO ARE ACTING LIKE THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY OPPOSITE GENDER IN THEIR WHOLE LIFE. HOW WEIRD!” taehyung yells loudly while leaving from the stage area.
Taehyung is about to go to the dressing room area but two young staff stop him midway. They wave two notes of 5 dollars in front of taehyung and fan themselves with the notes. Taehyung’s eyes follow the movement of the notes and then he clears his throat.
“10 dollars if You call him husband the whole day.” the girls say.
“Done!” taehyung says with a big grin and gives a thumbs up.
When taehyung enters inside the dressing room he sees jungkook is preparing to get ready. But the dressing room is full of people and no one notices taehyung there.
“What a peace!” taehyung says and sits in a corner lazily while eating ramen from an instant ramen cup. He doesn’t know whose food it is but who cares. He is going to eat it anyway. He peacefully keeps eating the ramen and boringly stares at all the people working in the room.
“Jungkook ssi, before you change dress, finish your ramen first.” one staff says to the idol who nods his head.
Jungkook looks back at the table where he has kept his half eaten ramen but sees there’s no ramen cup there. He looks around confusedly and spots taehyung slurping the ramen lazily with earphones on.
“Hey kid!” jungkook calls. But Taehyung doesn’t notice. So he walks toward taehyung and bends down a little and snaps his fingers in front of his face loudly. Then taehyung looks at him and takes off his earphones.
“Before you say anything sir, someone offered me 10 dollars if i call you husband. Do you want to offer me 20 dollars to quit the previous offer?” taehyung speaks and puts some more ramen inside his mouth.
Jungkook ignores taehyung’s words and asks ” is this your food? Or you got it from the table?”
“It was on the table. The owner is missing so i claimed it. Do you want to have some ramen sir?” saying taehyung holds a chopstick full of noodles in front of jungkook’s mouth.
Seeing the scene jungkook slightly tilts his head and stares at taehyung’s face, then he looks at taehyung’s right hand which is holding noodles in front of him and then he again looks at Taehyung’s eyes.
None of them notice, behind them all staffs are staring at them without any movements.
taehyung frowns seeing jungkook silent. “Sir eat. I need to eat too.” saying without any permission or hesitancy or anything, he shoves the noodles inside jungkook’s mouth. Then he begins to eat too.
Jungkook’s jaw has dropped on the floor by now. Did he just get fed by a literal kid? Without any permission or any word.
He looks away feeling weird suddenly and stands up abruptly. This is when he notices all the staffs are staring at them. Suddenly a burning Sensation rises to his cheek and he feels shy- really shy that he lookd down trying to avoid those curious eyes.
He doesn’t know what he should do with the bunches of noodles that taehyung shoved inside his mouth. Should he just spit them out? But maybe it Won’t be a good idea so he chews them and gulps down.
“Husband? Do you want more?” taehyung asks loudly, holding a chopstick full of noodles in the air, still sitting on the floor and staring at him with big doe eyes.
“They are eating the same noodles with the same chopsticks. Taehyung even calls him husband but he doesn’t say anything…” two staff whispers between each other but unfortunately the room is too silent that everyone hears. (Excluding taehyung because he is busy gathering the last bite of the ramen).
Hearing this, The idol feels so embarrassed that he hurriedly finds his wallet and gives taehyung a note of 20 dollars, hoping taehyung would shut up.
“Thanks sir. I pray your new song becomes a huge hit.” taehyung says with a boxy smile and jungkook looks away instantly.
“Jungkook ssi, wear your outfit.” the stylist girl says.
Jungkook is about to take off his tee shirt here but then he notices taehyung is still here who can make another abrupt comment anytime about changing in front of others. So he walks inside a bathroom to change.
When he walks out, everyone gets busy checking if the outfit is fitting him properly, hair stylist arrange to fix hair, make up stylist arranges make up, some staffs bring jewelleries.
But taehyung is still sitting jobless and stare at the idol. Even jungkook feels tae’s eyes on him. At first he tries to ignore but then glances at taehyung once and sees the boy is looking at him too. The moment of taehyung feeding him flashes in his mind and he looks away. His heart suddenly beats like drum because of taehyung’s stare.
“Sir, suddenly You look younger and I’m trying to find out the reason.” taehyung comments.
Jungkook pretends he hasn’t heard the comment and sits in front of mirror to get his hair and make up done. Through the mirror he sees taehyung is leaving from the room. He sighs deeply and closes his eyes leaning his head on the chair.
Now jeon jungkook is in the stage, all ready to deliver his debut performance of his new song. But before that he is going to greet the 4 thousands fans that are present there. Then he will perform some old songs and lastly his new song. The performance is for a music show and he is going to promote his new song.
Taehyung who is new in entertainment job, is standing behind the main camera very curiously. In his whole life he has seen pre recorded performances on television and always wondered how the performances look in real life. So he is here to watch jungkook perform.
He sees the fake man greeting the audience with big smile and then asks the audience what songs they want him to perform and based on the request he performs some portions of a few old songs. And then comes the new song. When he is about to perform the new song, the audience scream so loudly that taehyung has to run away from there.
“Why are they screaming like horses in labor? Ufff my ears are bleeding…!” taehyung speaks but nevertheless he Again goes near the main stage to see the performance and of course he has to hide Himself from the audience.
The new song plays and jungkook begins dancing. Taehyung Won’t lie this song has some hardest choreo of jungkook discography. He has seen the idol struggling with leg pain because of the choreo.
As jungkook dance, audience screams, cheers. At one point while dancing, one of the chains that jungkook is wearing around his neck, suddenly falls on the floor. Everyone notices that. But what nobody notices is while doing some steps, jungkook’s right knee hits with the chain. Jungkook’s facial expression changes for a second but then he composes Himself and continues dancing.
When the performance ends every claps, screams cheer for his brutally fantastic performance. When he goes to the back stage, again the staffs, managers, praise him and he gives them smile.
When he is back in the dressing room, he tiredly starts taking off his dresses without bothering to go to the bathroom because he is too tired. Couple of staffs are there but they leave too seeing taehyung standing behind the door and peaking slightly. What if taehyung says why are you looking at my husband’s body? So It’s better to leave before taehyung says something weird.
“Sir?” taehyung speaks seeing the staffs leaving jeon jungkook alone.
Jungkook turns his head to taehyung but feels embarrassed to be present in front of taehyung with bare body. He has never felt like this before as he is habituated with Changing in front of others. But since the day taehyung said husband sir why are you changing in front of everyone, he feels awkward. So seeing taehyung he tries to wear something hurriedly.
“Sir, let your sweat dry first. Then wear something.” taehyung says walking inside the dressing. “Why did those staffs leave you alone instead of helping you?” he asks.
Jungkook doesn’t say anything but puts a towel over his body.
“I got cold water for you. You look tired sir. You are sweating a lot. Do you want it?” taehyung says forwarding a bottle of water toward the idol.
Jungkook silently takes the bottle and gulps down all the water.
“Do you want another bottle sir?” taehyung asks.
“Yeah!” jungkook says nodding his head. Taehyung immediately walks out to get another cold bottle of water and returns.
“Here it is sir.” saying he gives the second bottle and the idol finishes half of the water at once.
Taehyung observes the man for a few moments. He is sitting in front of a fan to calm down Himself. He has seen him dancing before too but they were not this hard. Because of dancing back to back on few songs the idol looks really tired.
“Sir?” taehyung calls the idol who has his eyes closed and breathing slowly.
“Hm?” jungkook hums without opening his eyes.
“You hit your right knee with your broken chain right?” taehyung asks. This time jungkook opens his eyes and looks at taehyung.
“I was standing close to the stage. So i noticed it. It hurt sir?” taehyung speaks again. There is a softness in his voice right now which is rare. Taehyung is always a crackhead who makes jokes and laughs whole day. So the current softness in his voice makes jungkook surprised.
“Let me see Your knee sir.” taehyung says sitting beside jungkook right leg.
The idol suddenly feels nervous and slightly moves his legs away from taehyung. “You Don’t need to do anything. I’ll call someone else.” he says.
“I already told one noona that you hurt your knees. But they said i should help you because you are my husband ha ha ha… They are being crazy.” saying taehyung tries to pull up jungkook’s pant till his knee.
“Taehyung, stop!” jungkook says and holds taehyung’s wrists to stop him.
“Why?” taehyung asks. “Let me help sir. I got bandaid and ointment for you.” taehyung says holding jungkook’s right palm and trying to push it away.
At the exact moment when taehyung holds his palm, Jungkook’s eyes fall on their intertwined hands.
Taehyung’s hands- they feel so soft and cold. How his hands are cold? The idol wonders.
He also notices how small taehyung’s hands are Against his hands. When taehyung holds his palms, both of their hands become intertwined in a way that gives the idol a perfect view of how taehyung’s palm looks like a baby hand when it is on his hand. Jungkook can’t help but stare at their hands with curiosity.
“Sir, Why are your hands so rough and warm?” taehyung suddenly speaks up staring at their hands. “Look sir, my hands are cold right?” taehyung says touching jungkook’s forearm.
Jungkook’s eyes follow the movement of taehyung’s hand silently. Yeah he really feels taehyung’s hands are cold and… And soft… so fragile Against his skin.
“Do you work with poles and wires sir?” taehyung asks.
“Why?” jungkook asks with a low voice. None of them has noticed how Their hands are still loosely intertwined.
“My father is a lineman of the government electricity office. So he has to repair electric lines. His hands are also rough like you.” taehyung says with a small pout. “Anyway let me help with your knees.” saying he frees his hands from jungkook hold and tries to pull up the pant. But jungkook again stops him holding his hands.
“Don’t. I’ll ask others to help.” jungkook says.
“Are you scared that I’ll charge you money?” taehyung laughs. “I Won’t. Because you are hurt and i Don’t charge money from hurt people. Let me do it.” saying this time taehyung actually pulls up the pant till knees and spots a small cut there which is still bleeding.
“I knew it was bleeding.” saying taehyung gets some tissues and cleans the blood. Jungkook just stares at taehyung. He doesn’t know why but he does.
Taehyung observes the cut closely and puts some ointment on it. Then he starts blowing the cut slightly.
And that’s when Jungkook heart skips a beat, seeing taehyung close to him, blowing his wound with all attention. He can’t help but stare at taehyung’s face. His heart beats faster than original pace and a cold chill runs down his spine making him nervous.
He looks away from taehyung and rubs his own head trying to calm Himself down from the sudden change in his heartbeat.
“It’s okay now.” saying jungkook tries to move his leg away from taehyung but the boy holds his leg tightly.
“Wait a minute sir!” saying taehyung puts a small bandaid on the wound and then backs away. “It’s done.” taehyung says standing up. “I’m leaving sir.” he says.
“Um.. Thank you..” jungkook says awkwardly.
Taehyung turns to him and gives him a big smile which jungkook doesn’t notice and he is looking down. “No problem sir. When your wound dries, make sure to send me 30 dollars as service charge. I Don’t take charges when people are sick or wonded. Bye sir.” saying taehyung leaves.
Hearing this jungkook looks up but meets with taehyung’s back as the boy is already out of the room. Jungkook stills stares.
“Doesn’t charge when someone is wonded. But charges them when the wounds are cured?” jungkook speaks to Himself and after couple of seconds later he leaves a loud chuckle. “What is the logic behind this?” he questions Himself.
he looks at his wound and pulls down his pant till his ankle. Then he Again looks up to the door but taehyung left already.
Jungkook stands up. “I forgot logic fears him. Such a Crazy boy.” he murmurs to Himself while shaking his head.
It’s the time when they are packing up and is going to leave for their respective houses. But taehyung is excited, more than excited. His boyfriend has bought a new bike recently and he is coming to pick up taehyung from here. So he is excited.
“Taehyung, how are you leaving? Book a cab for yourself.” the manager says. Taehyung is the youngest of all workers so It’s his duty to make sure taehyung reaches home safely.
“My hubby is coming to pick me up hyung. He got a new bike!” taehyung says excitedly and dances a little in happiness.
“You mean your boyfriend?” managers asks.
“,Yes!” tae says nodding.
“Are you doing two timing, taehyung?’ manager asks with a big frown.
” what is two timing?” taehyung asks confusedly.
“You were calling jungkook husband just today and now you are calling another boy hubby. I don’t understand it.”
Taehyung giggles loudly. “That’s because i get paid for calling sir husband. And then sir pays me double to stop calling him husband.” that’s a win win situation for me, right sir?” he says looking at jungkook.
But the idol stays silent and packs up his things. It’s impossible to understand what he is thinking.
Few minutes later jungkook leaves the place with his car. Just when the car leaves the parking area, his eyes fall on a small figure standing in front of a man. The man is sitting on a bike and wearing the small figure a helmet.
Jungkook stares at them for a few seconds and then he understands It’s taehyung and his so called boyfriend. As his car pass, he sees taehyung sitting on the back if the bike with the help of the other boy and then the boy sits at the front to ride the bike.
Jungkook frowns. he doesn’t know why but he stares at them till they vanish From his sight. When he can’t see them anymore he leans his head to the seat and closes his eyes.
