Taehyung is not a hostile person by default.

Quite the contrary. However, he is not amused by the fact he might, possibly, maybe perhaps feel something like... attraction for a certain co-worker. He won't accept this. Jeongguk might have these moments where he is not unbearable but he is still a prick and Taehyung does not date pricks. Or feel attracted to them. Or something equally stupid. To quote Hamlet act three, scene three, line 87: "No." Simply no.

Which is why he is angrily glaring at Jeongguk ever since the meeting started and the younger took the liberty to sit next to Taehyung again. As if they were a thing. As if sitting next to each other once means he can just come up and assume it'll be alright forever ever ever. Taehyung is pissed. Taehyung is pissed and Jeongguk is handsome. To be honest, he is so angry exactly because the younger is handsome, effectively distracting him. Something that never happened before. And that fact alone makes it even worse.

It kinda makes Taehyung being pissed about being pissed. An endless circle. Crap.

Jeongguk is giving him irritated side-glances and by now has ceased trying to about Baek through morse. He tried tapping Taehyung's thigh at the beginning but the older slapped his hand away and gave him a nasty look. Since then a high wall built up between the two of them.

And Baek, the supreme , notices of course. Namjoon is in the middle of announcing the details for their work trip - canoeing on the Han river - and if Taehyung wouldn't be so busy harboring negative feelings he would be over the moon right now because it'll be his first ever work trip. While the boss goes through the list of what they need to know, Baek leans over the table and whisper-shouts at Taehyung,

"Hey noob, got a marital quarrel with your hubby?"

And the thing is. Taehyung might be unreasonably mad at Jeongguk right now but he will always dislike Baek infinitely more. So this absolutely uncalled for jab funnily enough has a grounding effect on him. Helps him get his priorities straight. (If he isn't straight himself then at least they should be.) Taehyung inhales, visualizes how he lets go of The Jeongguk Thing like a balloon floating away and meets Baek's teasing look. Steady, calm.

Taehyung throws an angelic smile at the elder.

"Dear Baek-sunbaenim, may your sites always load slowly so you accidentally click on ads."

Next to him Jeongguk shakes, lips pressed together in a tight white line. Namjoon gives them a reprimanding look, sighs and then continues telling everybody about the trip. Taehyung catches the glare of a fuming Baek before he's looking down to take notes. And just maybe hide his victorious grin. Taehyung 3, Baek 1. Not like he keeps a tally. Nah. That would be childish.

"Alright I know a few of you are prone to getting lost so we'll meet at 9am here in front of the main entrance and then take a bus I chartered. Okay?" Namjoon looks around.

Cue about waking up too early from the night owls and excessive nodding from the bootlickers.

Taehyung himself reminds silent and gets back on glaring daggers at Jeongguk. Does he know it's inappropriate and childish? Yes. Does that stop him? Absolutely not.

Jeongguk doesn't bother speaking with him for the rest of the day. Maybe it's for the best. Taehyung has a feeling he'd spew rubbish if the younger approached him.

Their little light switch war is carried out silently too that night: Jeongguk switches the light off. Taehyung gets ready, leaves his room, spots the younger - again waiting for him with no reason - stretches out his left arm and slowly gives him the middle finger. Then the right arm. Then pulls both hands close to his own face while making a grimace and keeping both fingers high up. Jeongguk rolls his eyes. Taehyung kicks him.

One night of a good sleep can do so much for a single human being.

It can change one's whole resolve, overthrow opinions and beliefs, change everything. Taehyung admits to himself whatever he's been doing yesterday was stupid and unreasonable.

Maybe the phone call with Jimin helped a little bit, too.

(Jimin doesn't even bother trying to hide his irritated sigh. "And you gave him the stink eye for a solid day because of what exactly?"

"I, well, because... y'know."

"No I don't. And if I don't then you don't know either Kim Taehyung, I swear."

"Don't call me that!"

"Kim Taehyung."

"No."

"Kim Taehyung."

"Park Jimin."

"Kim Taehyung."

Taehyung pouts. "Stop it, yah."

"No you stop it you big baby. Just apologize and make up already."

The younger splutters and rolls around on his bed. "What's with that 'already', it's literally been a single day-"

"That's one day too long! I'm still waiting for the both of you to elope to Vegas, remember?"

"Now that's just stupid and you know it. How am I supposed to apologize anyway?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe walk up to him and say sorry?" The sarcasm is heavy on that one.

If Jimin was here, Taehyung would pinch him for it. He thinks about the proposal and immediately feels his ears and face heating up.

"Ew no. No, I, uhm. Imma do it the Rachmaninoff way I think..."

"Dude," Jimin deadpans.

"What?"

"Taehyungie. What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Taehyung huffs. "It obviously means I'll show up at his doorstep in the middle of the night with a giant jar of honey and announce my own forgiveness together with our palmanship you uncultured swine."

There is the shortest silence before the older catches himself.

"I, what?"

"Jimbles, my bro do you really wanna tell me you don't know how Rachmaninoff and Stravinksy met?"

"I, well, err I mean... Anyway isn't the better question why do you know that?"

Taehyung shrugs. "Pinterest?"

"Bro."

"Bro. Best app ever I swear."

"Ohmygod you are the worst."

"Aw I love you too~"

"Ew. Does your hottie even like honey?"

"...")

So now he finds himself on a mission. He has to find out what Jeongguk likes in order to pull this Rachmaninoff stunt. Because honestly he has not the slightest clue.

"Uh, all I know is the banana milk thing," Baekhyun muses over their shared lunch.

Taehyung raises his eyebrows. "Banana milk thing?"

"Yeah it's kinda like a running gag you know, because he likes banana milk a lot. So teasing him about it whenever you see him having some is pretty much mandatory."

Minjae nods with a wistful smile but Taehyung doesn't get it.

"Why would you do that?"

Baekhyun shrugs. "Because it's fun?"

"More like, mean," Taehyung mutters and pouts. 

Both Baekhun and Minjae laugh. The former slaps him on the back lightly.

"Don't worry, don't worry. He's a tough guy I bet he doesn't even notice."

A steady string of mussels disappears in Minjae's mouth before he pipes up again. "I have a hunch that he could be into gaming but I'm not too sure. I can ask Yugyeom though, he's part of that 97 liner group thing."

Taehyung tilts his head, wracks his brain if he ever heard that name before. He comes up blank. "Yugyeom?"

"Yeah, the guy I share an office with. Not everybody is so privileged they get their own office from the get-go, you know?"

It's an off-handed comment and Taehyung knows there is no ill intend behind it and yet. Yet he can't help but cling to that admission and turn it around in his head over and over. Why does he have his own room? It's a fair question, surely there are a lot of other people more deserving than him who have been part of the company for a long while, are more skilled and whatnot. Is that something he should actually worry about?

But Baekhyun is already nodding along, encouraging Minjae to do just that despite the two of them still not knowing what all of this is about. Taehyung figures some questions are best being left unanswered.

"Yeah if you could do that it would be really cool, thank you," he says with a smile, bowing his head slightly.

"Sure thing."

"Uhm."

Jeongguk looks at him, seeming not sure what to do, how to act.

Taehyung's smile turns a little tight as he keeps his arms outstretched, brand-new Sony Playstation 5 in his hands. The younger keeps eyening him some more before hesitantly accepting the offered box.

"Uh, thank you I guess... do you want to, I dunno, come in or?"

The younger awkwardly gestures for Taehyung to enter his office but Taehyung shakes his head.

"No no not at all. I just randomly found this and wanted to give it to someone and yeah, hahaha."

He scratches his head and slinks back into his own office. Before he closes his door completely he peeks through the small crack at Jeongguk who is still standing there rooted to the spot.

"We good though yes?"

"Err, sure...?"

"Cool."

With that the door snaps closed.

Mission completed.

Taehyung dives for his phone and texts Jimin, he is that desparate.

 

To: Chimothy Jim-Jams ma bestest best man

 

BROOOOOOOO I did the Rachmaninivf thing, completel successs!

*complete success

*Rachmaninof

*Rahmaninoff

LHÖLKAFLSHJFLHAUDHJAWHEÖOWKE U KNO WHAT I MEAN

 

From: Chimothy Jim-Jams ma bestest best man

 

WAY  TO GO BRO M SO PROUD 

kinda

waht u got him tho? ( ͡❛ ᴗ ͡❛)

 

To: Chimothy Jim-Jams ma bestest best man

 

IKR THANK U FOR UR PROUDNESS BEST BRO BORAINGHAE

playstation 5 thing

 

From: Chimothy Jim-Jams ma bestest best man

 

ru fr

a playstation

dude 

your inner sugardaddy is showing

 

To: Chimothy Jim-Jams ma bestest best man

 

aödfjösehföwajdhqjäedhawedwsaeutzqdfgvdsq

CAN YOU NOT SAY THAT THANK

 

From: Chimothy Jim-Jams ma bestest best man

 

Just saying as it is lol ¯\_( ͡◡ ᴗ ͡◡)_/¯

 

To: Jiminie-pabo

 

not true

im calling bull

he just happens to like gaming and i happen to have money s all

cant give him honey if hes allergic to it now can i

 

From: Jiminie-pabo

 

wat srsly is he tho? allergic i mean

 

To: Jiminie-pabo

 

who knows

not me that fo shore

 

From: Jiminie-pabo

 

u kno the funny thing is

ur like super good at socializing

but ur also like 

super bad at it

it goes hand in hand and that fact blows my mind

 

To: stupid lil bestie

 

those two things literally rule out each other its impossible

 

From stupid lil bestie

 

UR POSSIBLE DONT ING PATRONIZE ME

 

To: Paboooo

 

t( ͡❛ ω ͡❛t)

Yeah. Taehyung is smooth. Totally. Well at least he is on speaking terms with Jeongguk again. And if that ever was not the case (for one single day for crying out loud) then it's not his fault. Judging from the barely held-back glint in the younger's eyes he can rest assured the 660.000 something Won will be put to good use. And maybe if he acts like That Day never happened there is a chance Jeongguk will follow his lead and make a whole day together with Baek bearable.

That would be so damn highly appreciated.

Baek turns out not to be the problem.

The day of their work trip comes and Taehyung is past being mad at destiny or whatever (Namjoon, really) for putting him at the seat next to Jeongguk. Baekhyun on the other side of the aisle gives him a thumbs-up paired with a sympathetic look as Taehyung looses rock-paper-scissors against Jeongguk for the window seat. Taehyung slumps into his seat and pouts. He's not done yet.

"I'm prone to motion sickness."

Jeongguk gives him a side-glance from where he's playing on his phone already. His face is blank, voice monotone. "My bad."

"Let me have the window seat. Please."

"No, it's better if you are close to the aisle so you can run to the tiny on-board restroom. Or at least puke somewhere that's not my lap. In every way aisle seat it is for you."

"How rude! And you're wrong 'cause if I look out the window it distracts me enough not to feel sick. There." Taehyung crosses his arms. Point made.

Jeongguk glares, looks up to where Namjoon is still making his way back to the front of the bus while checking on everyone, then reluctantly gets up. He jerks his chin in the empty seat's direction, not bothering with words.

Taehyung dives for the spot. Victory! He turns back from the younger and grins into his palm. The window seat was always his favourite. And while the motion sickness thing is true it usually doesn't get bad enough for him to throw up. But Jeongguk doesn't have to know that bit. He leans his head against the cool glass and watches how the bus sets off and the city flies by, turning into suburbs and eventually landscape.

Their boss decided for a canoeing spot outside the bustling city where there is more actual nature and a feeling of serenity, claiming that it's impossible to relax and take that day off of work as long as you're in Seoul. Which is probably true.

Time doing its thing, the sky turns more clear the more they distance themselves from the metropolis, little clouds eventually appearing. Taehyung lights up even more. He raises up in his seat to poke Minjae's head who is conveniently sitting right in front of him.

"Hey, d'ya see that cloud that looks like a bear rolling around on the ground?"

Minjae hums. It's just a small sound but filled with warmth and compassion, nothing like the ignorant grunts he so often hears from Jeongguk. It's a good enough response for him.

"Ohmygosh there is also one that looks like a bird with an angry man with mohawk as a head and it's trying to dive for a volleyball receive."

"Oh yeah...."

"There is also a bunch of giant mushrooms a little more to the left!"

"Mhm."

And so it goes on. Taehyung whisper-yelling through the gap to Minjae's seat, the younger indulging him with half-assed replies, Jeongguk ignoring everything and playing on his phone.

Until he's not anymore.

"Dammit," Jeongguk curses under his breath.

Taehyung turns around in time to see him jamming his thumb onto the screen a few more times before it beeps and  turns dark. Jeongguk stares in disbelief until they go over a bump and his phone almost greets the ground. Grumbling he pockets the dead device, crosses his arms and falls back into the seat with a huff.

Taehyung goes back to cloud-watching with an eye-roll. Yes they are both web developers and thus everthing Technology is their thing but there are so many other ways to entertain yourself. 

"Minjae, Minjae, the one that looks like a bunny - well, like a fat jiggly bunny with two and a half ears but a bunny anyway - that one you did see though yes?!"

"Huh what?"

"Goddammit Minjae!"

A strange choking sound comes from Jeongguk's direction. As Taehyung whips around to him the younger tries to mask it with a cough and turns away but Taehyung saw. Noticed a slight blush. Puzzled he turns back to the window. Five minutes later he's forgotten about it.

Namjoon is definitely out to force them into bonding in any way he can.

It wasn't even subtle how the boss put Taehyung and Jeongguk up for one canoe, showing them right to one of the few two-man canadians whereas all the others are for three or more people. Jeongguk grumbles a bit but grabs one end of the canoe and starts dragging it to the water.

"I'm at the front," he says, walks to the other end and with a mighty push gets the whole thing into the awaiting wetness righ next to the pier. Before Taehyung can complain or ask why, the younger puts his bag in the space under the bow seat and steps from the pier into the canoe, claiming his spot.

A lot slower and more cautious Taehyung follows. He manages to get in there in one piece and without getting wet at the first try. After a quick glance around Taehyung gives himself a little pat.

"Why do you want to sit at the front so bad?"

Jeongguk pulls off his dark sweater and stows it away. Leaving him in a loose equally black t shirt and some olive coloured trousers. Broad back and bare arms on display.

"I won't loose just because I got paired with you."

Taehyung cries in outrage. "How dare you, why would you say something that mean huh? You punk!"

"Listen, I'm sitting here because if I'm at the bow I can go all out and make up for your lack of strength."

"Who says I lack strength? You don't know if I'm muscular under all these clothes or got a great stamina or something."

And the younger has the nerve to turn around and smirk.

"Well do you?"

"I-I'm not gonna answer this. I don't have to answer you anyway."

"That's a no then. Knew it."

"Yah!"

The whole deal of Jeongguk not wanting to loose starts to piece itself together after everybody is sitting in a canoe and the mandatory lectures are through. Namjoon barely shut his mouth as several people grab their canoe paddles and push them against other canoes. Competitive shouts fill the air.

"Okay we're gonna show 'em who is boss! On my count, one-two, one-two, one-two-"

"Remember the bitter taste of defeat from last year and let it be your fuel. We are gonna let these motherers eat dirt!", one of Jeongguk's 97 liner club growls.

From a four-person canoe full of women, Park Bom is the one to yell back, "Motherer yourself!"

"That's not a valid sentence, Park! No structure. Learn speaking first before you throw empty threats."

"I can sentence however the I want, thanks. Every noun turns into a verb if you just don't care enough. See you at the finishing line."

"There is no finishing line!"

"Do I look like I care?!"

Taehyung's head snaps from one side to the other as he follows the exchange, all the canoes distancing themselves more and more from each other until their little host is spread over a good part of the Han river. Several different rhythms are being shouted as each team tries to find their own pace. Even Namjoon who is always so calm and collected is bellowing orders and numbers now.

Jeongguk on the other hand stays silent. While the others are still busy ing around he starts to dig his paddle into the water and work his way to the front. He didn't even check on Taehyung for a rhythm or to ask whether he has experience with canoeing at all. He just set off. Taehyung scrambles to follow his lead, paddle on the side where Jeongguk is not just as Namjoon instructed. And he has a hunch Jeongguk is far from giving it his all. But already trying to keep up with him is tiring and Taehyung can feel his arms burn, breath coming short. Maybe his choice for loose long clothes will bite him in the sooner than he thought.

"Yah guys look at that, we have to stop Jeongguk! Hurry hurry!"

Jeongguk laughs, truly and freely laughs. "Just you try, Eunwoo."

And then gets serious.

Arms bulging, veins prominent, paddle cutting through air and water at rising speed. The sun is high above them and painting the younger's usually pale skin a lovely golden hue. Taehyung can't help but stare. Not because Jeongguk's back is literally in his face and he has to look at him by default. But because the sight is just mesmerizing. The way Jeongguk works his body, how he glows under the midday spring sun, droplets of sweat forming and running down his neck.

And his scent. It's something Taehyung never noticed before. But up close like now he can't elude it. Or maybe Jeongguk doesn't wear perfume at work and that's why he never noticed. It's a light scent, floral and tropical with a hint of bitterness. If Taehyung didn't know better he'd say it's a women's perfume. He leans forward to inhale deeper and flinches away as soon as he realizes his actions. Hopefully Jeongguk didn't catch him sniffing him like a creep.

But Jeongguk remains quiet, rhythm steady. Dead lucky, phew.

They manage to stay in lead position no thanks to Taehyung. With how much they move and exercise their bodies his urticaria soon got the best of him, whole upper body itching. After a moment of contemplation he tells Jeongguk he needs a break, puts his paddle down and lets the younger do all the work. Even chugging two water bottles barely helps so from then on his support in paddling is only sporadic.

Jeongguk in front of him is still going wild, having a race for the top with Yugyeom's team.

At some point Taehyung kinda detaches. He watches the others around them competing, feels the strong movements maneuvering their canoe forth and forth and forth and frankly, he enjoys the view.

"You know what would make this infinitely cooler? If this was a potirothon."

Taehyung doesn't bother waiting for a reply that won't come, continuing as Jeongguk huffs and puffs.

"There is that town in Quebec where people grow giant pumpkins, like really huge and then one day of the year they harvest them, cut a hole and empty them, climb in and have a pumpkin canoe race. The pumpkin marathon, potirothon. That's how you make a sport cool."

Next to them Yugyeom's team is taking the lead. Park's canadian closing in, the fierce red-head not ceasing to yell 'Beat-them! Beat-them! One-two!'.

"How about less talking and more doing," Jeongguk grits out at last.

Taehyung pouts and grabs his paddle. "Okay okay. I'm on the left."

They fall silent once more yet do work rather well together. Taehyung does his best to ignore his returning itch.

"Okay... but don't you... ever wonder how penguins are not extinct yet? I mean... have you ever... looked at them? They are so ing stupid I... I swear," he pants.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I have proof. Can... send you video links. Dumbest animals ever."

Jeongguk stops, puts his paddle across the gunwales and turns around for the sole purpose to judge him hard.

"Is there even one actually useful fact inside your head?"

Taehyung blinks. "The Swedish word for end is ."

Jeongguk stares a bit more as if to figure out whether it's true what the older just said. Eventually he shakes his head and turns back.

"Nevermind."

Their canoeing race comes to an end.

Jeongguk and Taehyung are declared winners despite loud complaints about them cheating with their much smaller two-person canoe. Members of the renting company are waiting for them on a spot at the right riverside, dressed in rubber trousers. Once  Taehyung got the hang of maneuvering the canoe to the side and they get close, two men wade into the water and grab at the bow of the boat to pull it out.

Taehyung, feeling useless, awkwardly fiddles around with the strap of his bag until they are out of the water.

The other teams follow and one after another they file back onto steady ground. After a quick count and some exchanged words with their helpers Namjoon announces there will be a twenty-minute break before they head for a snackbar. 

Cue tired cheering.

As Jeongguk heads for a grass hill, Taehyung follows him by default. It's what he's been doing the past few hours. They sit down on top of the hill, a bit off the beaten track and start unpacking their lunch. No matter what Namjoon just said about a snackbar, canoeing is exhausting. The invitation is later but the hunger is now.

On the other side of the river the sun is already setting, painting the sky and some leftover clouds in pretty shades of pink and purple.

Between bites of his ham sandwich Taehyung sneaks a few glances at Jeongguk. The younger has his sweater tied around his waist, black shirt sticking to his back. The hair on his temples is glistening and a beautiful flush sits high on his cheeks. Taehyung's eyes catch onto the various piercings dangling from the younger's ears, gleaming in the sunlight. He purses his lips and turns back to the sunset. Jeongguk looks so damn fine right now it's not fair.

He finishes off his sandwich with two more bites and lays down, arms crossed under his head. Allows himself to close eyes for a bit, trusting that someone will get him when they depart. The early evening breeze is pleasant on his face. Just on the right side of refreshing but warm enough to be enjoyable. It tickles, the way the wind plays with his hair. Like a gentle hum of mother nature. He smiles.

Next to him Jeongguk grumbles something.

Taehyung opens an eye and peeks up to him.

"Hm?"

"I said stop looking so ing attractive, " Jeongguk snaps. Gets up and stomps away.

What.

Taehyung gapes. He looks after the younger for a long time before scrambling to his feet and running after him.

"Yah! Yah Jeon Jeongguk what did you just say?"

"As if I'm gonna repeat myself."

He is angry but Taehyung doesn't understand.

"Why, what's the problem?" 

He stretches out a hand for Jeongguk's wrist but the other snatches it away as if being burned. There is a slight tremor in Jeongguk's voice as he answers.

"The problem is that, that you..." He scrunches up his face, gulps, glare turning darker. Taehyung thinks maybe he's swallowing down the words. "...and I don't want to like you!"

"Why not?"

It's not like Taehyung is processing any of this. Right now he's running on auto-pilot and that means if something confuses him naturally he asks for answers. Even if the rest of him is yet to understand what's going on.

"Why not- why? Because," Jeongguk all but sneers into his face, "because I got a feeling once I start I won't be able to stop. And I don't. Want that!"

Taehyung's hand falls limp to his side.

He convinces Namjoon to let him change seats with Baekhyun on the way back.

What the just happened?

*chants quietly* Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me...