The next day, there is still no Jeongguk at work which is a bummer. A huge one, but Taehyung is not going to admit that much to himself anytime soon. So instead of dwelling about the fact that he is actually unsettled by the Jeongguk's absence, he starts to question the therapeutic effect of Seokjin's infamous chicken soup. Rationally he knows it's silly to assume a sick person will be back to health within a day after eating some soup. But critizising others is so easy. And fun. So yeah.

During his little efficiency-lows at work Taehyung starts googling possible reasons for Jeongguk not being here. And somewhen late at night - he's staying however long he wants without the younger nagging him to get home, little desk lamp he brought from home the main light source by now - Taehyung stumbles upon an article about Haribo.

He just finished another project and sent it off for Namjoon to look over it when it caught his eye.

Maybe article is the wrong term. More so it's a long string of bad product ratings. Terrible review after review strung together below the order description of a 5-pound Haribo sugarless gummy candy bag. Different purchasers describing their experience with the product in vivid colours, some of them either thankful or sarcastic - that's the question - but most outright warning from the purchase. Writing about their horrid nights stuck to the toilet and whatnot.

Now Taehyung is well aware that Jeongguk's symptoms were completely different and the odds he's sick because he ordered that 5-pound Haribo bag are close to zero percent. Still it seems to be such a hilarious way to get sick, an entertaining read if not educational at its best. Taehyung considers to order one of these things. You know, as gift for Baek.

It's getting late and later with nobody keeping Taehyung and his work drive in check. Soon enough he is the only one left and the only thing accompanying him is the sirring sound of lamps in the hallway. The clock says 23.07 as he finally shuts down his office and goes through the safety procedures of the night all on his own for the first time. Check if all kitchen items are turned off, check windows to be closed, switch off every light, activate the security code next to the door, close the door and lock it twice.

Did I forget something? I hope I didn't forget something. Was that the right code? Goshdammit.

Usually Jeongguk does most of it and Taehyung just walks along. Doing the little routine alone without anyone there to ask is intimidating.

The streets are not empty as Taehyung makes his way home because of course they aren't. Not in a city like Seoul. Seoul doesn't sleep. However, nightlife traffic is a different kind of traffic. Less driven by purpose, by appointments and schedules to attend, and more focussed on fun and spontaneosity. Making the flow easier and all the other traffic participants more bearable.

Well. Most of them. The little yellow Seat in front of Taehyung letting in every single car from the sides and notoriously driving ten km/h less than allowed surely gets on his nerves. 

Taehyung clenches his teeth as he has to keep trailing behind the car. At this point he just wants to get home and fall into his bed. Anything that keeps these things from happening sours his mood. And oh, does he feel sour now. Eating two lemons raw level of sour. As minute after minute passes and usually he could be home long since but no...

With nothing much to do and chances of an accident being relatively low behind such an overcautious driver, his mind starts to drift again. Entering shallow waters of different kind that all have one thing in common: Jeongguk.

Why Jeongguk is missing at work exactly, when he'll be back, his sixpack - wait what the no - what to do next to one-up him on being competitively nice, what to say once his friends find out Taehyung lied, whether the time of being home does help Jeongguk with the pressure he puts himself under at work, what his bedroom might look like...

There is a sudden jerk in front of him and Taehyung comes back to his senses. The yellow menace of a car is finally gone! Thanks god. Taehyung loses a sigh and sees that he comes home at last.

But even there he is reminded of Jeongguk. Of how Jeongguk's flat does not look like Taehyung's. Of how their interior styles are different in some points and similar in others.

Taehyung sighs again, shakes his head. He doesn't have the energy to think about this anymore.

With slow pads, the sound of skin slapping on sleek stone prominent in the silence, he makes his way over to the bathroom. Revels in the welcome sensation of the naturally cold marble under his feet, pats himself on the  shoulder for having made the investition years ago.

The last few minutes of the day happen on autopilot. It's almost midnight when Taehyung crawls into bed. A few moments later he is out like a light.

Maybe tomorrow Jeongguk will be back.

Spoiler alert: he is.

The Jeon Jeongguk is back in da house. 

For whatever (probably stupid, get a hang of yourself) reason Taehyung can't stop grinning upon entering the office to the familiar sight Jeongguk's black mop of hair. Slinking into the younger's own office just before Taehyung himself arrives at his room.

Taehyung lets Jeongguk have the little victory of being first, too relieved to see him back at work. Looking as brooding yet healthy as on the first day they met. Whatever had him down must've been a not too serious thing then. Good good.

Maybe half an hour later there are some knocks.

Short-long-long-short. Short-long-short. Three times long. Short, three times long. Once short. Long-short-long-short. Once long. Twice short, twice long, twice short.

'Project?'

it takes a hot minute for Taehyung to make sense of the message. It doesn't help he's getting a sudden rush of 'Wow I wasn't aware I've been missing our morse convos but apparently I did'. He is this short off knocking back a question mark when it dawns to him.

He told Jeongguk's friends about a project deadline. Right. That happened. Oops.

In a vain attempt to save face he knocks back a 'Done', hopes it's enough to throw off the other and stop any impending questions.

It doesn't.

Moments later his phone is ringing, sure enough Jeongguk's short dial on display.

Taehyung picks up with a cheery "Nintendo corporative manager of the Ottoman empire, brother Kim, how may I be of service?"

"...I don't like that this makes actually sense," Jeongguk mutters.

Taehyung grins and says nothing.

"No really, please let me un-hear this. The concept of an ancient  by now long-since dead empire existing at the same time as a game console is cursed. I do not like it. I don't. Make it go away."

"Tough luck, princess."

There is a pregnant pause - how exactly can a pause be pregnant anyway, who came up with that weird wording - where Taehyung thinks that just maybe he overdid it this time.

"...Kim Taehyung you better never call me a princess ever again." 

The words uttered low and threatening. But Taehyung was never good at following stupid rules.

"Why, what're you gonna do about it, princess?" he mocks, tone light for as long as he can afford it.

For Jeongguk must be fuming, voice getting louder and was that a thud Taehyung heard just now?

"Listen you little heathen-"

"No no, why are you calling again?"

Taehyung might like to be brave from time to time however what he fancies a lot more than playing sassy hero is being alive in general. So here goes the diversion. It's working, Jeongguk losing a deep frustrated sigh before answering.

"The project. You told Yugyeom and Mingyu about a shared project and a deadline. So just picture me. Here I am, wondering what the you could possibly talk about?"

Taehyung rolls his eyes at the wall between them. "Good to see you haven't lost your snark."

"Oh come-on. It takes more than two days of me feeling a little under the weather to start playing nice 24/7."

"Wow aren't you a ," Taehyung deadpans, growing more irritated with every sentence fromt the younger. Why was he missing him the past two days again?

"No but I have one. Wouldn't you like to know."

Taehyung chokes. "That's not- literally what- what the Jeon- a-anyway!" His eyes dart around the room as he scrambles for composure, for a way out. "Uh. So did you or did you not eat the 5-pound bag of sugarfree jellies?"

"I- wait what?! Did I eat what now?"

Okay. Stable ground. He's back on stable ground. Or at least he's not on the most dangerous zone of the lava field. Taehyung straightens up, tries to sound confident in his newly-acquired random knowledge.

"The 5-pound bag of sugarfree Haribo, duh. The one everyone rates as horrible because you get seriously sick from digesting it. Don't tell me you never heard of it?"

There is some aggressive typing, loud enough to be heard through the phone while Jeongguk struggles to make sense of it. Taehyung leans back and starts humming Gee while he let's the younger do his thing.

"Uhum. Listen boi. My first love story..."

It doesn't register to him that he said the words out loud until there's a loud crash from Jeongguk's office, followed by a curse that's only poorly concealed as a cough.

Taehyung freezes. . Did he really just now...?

They are both caught red-handed.

The silence stretches on until Jeongguk clears his throat and announces "Okay first off, my sweet tooth is not big enough for me to ever order such a thing. Second, only half of the ratings are actually bad-"

"The other half is sarcasm you moron!"

"Will you ever let me finish talking!"

"No."

Another annoyed groan and just like that, the weird atmosphere is gone.

"As I was trying to say. Evidence has it I did in fact not buy such a thing. I mean, honestly. Did you see me running to the toilet nostop? No. So there is your answer. Why are you even asking strange stuff like that?"

"Because I can," Taehyung snides.

"Ohmygod why am I talking to you again?"

"Because you are an idiot, obviously."

"Sure, that must be it." Jeongguk's voice is dripping with sarcasm.

Taehyung flips him off through the wall.

"Welcome back to the office Mr. Jeon."

No way does he have a crush on such a dickhead.

Well, at least Jeongguk forgot all about the non-existent project. So it wasn't a complete lose-lose scenario. Right? Probably?

Weirdly enough their late-night-dinner truce is still a thing.

They've been bickering on a few more occassions thorought the day yet once Jeongguk knocks on Taehyung's door with two servings of naengmyeon in his hand, all animosities are forgotten. They make their way to the break room together, Taehyung trailing after Jeongguk. The one with The Food^TM is the one to lead the way, always. The naengmyeon is delicious, the chilly broth endlessly soothing after a long day in the stuffy office with temperature rising to almost 30°C by now.

Taehyung happily slurps up the noodles and takes big gulps of the broth, picturing how it chases the itch out of his body as the cold travels through his veins.

"You know, you could be a bit more considerate of my poor little feelings on my first day back," Jeongguk mutters half in joke.

Taehyung scoffs.

"Oh please. Don't pretend that my inappropriate comments aren't what get you through the day."

The words are out before he can stop himself and Taehyung is just about to spout some random bull to make Jeongguk forget he ever said that. But the younger just gives him a conteplative look, hums and gets back to eating.

Taehyung squints at him.

Was that- was that a non-verbal yes? Does Jeongguk actually agree with him? Is what Taehyung just mindlessly said actually true?!

He needs answers yet is scared to get them.

So naturally for the rest of the meal both men remain silent.

Only once they are both finished and making their way home, Jeongguk shutting down everything for the night as usual with Taehyung strolling along does the older open his mouth.

"I'm glad you're back," Taehyung mutters.

Jeongguk looks up from the security keypad, eyes big and round, mouth slightly agape.

"Huh?!"

"I SAID MY FAVOURITE CHARACTER IS SIRIUS BLACK!"

And while Jeongguk is still mid-flinch from the sudden boom of Taehyung's voice, Taehyung is already dashing off, face burning, heart hammering.

I'm such an idiot.

Idiot, idiot, idiot!

"So," Baekhyun says around a mouthful of nachos - because nachos can be a proper meal if you just try hard enough and add sour cream and cheese on top. "You do look happier now Jeongguk-ssi is back, you know."

Taehyung groans. "C'mon, not that again."

"No no he has a point," Minjae pipes in.

"Guys," Taehyung huffs while picking up a nacho and lifting it up, up, up until the string of molten cheese snaps. "Are you conspiring against me or what?"

"No."

"Yes."

"The , Minjae?"

Minjae doesn't even try to look apologetic at the admittance. "Dude look, if you are too blind to see the obvious then someone needs to help you out, alright? And that someone is me. Well, and Baekhyun but he doesn't count."

There is an outraged yelp from the oldest.

"Yah, you little !"

Taehyung tunes out for a bit to dramatically turn his back to the instant-bickering friends and gaze off into the distance. Imagines being in one of these 'The Office' shots where the protagonist turns to the camera like 'Do you see this I'm dealing with?'. Yeah, that's it. That's Taehyung's big time mood right now.

He doesn't even realize he zoned out for more than a split second until there is a soft kick against his ankle, his two friends looking at him with open and expectant expression. Taehyung blinks. He absolutely missed a question somewhere.

"M-what?"

Baekhyun rolls his eyes. "I said, what did you want from the 97 liners anyway?"

Taehyung squints at him.

"That's none of your concern, hyung."

Like hell he's gonna tell him he's been asking for Jeongguk's number. These two idiots ship him with his co-worker more than enough as it is.

"Aw, Taehyungie don't be like that. I'm just curious. I promise I won't tell anyone."

Both Minjae and Taehyung level a flat look at him, making Baekhyun splutter.

"Wh-what, I mean it!"

"Sure."

"Of course, hyung," Minjae deadpans too.

 Baekhyun pouts, then kicks Taehyung under the table again.

"Aw come one, don't be like that. Tell me anyway?"

"No."

"But-"

"No means no."

There is a wicked glint in Baekhyun's eyes and Taehyung by now knows what it means. He won't drop the topic anytime soon. So, back to his diverting tactic.

"Anyway I would like to propose a new nickname for the 97 liners," Taehyung announces with swelled chest, raised voice and a bit of fake bravado.

That does the trick, both men looking confused yet curious.

"And which one?"

Taehyung grins.

"Fluffle."

Baekhyun snorts, Minjae stares back blankly, struggling to make sense of it.

"What's fluffle?"

Taehyung's grin widens and turns mischievous. "It's what you call a group of bunnies."

Baekhyun is choking on a piece nacho and violently slapping the table by now. "Why is this actually fitting," he wheezes. "Why does it make sense? What the hell?"

Minjae hums and slaps Baehyun's back. "I mean you do have a point here. Most of them do look kinda soft, cute and squishy if you ignore all that sass for a moment..."

"I know right," Taehyung instantly lights up. "Especially that Yugyeom guy and Jeongguk..."

Baekhyun has stopped choking and instead smirks at him now. And Minjae too wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

Taehyung, realizing his mistake too late, lifts his hands in surrender.

"Guys no, that's not what I meant-"

"Jeongguk, hm? You think he's cute now, don't you?"

"I absolutely don't!"

Leaving aside that his two friends are being pests about it, things are going smooth with Jeongguk.

Mostly.

Of course there are these little things Taehyung notices, like how the younger often stares at him silently but is quick to turn away as soon as Taehyung notices. Or how he sometimes opens and closes his mouth a few times, then frowns and finally turns inwards again. As if he's contemplating to say something but always holds himself back.

Now Taehyung is not dumb. He still remembers that one night Jeongguk told him about all the pressure he's under. Surely that pressure didn't become less after two days of absence. So being the smart lad he is, Taehyung counts one and one together and decides the weird behaviour is because Jeongguk has so much to do he's slipping sometimes. Whis is fine. happens.

Also there is no way these quirks have anything to do with Taehyung himself, none. Nada.

So yeah, things are going okay, they are both bickering, both ing about Baek together at any given chance and still having dinner together somewhen in the late evening. It's cool, really.

But.

Some choices in food you just. Don't. Make.

Taehyung says as much upon lifting the lid of his respective pizza box to see, buckle your seat belts, a pizza Hawaii inside.

Jeongguk gives him a quizzical look from where he's already munching on the first bite of his own pizza.

"Why, what's wrong with Pizza Hawaii?"

Taehyung lets the lid fall shut again and shoves the full box as far away as the small table allows.

"It's disgusting, obviously."

"Dude no, you don't get it, this is genius. Some hearty pizza with the delicious sweetness of pineapple on top to create a heavenly sweet-and-sour combination. Minus the sour part."

"No, you just don't do this kind of thing!"

Jeongguk has wolved down his first piece and halts now to give his full attention to the argument. The first argument they have during dinner.

"Why not, it's delicious."

"It's not, it's just terrible taste and awful and bad,"Taehyung protests with vigor. "I can't believe you have the audacity to actually eat that stuff. Next thing you're telling me you sacrifice small children in the middle of the woods every other new moon or what?"

"Alright now you are being ridicculous-"

"I don't think so, thank you very much! How can one eat pizza with pineapple, seriously?"

Jeongguk exhales sharply and fixes a stern look at the other.

"Can you like stop making such a fuss about literally nothing?"

"You know what? No I can't. Honestly I'm this close to forgetting myself here," Taehyung spits right back while leaning back on his chair and crossing his arms.

"This is just one of many different variations of possible pizza toppings and I happen to like it, can you just cut the crap already and let me eat in peace?"

"I don't know, Judas, can I?"

"Yes, you can!"

"Can I though," Taehyung quips. "Can I really? Can I really ignore this horrific side of yours in favour of our friendship? I am torn."

"Honestly, you are such a pain in the ," Jeongguk mutters while grabbing his second slice of pizza at last.

"Hah, you wish."

"I don't!"

Taehyung begrudgingly pull his pizza back close and gets out one small slice, nibbling at the rim. Truth is he is famished but he doesn't want to admit defeat. After some half-hearted bites he notices Jeongguk once again staring at him.

"What?"

"...Do you mean it?"

"That you are a disgusting idiot for liking pineapples on pizza? Yes."

"No, the part where you said we are friends."

Taehyung purses his lips.

"Oh. Hm. I guess? I mean we annoy each other on the daily too much to be mere aquaintances, don't we? And we do have our regular dinner dates so there is that."

Jeongguk splutters, making Taehyung laugh.

"Dude chill, I didn't mean the date part. Everything's cool."

"I, yeah, of course," Jeongguk nods, face red. "I knew that."

Somehow  this whole pizza Hawaii debacle turned into Taehyung trying his hardest to find something that's disgusting for Jeongguk too.

So far it didn't work in his favour, Taehyung even tried ordering some really spicy food but in the end it just was a torture for him with his whole body instantly starting to itch while Jeongguk sat next to him and took bite after bite, completely relaxed.

But this time. This time Taehyung is confident he found something that's gonna throw off even Jeongguk. It's not something out for delivery so Taehyung told Jeongguk to get ready and then drove the both of them to the Noryangjin Fish Market. Ignoring the complete silence during the whole ride was easy. Taehyung really was nervours.

And now they are here, sitting at a table for two - "No, not a couple table, just a normal table for two, thanks because we are not together!" - with a big plate between them, rimmed with some bangchan. And on that plate: sannakji. Bits and pieces of octopus tentacles that are still squirming.

It seems like Jeongguk too is starting to get a light case of The Nerves.

"And you are sure this is safe?"

"I, yeah, I guess..."

"You GUESS?!"

Taehyung shrugs and aimlessly pokes around in the wiggling chunk, puts back some stray pieces that managed to creep off the plate. 

"I mean it is a popular dish here, isn't it? So I suppose it should be alright."

"But what if the tentacles start clinging to my throat and don't stop clinging and then I choke and I try to swallow them down but I fail, and then I choke some more and then I suffocate, and then I die?! What then?" With each point Jeongguk's voice pitches higher until it's barely more than a squeak.

Taehyung would laugh at the funny sound of scared Jeongguk if he weren't just as scared himself.

"Okay, listen. There is staff everwhere, I bet they all have a black belt in first aid and are qualified anti-choke-helpers or something. We should be safe."

Honestly, Taehyung just sounds confident.

Jeongguk starts mirroring him and pokes at the small tentacle pieces, watches in mild horror how one of them winds around his metal chopstick. He lifts up the chopsticks slowly until it's at eye level, Taehyung watching his every move with bated breath. After a quick reassuring look for some staff nearby Jeongguk sticks out his tongue and probes at the still wiggling piece, then opens his mouth completely and-

"Blergh! No way! No way I'm gonna eat this slimy, wiggly, cursed zombie fish."

He spits it back out, throws his chopsticks down and takes a big gulp of water. 

Taehyung sigh. Secretly he's relieved that Jeongguk was the first to throw in the towel. Now if he does the same it doesn't look like he's the loser anymore.

"Alright," he says and slowly puts his chopsticks back down, "we are not gonna eat this."

Jeongguk halts in the middle of aggressively wiping his tongue. "We... are not?"

"Nope," Taehyung says, popping the 'p' at the end.

And. It's time for a little bit of honesty. Because Taehyung truly might feel sick watching these little s squirming around.

"Honestly I don't think I could ever eat this stuff, too."

Jeongguk still seems hesitant.

"But wasn't it expensive?"

"It wasn't."

It was. But Jeongguk doesn't have to know. And it didn't make the slightest dent in Taehyung's wallet so there is that.

They end up leaving the fish market without having tried the delicacy that is sannakji. With that being said, Taehyung's thirst for revenge on the disgusting pizza Hawaii is quenched. That's why after letting off Jeongguk at the younger's home, Taehyung rolls down the window and says,

"Tomorrow it's your turn to choose dinner again. And no weird stuff."

Jeongguk nods and timidly waves after him. Keeps watching him, as Taehyung can see in the rear mirror while driving off. It's a strangely sweet gesture, the younger staying until he can't see Taehyung's car anymore. Taehyung feels like he could get used to this.

The next day Jeongguk presents two pizza boxes again.

Taeyung lifts the lid and looks up to shoot a glare at the younger.

"Dude."

"Come on, you didn't even really try last time," Jeongguk chirps.

"I told you I'm not gonna eat this ery of pizza Hawaii!"

Me: I am writing this story set in Seoul so I need to find a typically korean dish that's disgusting.

*proceeds googling disgusting korean dishes*

*watches sannakji mukbang, all the while being like EWW*

Me: There are sacrifices that need to be made for credible writing.

*watches a second mukbang for research purposes*

*doesn't have dinner afterwards*

Also me: Oh look, we reached a two-digit number of chapters. Sweet.