Fall 2014

“Hyung, where did you go last night? Why did you leave?” Jungkook asked, sitting at the kitchen table and yawning, his hair still sticking up in random places from sleep.

“I wasn’t feeling well, so I just came home,” Jin shifted nervously in front of the stove where he was cooking breakfast.

“Oh… you shoulda told me, I would’ve come with you.” Jungkook rubbed his temples, “It probably would have been good for me, too. We drank way too much after you left.” He frowned, “ I think I kissed G-Dragon.”

Jin nearly choked as he was overcome by a fit of giggles, “Oh my god, not gay my  . Gees, I’m glad I didn't text you till after I was gone, it sounds like you had a fun time.” Jin tapped the younger under the chin as he set the food on the table and took a seat, “G-Dragon’s pretty cute, huh?”

Jungkook snorted. “More like bi, we both know I’d prefer a female soulmate, and yeah, he’s hot, but he’s a hoe and a taken hoe at that,” dismissing the subject, he piled up his plate. “So, what did you think of Hobi-hyung and Tae-hyung? Wait, I don’t remember, had you met Tae before?” Jin shook his head, cheeks bulging with food. “Ah, well, we should go out with them again,” Jungkook shoveled food into his mouth. “Mm, alsho, I’rm gorna joim Horbi’s dernce shtudio.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full. And you’re actually doing that? I thought you said you didn’t have time? You better not start slacking in your studies,” Jin eyed Jungkook threateningly.

“Hyung, would I ever?” the younger placed his hand on his heart, pretending to be appalled at the thought.

“Yes, you would. Don’t try to act like you’re any good in school,” Jin scoffed. “I don’t know why you didn’t go to school for the arts. We both know that would’ve suited you better.”

“Who are you, my mother? Besides, you know eomma and appa would’ve worried. Everyone wants to be a ‘star’ ” he made quote marks in the air sarcastically. “Besides, I think I worried them enough by doing what you did and getting my military service out of the way immediately after high school. And anyway, as far as the arts go, look at you . Weren’t you supposed to be pursuing acting? What happened to that?”

“I still go to auditions every once in awhile, I just care more about opening the cafe. Acting isn’t as important to me anymore,” Jin replied simply, unfazed. “I found something else that I love and that I’m good at.”

“Hm, true, you’re food is the best… But I think you shouldn’t give up on acting,” Jungkook added slowly, a peculiar look on his face as his eyes flicked up to look at the elder. “You’re good at it.”

Jin froze slightly before swiftly taking another bite to cover it up and humming in response.

Does he know I lied about last night? But… how could he?

“Water?” Jungkook rose suddenly, picking up a glass.

“Yeah... sure.”

“So, dance is Tuesdays and Thursdays, I think. I promise I won’t start slacking, hyung,” Jungkook’s eyes flicked up to the elder’s face once more as he set down the water.

“Alright… thanks.”

***

Rapmon woke up bleary-eyed, in a bed far too comfortable to be his own, and swathed in rich, soft blankets. Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes, confused and disoriented, unable to remember how he got there or where he was. It seemed kinda familiar… . No... I didn't… did I?  Sliding off the bed, he stumbled to the door, fighting with the doorknob in his still half asleep state, panic rising in his chest.

Finally managing to swing the door open, he stepped out into a familiar hallway, and relief flooded his still groggy system. Oh, thank god.  But why am I here? Rapmon pressed his lips together, the corners slightly down turned, wracking his utterly hungover brain for memories of the night before. As he tugged at shreds, it slowly began trickling back, then came flooding all at once, and all he could do was groan, horrified. The image of the man permeated his thoughts; as he turned away, tight lipped and slightly pale, his back as Rapmon ran after him without a word of explanation for Suho, his absence when he was nowhere to be found, and then finally, Yoongi holding Rapmon as he was overcome with drunken, wracking sobs.

“You just gonna stand in my hallway all day?” Yoongi padded towards him, already dressed in a plain t-shirt and ripped jeans. “And put on some clothing. I know you keep some stashed here for days like these.”

Rapmon looked down, realizing for the first time that he was dressed in only his plaid blue and green boxers.

“Oh. Right. I’ll go do that. But you put me in the wrong room, you know. It freaked me out a little.”

Yoongi waved it off as he padded away, “I didn’t, T.O.P. did. You think I could haul your all the way up here?”

Rapmon’s eyebrows disappeared into his now flat hair as he lumbered towards the room he usually crashed in, deciding to question Yoongi about that after he had some clothes on.

Stepping inside, he was reminded of why he had chosen this room to begin with. He pressed his fingers gently against the glass of the window, momentarily forgetting what had been troubling him. Seoul’s skyline never failed to take his breath away. He preferred his own simple apartment to Yoongi’s grand penthouse, but this… this he wouldn’t mind seeing every day.

Sighing, Rapmon turned away, stomach twisting with anxiety once more. He quickly opened the closet and slipped into a simple black shirt and striped pants, impatient to interrogate Yoongi for any information he might have, then scurried down the hallway, following the telltale scent of coffee wafting from the kitchen. Sliding into the bright room, he stumbled, noticing two other guests lounging on tall, elegant stools at the island.

“I mean, I know you’re in a rush to see me, but slow down, Cutie, you’ll fall,” G-Dragon gave him an amused look and T.O.P. chuckled behind him.

“More like you’re going to break something. Please, stop sliding around and just sit before you destroy my house,” Yoongi grumbled, setting out a mug of coffee for the new arrival.

“I wasn’t going to break anything,” Rapmon muttered defensively, slouching into one of the stools. “And what are you two doing here, anyway?”

“Getting you to the top floor of this building wasn’t easy, you know,” T.O.P. raised an eyebrow. “Someone had to do it.”

“Yes, Suga was a dear and let us crash here in exchange for hauling your up to his lovely penthouse,” G-Dragon smiled prettily.

“Oh… right. So, what actually happened last night? I remember some stuff, but apparently not… everything.”

“Well, that would be because we stashed you in a back room while you were crying your eyes out about the soulmate boy or whoever, but when we came back to get you, we found your sorry nursing an almost empty bottle of soju. Pretty sure you were pretty damn gone at that point,” G-Dragon explained brightly then took a sip of his coffee. “Suga, why are you Suga if you don’t like sweets? Why am I drinking black coffee?” he asked, screwing up his face in disgust.

“Don’t call me Suga, and because you didn’t ask for creamer or sugar. I do have some, cause this guy uses it,” Yoongi jerked a thumb towards Rapmon before turning away to locate the sweeteners. The younger was sitting quietly, staring into the black depths of his mug while contemplating what he could have possibly done in his past life to deserve the fate he had received.

“So, tell us about him,” Rapmon finally looked up when T.O.P. spoke.

“Huh?”

“The soulmate. It was your soulmate right? And it was a guy? You weren’t making much sense last night,” T.O.P. trailed off, looking at the distracted Rapmon expectantly.

“Oh. He uh. Smelled like clean laundry. And flowers.”

Everyone stared at Rapmon silently and he finally fully returned from his thoughts, realizing what he had said. “I-I mean, I don’t know. We-we didn’t talk. I saw him and he practically sprinted out as soon as he saw me.”

“Oh… oh, sweetie,” G-Dragon reached out and put his hand on Rapmon’s shoulder as the younger lowered his forehead to the cool marble countertop, defeated.

“I was kissing Suho. I was ing kissing someone else . And of course, I was a , and glanced up for one ing moment, and made eye contact with my ing soulmate .”

G-Dragon winced, glancing at Yoongi. Neither could help a small twinge of guilt, both having orchestrated the Suho hook up.

“And then, you know, after I unfroze time, all prepared to apologize to Suho and go talk to my soulmate, he was already turning around and gone before I could even push Suho away. I felt bad, but I sprinted out without a word of explanation for the poor guy. I just… really needed to catch the other guy.”

G-Dragon hummed, sympathetically, “Yeah, Suho told me. Poor bastard was pretty hurt cause he had no idea what had happened. But anyway, I assume by the tears and the drinking and the incomprehensible explanations last night that you didn’t end up catching him?” G-Dragon leaned back as T.O.P. wrapped his arms around him, resting his chin on the smaller’s shoulders.

“Yeah, I didn’t. And the last thing I remember is Yoongi finding me outside,” Rapmon sighed, drained.

“Okay, this all makes more sense now. You tried explaining last night, but all we caught was that it was somehow related to your soulmate,” Yoongi’s lips pulled to one side, a thoughtful expression on his face as he placed the sugar and creamer on the counter. “And I checked your pockets. No note. What’d the guy look like?”

“Beautiful,” Rapmon breathed wistfully, picturing the handsome face once more. Yoongi’s lips pressed into a line and he raised an eyebrow.

“Real helpful.”

“Ah, sorry, hyung. Uhm, he had reddish brownish hair… a red and black blazer, white shirt, black pants, a touch of black eyeliner” he trailed off, glancing between all three, hoping the description would ring a bell.

“Mmm, I don’t think I saw him,” T.O.P. admitted, forehead puckering.

“I think I did,” G-Dragon piped up, eyes drifting to the ceiling as if wracking his brain for memories of everyone he had served that night. “It’s hard to remember… but I think he was with some guys I know. Pretty quiet till he was a couple drinks in, if I remember correctly. Was he tall, shoulders for days, pretty plump lips?”

Rapmon bobbed his head enthusiastically, "Yeah, exactly!”

"Mmm, yep, I have no idea who he is. But, I can ask around,” G-Dragon winked. “I have connections.”

Yoongi rolled his eyes but begged, “Please do, or this guy will be moping around here for days .”

Rapmon caught T.O.P. silently nodding to Yoongi in a reassuring manner, behind G-Dragon’s back.

“Great. Well, now that all of this has been cleared up… everyone get out. I hate socializing. Leave. I need sleep. I’m exhausted. Look, I’m gonna keel over at any moment,” Yoongi waved his arms about dramatically.

“More like Suga- free ,” G-Dragon muttered, sipping the black coffee that Rapmon just realized had never been sweetened, and remaining seated.