"How long will you keep punishing them?" Jin asked, eyes glued on the moping pair seated in the sofa close by. The question was directed at Namjoon who turned around to follow Jin's gaze only to sigh through gritted teeth.

"Aish, hyung, not you too. I thought we agreed on this together!" Namjoon's order to punish Hoseok and Taehyung had already been questioned by Yoongi who thought he was being unreasonable and that his punishment would not have any effect on the two troublemakers. For him to be questioned yet again but by Jin this time was annoying to say the least.

"We did, we did, it's just..." Jin looked over to the sofa where the duo was seated at opposite ends of. Both of them looked like someone drenched them in water and stepped on their ice-cream on Christmas eve. Jin frowned. "Well, look at them. Isn't six hours enough?"

Namjoon crossed his arms over his chest.

"We let them off the hook early last time, apparently they have learnt nothing." Namjoon shuddered at the memory of how their manager had scolded him for not keeping the mischievous duo in check. It was by his order that they had begun with the 'X-Hour Long Absence of Proximity'-punishment between Hoseok and Taehyung. They had been sentenced to eight hours of it after Hoseok had carried his dongsaeng bridal style into a fan event which had, for some reason, angered the crew.

There is nothing wrong with skinship, their manager had explained to the pair and Namjoon as they were reprimanded later, but it will happen at appropriate occasions and with approval to do so. Rap Monster, it is your job to educate and keep these two under control or else it will reflect badly on your qualities as a leader.

Namjoon had headed his manager's warning and issued the punishment for Hoseok and Taehyung to keep apart, a punishment those two did not feel fit the crime. They had been laughing at first, thinking it was a joke, but grown angry and sullen when they grasped the situation. After a few hours Namjoon's resolve was gone. The punishment had felt like a joke to him as well but the mood of the entire group was growing worse by the minute as all they could get out of either Hoseok or Taehyung was half-hearted smiles and empty laughs.

After four hours Namjoon had told them to forget about the punishment as long as they promised not to do their previous stunt again. To which they had both agreed, throwing their arms around each other and dancing a victory dance that was awkward but priceless and had the group gasping for air through laughter and tears by the time they were done.

Whenever Hoseok held onto Taehyung a little bit too tightly when the crew were around Namjoon made sure to slap the back of both of their heads and jab them in the sides for good measure. Their manager sometimes shot Namjoon the stink-eye when he caught the overly affectionate duo red-handed but as long as it took place outside the public eye then management did not scold any of them for it. But Hoseok and Taehyung's promise had not been kept for long. 

What got Namjoon into trouble was a kiss.

That morning they had been guests on a morning segment of a radio show that also happened to be live streamed. In Taehyung's mind on some absurd level - a level of which Namjoon could not fathom there could be any trace of sanity left - he had decided it be a good idea to kiss Hoseok's cheek when they were discussing ranks within the group. As usual Bangtan's 4D member would pick Hoseok as the number one but this time when asked to explain his answer he had chosen to again push the boundaries of acceptable behaviour ("Why? Hoseok-hyung is talented, dances well, full of charisma and- well look at that face. I could just kiss him.") Namjoon was in shock. The others were quick to laugh it off as a bribe to get the nagging Hoseok off his back from skipping laundry-duty, and the hosts thought it was hilarious, but Namjoon could feel the daggers their crew were boring into the back of his head with their glares.

And once their manager found out...

Let us just say that it will take a while until Namjoon's balls will have recovered enough from the fright to climb back down to their rightful place. Their manager's wrath was no joke.

So Namjoon had to issue the fitting punishment to Hoseok and Taehyung a second time. This time: lack of contact, for twelve hours straight. Hoseok's eyes had widened before the initial shock left after which he gritted his teeth to hide his anger, later biting his lip to stop himself from no-doubt challenging his leader's authority. Taehyung's had looked crest-fallen, upset, and tried to change Namjoon's mind but with the reprimand along with their manager's anger still a fresh memory, Namjoon would not budge and Taehyung ultimately shut up. Ever since the punishment was set in motion this morning it was as if a dark shadow had fallen over the otherwise gleeful company.

Those two, with their ridiculous smiles and lame jokes. Their ability to lighten any mood, to bring laughter and colour to any discussion. Jimin mischief rang hollow without Taehyung's laughter to accompany it. Yoongi felt no desire to talk when Hoseok did not in with bad puns and impersonations. Their otherwise rowdy rides in their car had that day been eerily quiet. Jeongguk was less talkative than usual and his patience thin when there was little positive energy to feed of. Even Jin had been particularly awkward that day trying to cheer the others up, and that is saying something.

"They've lasted this long, Namjoonie," Jin's voice brought Namjoon back to the present and he massaged his temples, "but only barely. I'm not saying a bit distance between the two wouldn't be good, I'd welcome it because I know where this behaviour will lead them. If only those two could see it as well and spare us the trouble."

The rapper eyed Jin, who's gaze was still locked on the pair on the sofa, with questions written all over his face.

"What behaviour? Lead them where?" He asked, finally grabbing Jin's full attention. But the older hyung only smiled knowingly.

"You should cut them some slack. This punishment isn't going to work, and you know it." With those words and a quick pat on the back Jin was walking away. Thanks for nothing, Namjoon muttered under his breath, not feeling any more enlightened than before.

Looking back at the pair on the sofa Namjoon could feel his resolve crumble. Taehyung's lips were set in a thin line, his eyes tired and devoid of the shimmering mischievous glint that was his charm and he was staring at Hoseok with a heartbroken expression. Hoseok, who must have noticed the other boy's negative emotion, looked up from staring at his hands and took in Taehyung's expression in less than a second. What was going on in Hoseok's mind Namjoon could not know but one second the otherwise cheerful boy flinched and lifted his hands that seemed to gravitate towards Taehyung, but in the next he had stopped himself and instead shot his miserable friend an encouraging smile. Taehyung's lips softened a bit and returned the smile tentatively, lasting a second too long and when they broke eye-contact they both returned to stare at their feet.

Enough of this Disney bull, Namjoon thought and took a glance at the clock.

"Yah, dumb and dumber!" He called out, catching the pair's attention, "Get yourself off that couch and come here for a second."

Quickly the two jumped to their feet, Taehyung stumbling on something invisible (most likely air or maybe the ability to make sensible decisions that Namjoon must have lost) before lining up beside each other, still keeping an arms length apart.

"How long do you think you have been reprimanded?" Namjoon asked, making certain he puffed out his chest and look ever bit as confident as Beyoncé on the WMAs.

"Eight hours." Hoseok guessed, eyes glancing towards a clock on the wall of the waiting room.

"Ten?" Taehyung voiced his answer as a question, head tilted for extra puppy-resemblance.

Namjoon did not know whether to be scared by their poor math skills or pity them for their high hopes.

"Not even close. You are barely past seven hours." The boys heads dropped in hopelessness and Namjoon finally took pity on them. "So get out of here unless you want to keep at it for five more."

Hoseok's head shot up first, eyes wary but gleaming once more. Taehyung looked up slowly, confusion written on his face.

Namjoon pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What I am saying is that you are free. I will not continue this strange punishment any longer, or ever again since it does more harm then good. But promise me you've learnt your lesson, for I swear-"

"Yes, yes! Lesson learnt alright! No carrying each other!" Taehyung chimed, broad smile on his face and already bouncing in place.

"And no feeding each other!" Hoseok added, now smiling as well.

"No unnecessary hand holding!"

"No back hugs!"

"No kisses!"

"Unless we ask Namjoon to join us first." The last made them both burst out laughing as Namjoon choked on his own saliva in shock. But no matter how good it would feel to smack them around for a bit, it felt better to hear them laugh again.

Smiling tenderly Namjoon hid his face in his hands.

"Get away before I strangle you." He threatened without fervor and removed his hands in time to see the pair slung their arms around each other and smile so stupidly radiantly at each other that Namjoon had to look away. Taehyung and Hoseok walked away, exclaiming they were going to buy snacks to celebrate before their stage and no-one made any move to stop them. The breath the company had been holding was finally released and their shoulders less tense.

A chuckle was heard from behind Namjoon causing him to turn around as the door slammed shut after the TaeSeok-duo left.

"You'll regret that later~" Jimin sing-songed from his chair where he was reading, Jin seated beside him smirking all the same.

Namjoon very gracefully flipped them the finger before joining Yoongi and Jeongguk on the other sofa.

As hell he would.

Fool me once...

A/N: ...part 2??