That disturbing meeting with his former co-worker sure was something. Was enough to unsettle Taehyung for the rest of the day, to be very honest.

He tries to downplay it in front of Jeongguk but is not too sure it's working. The way his boyfriend keeps throwing him concerned side glances might be enough of a hint that his acting game's pretty weak that day.

Anyway!

Luckily he's s so busy with work and planning Jeongguk's birthday present that Taehyung quickly enough forgets about the incident. Or, maybe forgetting is not the right term. Hm. Maybe preoccupied? Yeah, he is too preoccupied to give it much thought. 

So at the end of the day he's already successfully stressing about how to get a short-notice vacation for both him and Jeongguk out of their boss and it's the one single thing taking up his mind. With the memory of lunch break lurking around somewhere in the back of his head like a persistent shadow that just stubbornly refuses to move.

Jeongguk, his sweet Jeongguk, takes him to his home that night. Says Taehyung shouldn't stay alone tonight, and also not in his usual environment where it's so easy for his thoughts to wander and enter toxic waters.

It's only the second time he'll be over at the younger's place and it instantly brings back memories from the time he invited himself over to watch over one sick Jeongguk. The memory makes him chuckle, Jeongguk giving him a curious glance from the passenger seat.

"Ah, nothing, I just-" he cuts off himself as another car swerves a little too close for his liking- "just remembered last time I've been over. Totally failed in looking over your sick , you even ended up taking care of me instead."

Jeongguk snorts.

"I keep telling you to do some sport or at least yoga, but nooo..."

"Yah, not everybody is made for a life of fitness and physical exhaustion, okay? I literally can't sweat, not that I would want to," Taehyung whines.

Jeongguk just chuckles.

Taehyung feels offended enough to turn off the air-con on Jeongguk's side.

(Jeongguk tries to turn it back on with loud protest by pushing several buttons but all it does is switching radio channels. 'Gangnam style' starts blasting at full volume, which immediately prompts the younger into dancing the choreography - and almost smacking Taehyung in the face. Luckily they are just standing at a red light or the two of them might be very, very dead.) 

The first thing Taehyung notices when he steps foot into Jeongguk's flat is the wonky cooling fan next to the old couch. He stares maybe a bit too obviously because Jeongguk promptly launches himself into an explanation.

"Uh, yeah I got it a while back once I got more of an understanding of your condition, and thought that if you come over again it would be good to have something to keep you cool here too, I guess?"

He looks a little sheepish, even shuffling his feet while speaking. As if he isn't sure whether it was a dumb idea or not. Taehyung is 100% smitten.

"Aw." He reaches out to take one of Jeongguk's hands and entwines their fingers. "You got a fan, just for me?"

Jeongguk turns his head away, obviously blushing.

"Sh-shuddup."

Taehyung smiles. And just for a moment, he feels like he could take on the whole world.

They make themselves at home on the couch, foregoing the usually obligatory shared blanket only because it really is warm enough already. They can cuddle just fine without blanket.

Jeongguk zaps through his Netflix account with half an eye on Taehyung's minute reaction and stops at Spirited Away.

Maybe Taehyung did squeal a little as soon as he saw the selection of Studio Ghibli works popping up. (Maybe his acting game really is weak today.)

The younger gets up to fetch them some snacks, claiming that tonight is an exception because it's comfort night and comfort calories don't count. Then he snuggles back against Taehyung and sets the movie in motion.

It works.

Taehyung almost want to hate just how well it works.

The whole evening he doesn't think about Haewon once. 

At some point he gets drowsy enough to almost fall off the couch, which has Jeongguk carefully shaking him awake and navigating him to the bathroom.

"Here, and you can use my toothpaste."

Taehyung stares at least for two minutes at the brand-new toothbrush in his hand he's just been entrusted with. Is too close to the brink of sleep to comprehend how the alien thing got into his hand and what to do with it.

Naturally, Jeongguk catches up on it.

"Tae, you gotta brush your teeth before sleeping," he reprimands in the softest voice.

Taehyung blinks.

Oh. Right.

Makes sense.

The tiny part of him that's still awake argues that his state of sleepiness is laughable - he's run on much less sleep during some of his workaholic phases. But being human doesn't always equal logic, so here he is. On the brink of falling face-first into the sink while brushing his teeth.

What a day.

Negative emotions sure are draining, even if they are not always noticeable. The whole second half of the day they've still been there, like when you open a ton  of tabs and forget to close the one with some annoying ad constantly running on repeat in the background. energy out of body and mind.

Taehyung hates feeling weak like this.

But - he thinks as Jeongguk half drags, half carries him to his room, even undresses him and pulls a loose white shirt over Taehyung's head, as he tugs Taehyung to the bed and crawls in right behind him so he can wrap a secure arm around his waist and tangle their legs under the thin blanket - maybe showing some weakness isn't always bad.

Waking up the next morning has Taehyung in stitches.

While still struggling to wake up completely, he doesn't immediately register where he is and what happened. All his sleepy brain can take in is that big low quality print hanging across the room with a picture of him spewing marshmallows all over himself.

He vaguely remembers Jimin and Jeongguk rolling on the floor laughing about his misery, and himself being pissed as because hello, you are not the ones getting cramps in your entire face from twenty marshmallows clogging your mouth? But now as he sees the undeniably funny candid shot of himself proudly sitting right over Jeongguk's desk he can't help but giggle.

And the longer he looks, the worse it gets. He's goading up himself to a point where he's slumped over still sleeping Jeongguk and holding his stomach, wheezing for air. 

A look to the clock (that's actually ticking loud as hell, how the does Jeongguk manage to fall asleep to that noise everyday?) is what finally grounds him. They are going to be late for work.

"Gguk, Gguk, we are going to be late for work!"

No response.

Really, what did he expect?

He surpresses the urge to glance at that picture again in favor of violently shaking his slightly snoring boyfriend.

(That embarrassing picture is even framed, what the heck?)

"Jeonggukkie~"

Jeonggukkie is dead as a stone, thank you.

Taking deep breaths to steel himself, Taehyung resolves to his last stand. With the caution of a fox passing a napping grizzly, he sneaks a hand under the blanket and pats around Jeongguk's torso until he finds what he's been looking for.

(The fact that Jeongguk sleeping half- seems to be a normal thing is equal parts super helpful and -inducing. Gosh. Thanks god the blanket is still covering him, or Taehyung would have a completely different kind of problem right now.)

With one last gulp, he squeezes the .

Jeongguk's elbow lands in his stomach and catapults him cleanly out of bed.

"Ugh, ing good morning," Taehyung groans.

This better doesn't become a recurring thing.

A concerned Jeongguk hovering above him in all his half- post-slumber glory is not helping one bit either.

They end up being significantly later at work than usual.

Which, thanks to Namjoon's working morals is not really a problem as boss doesn't care about when the eight hours of work per day happen as long a they do happen. But.

Baekhyun takes one look at Taehyung's new hickey on the underside of his chin as they pass his counter, and wolf-whistles.

Jeongguk is put off by it enough to barrel right into his office without a look back. Which leaves Taehyung hovering in front of the two doors to their respective offices, with his boyfriend so suddenly gone. Did he see a slight blush out of the corner of his eyes? Maybe he did. Cute.

Jeongguk obviously holing up also gives him a great opportunity to fix his magnet board once more. And so, soon enough the supposed magnetic name tag on Jeongguk's door spells the glorious words 'egg ejj no u kno'. Taehyung is proud of his work.

Once in his office, it's again easy enough to get swamped with enough stuff to not think about Haewon. But it seems like his boyfriend is still concerned, for he keeps tapping a sappy 'ILY' on the bracelet every two hours or so.

Twice short. Short, long, twice short. Long, short, twice long.

It's such a damn sweet gesture Taehyung doesn't know what to do with himself. He's almost feeling the warm embrace of sleeping Jeongguk from this morning again. He feels loved, cherished, to a degree he would've never thought. It's enough to let his vision grow a little misty.

Even at lunch, Jeongguk seems to stay even closer than usual. Sits with his thigh pressed against Taehyung's and their arms constantly touching. As if he doesn't want him to even entertain the thought that he's alone.

And during his dutiful juice delivery service - a while ago Taehyung managed to convert the afternoon tea into orange juice for the sake of, you know, temperature - Jeongguk checks on what Taehyung is currently working at. Let's him quickly explain his project and show his work status, to then proceed with... praising him to the skies?

No kidding, it's a little bit of a shock.

To be praised by Jeon Jeongguk, the golden maknae of BT Designs and constant holder of top position at their unofficial top chart seems to be nothing short of a miracle.

But here he is, talking about how Taehyung broke down the code so well and how his work looks so clean, literally gushing about every detail. 

It's disorienting is what it is.

So maybe Taehyung is gaping. He's a lost child just now, okay? He can't remember being praised for his work like that ever before.

Jeongguk, finally seeing the look of utter befuddlement on the older's face, cuts off himself to sheepishly scratch at his neck.

"Ah, sorry, it's just. I think I'm never giving you enough credits for your good work."

Okay, now Taehyung really is lost. He furrows his brows.

"Yeah well, why would you? We rarely ever work on the same thing nowadays so my results don't have any influence on your outcome whatsoever."

Jeongguk huffs.

"Does it need to affect my work for me to give credit where credit is due?"

And. Taehyung doesn't know how to reply to that.

He's just not used to be complimented about his work. At all.

So he just silently stares back until he feels a blush spreading over his face.

Jeongguk's entire demeanor softens at that.

The warm little smile, the one he only shows Taehyung, tugs at the corner of his lips and he cradles Taehyung's head with one hand, leaning down to press a sweet kiss onto Taehyung's mouth. One that's full of mind-boggling assurance and adoration, that wraps itself around Taehyung's heart like a fluffy blanket.

Taehyung's ready to turn into a puddle of goo from that kiss alone.

"Just let me tell you how great you are once in a while," Jeongguk hushes.

And aren't those the most wonderful words.

It's almost enough to make everything the people at Crystal Gates ever flung his way seem meaningless.

Not long after Jeongguk left - left Taehyung's mind a properly scrambled mess, that is - Baekhyun pops in.

"So," he quips with an eyebrow-wiggle. "Having fun?"

Taehyung groans.

"Leave me alone..."

He should've know better. Of course Baekhyun does no such thing. He just cackles and then proceeds to press him about details of his love life which Taehyung is absolutely not ready to share.

But 'Baekhyun-ah' has ten letters, and so does 'persistent'.

Which is why Taehyung fails to get rid of him for the next twelve minutes at least. That's when something like a miserable wail comes out of Jeongguk's room.

Taehyung is instantly in alarm mode, ready to jump up and rush over but Baekhyun keeps him down.

"Whoa, whoa, chill," he laughs, "it's probably just Yugyeom."

What.

Taehyung halts.

"Yugyeom?"

"Yeah? I told him of the latest addition to your collection earlier-"

Taehyung scoffs. Of course he did. Byun Baekhuy, everybody. Gossipmonger incarnate.

"-so he's probably busy roasting poor Jeongguk within an inch of his life."

Baekhyun shrugs, 100% unapologetic.

"Oh god." Taehyung rubs his face. "You are terrible, absolutely terrible."

Baekhyun grins and shrugs again.

Before Taehyung can think of how to get back at the other for making his man suffer like that, the phone pings with a new message.

...Okay, that's a lie. It doesn't ping. Instead, Bokuto is yelling his iconic 'Hey hey hey', which tells Taehyung two things: one, he's got a message from Jeongguk (for whom he reserved the best notification sound in the whole universe). And two, he forgot to put his phone on silent.

Thankfully, the loud HEY HEY HEEEY is enough for Baekhyun to get scared off and leave the room at long last. 

As soon as the door closes behind him, Taehyung checks his inbox.

And almost face-plants into his computer.

From: Ggukkie bby <3

Subject: !

 

Message:

DO U ING LIKE ME

It takes Taehyung a solid minute to type a timid 'Yes' in response.

On the other side of the wall there is a muffled crash, then some loud cheering and clapping. Taehyung lowkey wants to know what the 's going on over there.

Not even ten seconds later, Bokuto's laughter fills his office again.

From: Ggukkie bby <3

Subject: !

 

Message:

WELL I REALLY ING LIKE U TOO

And what is left to do for Taehyung at this point, except for him to die from a severe case of The Feelz?

That evening, Taehyung gets invited over to Jeongguk again.

Declining never was an option.

They end up watching the first two episodes of Queen's Gambit.

Taehyung is in love.

Not quite as much as he is with his Jeonggukkie though, of course.

Then it's Friday. Taehyung gets kicked out of bed for waking up Jeongguk again - how the younger usually wakes up when he's doing just fine sleeping through three different alarms, Taehyung has no clue.

And so far, he expertly ignored the encounter with Haewon.

That is, until Jimin stands at his doorsteps on Friday evening and pulls him in a bone-crushing hug.

"Don't you worry, Tae-Tae. That evil woman gets what she deserves!"

Taehyung is too confused to even complain about Jimin's nth unannounced appearance at his apartment.

Jeongguk is shuffling closer behind him, and for once he and Jimin don't give each other the stink eye. Instead, they just... exchange weird looks and then nod at each other.

Which adds a whole new level to Taehyung's confusion.

Jimin pushes past Taehyung into the apartment as soon as he turned the key, kicks off his shoes and makes a beeline to the couch. Taehyung trots after him, with Jeongguk in tow who sticks to him like a shadow.

"Okay, so don't flip out because I promise I barely told him anything," Jimin starts as soon as they're all seated.

It's more than enough to get Taehyung on edge.

His friend continues "So a few das ago, that goblin over there contacted me out of nowhere and asked me if I knew anyone who deeply dislikes you and, from then on things just kinda happened on their own? Like, I swear I didn't even tell him it's related to your former work, he figured all of that out by himself and, just, so yeah."

Now Taehyung is really having a bad feeling about this. He turns around to Jeongguk who's pressed into his side again, almost unnervingly close - as he's been the past few days. Some emotion he can't quite place, something clammy that makes him uneasy, stirs in his gut as he squints at his boyfriend. Tries to decipher exactly how much damage has been done.

"What do you know?"

His own voice already sounds distant, even to his own ears. Taehyung can ramp up the wall of self-defense around him in no time if he has to.

The tone seems to make Jeongguk nervous too. Taehyung usually doesn't speak to him like that. He fidgets around, avoids eye contact.

"I know that you weren't always going to be a web developer. I know you used to work something creative - maybe something related to designing, fashion or music. And I know someone looked down on you. Disliked you, and let you feel every bit of unfiltered resentment."

Jeongguk dares to turn around and meet his cautious stare.

"That woman, she was one of them, right?"

That woman - Sang Haewon.

Taehyung's hands clench to fists. He grits his teeth at the mere taste of her name.

"Yes. She was one of them."

His words come out slow and somewhat clipped, knuckles slowly turning white.

Jeongguk pulls him into a tight hug and Jimin follows suit, embracing him from behind.

"It's okay. It's okay, you're gonna be okay," Jeongguk mumbles. "Whatever she told you, it's not true. She knows about you. You're the most amazing person I know, Tae."

On his other side, Jimin is humming a somewhat soothingly melody. Taehyung doesn't know what it is exactly but he recognizes the piece. It's Jimin's comfort song for him. 

Taehyung feels like crying.

They sit like this for who knows how long. Until Taehyung doesn't feel like bile's gonna rise up and clog his throat any second. But eventually, Jimin untangles himself and settles right next to Taehyung as a reassuring presence.

Jeongguk only moves a little, keeps an arm loosely wrapped around Taehyung's shoulders - then thinks better of it and pulls him in his lap. Gently pushes Taehyung's head to rest in the crook of his neck so he doesn't have to face them.

Taehyung gladly takes the offer of close contact and snuggles into his little happy space.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

There is no judgement in Jeongguk's voice as he asks. It's clear that he will accept either answer, won't pry any further or think less of Taehyung if he were to say no.

It makes Taehyung wonder how he got so damn lucky meeting Jeongguk. The younger deserves so much. So the least Taehyung can do is open up towards him.

And if things really do get out of hand, Jimin is still there. His best friend has seen him at his lowest and is familiar with how to deal with a Taehyung spiraling out of control. If anything, this right now is the safest place he could be.

So he nods, huffs a little as Jeongguk's hair tickles his nose.

"I was... I worked for a company called Crystal Gates, years ago."

The fancy logo flashes in front of his inner eye - a stylized ice blue wrought iron gate, with a snowflake topping the peak, left handle shaped like a C and right one like a G. It instantly brings back a bitter taste.

"It is a high-end, and I mean very very high-end, upper class business that specializes in building grand entrance doors and gates. All of them custom-made, all made by hand and worth a fortune. I used to work as a designer there, but. My designs never got chosen."

Next to him, Jimin scoffs. "ing morons."

It makes Taehyung crack a tired smile.

"Whenever we got a new order, all of us would come up with various designs from which the client could chose from. Nobody ever chose my stuff. And of course the other noticed. It wasn't long until I've turned into the laughing stock of CG."

Jeongguk's grip around him tightens. Taehyung revels in it, up the gesture like a dry sponge.

"Of course I talked about it with the boss, but he just said it's alright. Said it's 'good for fueling a competitive spirit within the team'." 

Taehyung's voice turns bitter at that. He can't help it. Even years later it still burns like acid. It's a memory he's very hesitant to touch. But he's safe, he's with friends, has a great boss now, he keeps reminding himself. It's over.

"Boss knew the things the others did to me, knew how they trampled on me like a nasty bug. Yet he did nothing. Left me in the company as cannon fodder so the others could thrive. They made full use of their free pass on me. Especially Heawon, the woman we met a few days ago."

Good-for-nothing. What are you even here for? Your drafts don't even deserve to be called like that.

They're an eyesore, you're an eyesore.

The worst member Crystal Gates ever had.

Ugly. 

Useless, useless, useless...

He digs his fingers into Jeongguk's shoulders and clenches his eyes shut. The whirlwind of insults keeps beating against the inside of his head.

Useless, useless, useless.

Why do you even keep coming back here?

Mooching off our good name like the dumb beggar you are.

Scum.

His voice trembles as he continues.

"It got bad, really bad. And at some point I couldn't take it anymore, I just couldn't, I-"

Jeongguk's hands run up and down his back in soothing patterns.He shushes him, turns his head to place a tender peck at Taehyung's forehead and then tugs him back in, one hand coming up to card through Taehyung's hair.

"It's alright. Only tell me what you want. You can tell me the rest another time if you'd like."

Jeongguk, oh his Jeongguk. So understanding and perfect, always so patient with him in times where it really matters. Taehyung's heart wilts and blooms anew in the span of mere breaths.

He can do this.

There is not much left to tell anyway.

"Okay. I'm. Okay. So, as I said, I wasn't in a good place back then. And if you hear these things everyday, if your work never gets picked, if nobody tells you that your designs are actually good, I guess it's very easy to fall for it sooner or later. It took me maybe one year and a half to cave. To admit that my work is not good enough for Crystal Gates, and will never be. So I quit. And vowed to never do anything that involves art ever again."

The worst part is over now. Taehyung's voice instantly lightens as he pushes through with the last sentences, the past years of his life as if it's nothing.

"I got back to school and chose something, anything that doesn't require artistic skills at all and became a web developer. The rest is history."

What he does not tell Jeongguk is how much it hurt.

How he's worked so damn hard to even get to Crystal Gates, how he felt ready to conquer the world with his degree in the bag. How he used to sit hour after hour working on the most difficult designs and how he believed this was it, this was how he'd spend the rest of his life living his passion as the dream job it was supposed to be.

How he crumpled to the floor as soon as he got home and cried himself to exhaustion everyday.

How he came to the conclusion that he really wasn't good enough for the job, for designing, for art, for this world even.

How Jimin had to pick up the countless shards of him and put him back together time and again so he could continue to function for yet another week, until he was once more broken beyond recognition.

One stolen side-glance at Jeongguk tells him that he already knows. Taehyung is quick to look away, can't bear to see so much sorrow and compassion swimming in his love's eyes.

Jimin pats his foot.

It makes Taehyung flinch but he doesn't pull away. Which, mistake.

The small hand creeps up to close around his ankle and then, before he knows it, Taehyung's foot is held custody for Jimin's merciless tickle attack.

After a few moments of obvious confusion, Jeongguk the traitor joins in too, his fingers wiggling into Taehyung's armpit with frustrating ease.

The three of them end up rolling off the couch in an uncoordinated heap, falling in the space between couch and table and writhing on the floor.

Laughter fills the air.

Taehyung gasps, tears running down his face.

"Stop, stop, I can't-"

Finally, they listen to his pleas. Relentless hands still and instead grapple to pull Taehyung back onto the couch with them.

Jimin is already snuggling into him like a happy puppy. As if he didn't just try to kill Taehyung with a tickle attack.

"Don't worry, Tae-Tae. That woman won't hurt you ever again."

His voice is light yet firm as he says it, as if he knows this for a fact.

It instantly gets Taehyung suspicious.

"Jiminie... what did you do?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing," his friend chirps.

The sirens in Taehyung's head start loudly blaring as he tries to ready himself for what's to come.

"Jimin..."

The model huffs. "I swear! We didn't do anything bad."

Wait, 'we'?

Taehyung's head swivels around to Jeongguk who suddenly seems to have found a new interest in the chandelier.

Taehyung narrows his eyes.

"We only wanted to help you. Promise."

Taehyung takes a deep breath. 

"What. Did you do?"

Jimin's grin is anything but assuring.

"Okay, so. Muscle pig over there texted me about your weird encounter and asked for help or clarification. And of course mastermind me immediately deduced that you must've run into that Haewon. So I did three things. I printed out lots of pamphlets with her phone number on it and declared it the official hotline for anonymous rage calls-"

Taehyung groans.

"No, no listen. I am not done yet," Jimin is quick to add.

"Dear god..."

"Then, I asked Yoongs to get me one of those things that sets off the security alarm at the doors of almost every store. I made an appointment with Crystal Gates and asked specifically for her. Of course she was head over heels, I mean c'mon, you don't get to work for Korea's most popular model everyday. Slipping the little chip into her bag was a piece of cake."

Taehyung rolls his eyes. Seems like his friend has been spending more time with Seokjin lately. That whole self-love is definitely rubbing off.

"And lastly," Jimin announces proudly, "I filed a lawsuit against the whole company."

Taehyung blinks.

"You... you what?!"

Jimin gives him that look, as if he's hurting for him with a magnitude he could never fathom.

It's both uplifting and crushing Taehyung.

"Tae-Tae. They've taken away years from you and knowingly treated you like for a prolonged time. And you're probably not even the only one suffering from their toxic work morals. Even though you're the only one of their victims I care for, obviously. They deserve whatever I can do to make them suffer and pay for what they did to you, every single one of them."

Jeongguk hums and perches his chin on Taehyung's shoulder.

"Yeah. They should all rot in hell."

There is steel glinting in their eyes, cold and unforgiving.

Taehyung breathes.

A/N: Uh, I guess chapter 30 won't be the final anymore???