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Taehyun had no idea what the argument at the other end of the dorm was about, but he was very clear what the argument at this end of the dorm was about. The other argument was loud, Beomgyu screeching and Yeonjun yelling, silenced only occasionally by Soobin's low rumble of disapproval.
This argument was silent, and involved Taehyun staring at the back of Hueningkai's head, while Hueningkai stared at a screen and pressed buttons. Technically, Taehyun supposed, the argument was over. It had involved a simple exchange of three sentences: 'Let's go out, you've been cooped up here all day, we're on vacation,' and 'Thanks, but I'm okay here, I'm nearly at platinum,' and Taehyun's final, pathetic, 'I want to go out with you, you're my boyfriend,' which was petty, regretful and had fallen on headphone-deafened ears. Which was probably a blessing. He had no place to be guilt-tripping his boyfriend.
But he still wanted to guilt-trip his boyfriend, which was troublesome. Taehyun thought he'd had more common sense than that. Kai hated going out. Taehyun needed it, honestly; twenty four hours in the dorm and he was ready to pace about like a caged tiger.
So, the sensible, matter-of-fact part of Taehyun's brain said, go out. It's the equitable solution. Have fun. Let Kai have fun on his own. Come home and have fun together. You had that idea bout popping candy and a blow job.
Sometimes Taehyun really loved his brain.
He grabbed a jacket, kissed Kai's cheek, and headed out.
He bumped into Yeonjun in the hallway. Yeonjun was trying to get his feet into Beomgyu's trainers. It wasn't working.
'Hyung, yours are the pink ones.'
'What?'
'Pink,' Taehyun said, and pointed.
'Oh. Thanks.'
'Are you okay?'
'Just going to blow off some steam.'
'Ah. Um, d'you fancy going out?'
'Out?'
'I am.'
'Out where? Do the staff know?'
'Of course they do.' Well, they would, when he texted them from the taxi. 'I was thinking Gangham, there's that new club Lea was talking about. Siwoo's DJing there tonight.'
'Oh. Oh, okay.' Yeonjun brightened a little, and finally got his shoes on. 'I'm not really dressed for it, though.'
'That's okay, it's early. I can give you twenty minutes to change.'
'I'll be ready in ten!' Yeonjun toed his shoes off again and ran to his room. Taehyun waited patiently, idly doing press-ups against the wall. He wasn't exactly dressed up himself, just jeans and a nice sweater, but then Yeonjun had different standards.
Half an hour later, Yeonjun emerged in a knee-length skirt that could maybe be baggy shorts if you squinted, but really actually wasn't, knee-high boots, loose-knit sweater that you could see his black vest through, and a very sexy leather jacket.
'Thanks, Taehyunnie,' Yeonjun said. 'I really need this.'
'I don't get it,' Yeonjun said, as they got out of the taxi. 'I know they need alone time and bff together time and whatever the fuck other time, but they're, like, basically hermits.'
'Everyone's different, I suppose,' Taehyun replied, resisting the urge to let Yeonjun's sulkiness reignite his resentment towards Kai.
'It's just not fair,' Yeonjun whined. 'I have two boyfriends, and neither of them want to go out with me.'
'Oh, hyungie, that's not always true. Anyway, who needs boyfriends to have a good time?'
Yeonjun brightened a bit, and slipped his arm through Taehyun's. 'You're right. We're going to have the best time ever!'
The club was dark and full. Taehyun recognised a couple of other idols, that actress Soobin had a crush on, a couple of stylists from Hybe. It felt pretty safe, as clubs went.
'Let hyung buy you a drink,' said Yeonjun, dragging Taehyun to the bar. It was cocktail hour, apparently, but Taehyun stuck to beer. Yeonjun's drink matched his outfit with its pinks and blues and the sparkler that came with it.
'Oh look, they have poles,' Yeonjun said.
For a moment Taehyun wondered if it was some industrial design feature, but no. Just four floor-to-ceiling poles. For dancing on.
'I'm going to say hello to Siwoo,' Taehyun said. 'Coming?'
'I'll wait here,' Yeonjun said. 'I want to dance. Tell him to put something good on.'
Siwoo greeted Taehyun with a warm hug. He looked really happy. Not for the first time, Taehyun wondered what it might be like to lead an ordinary life. To go to classes, explore your interests, go out when you wanted. It sounded like freedom. But at the same time, he knew it wasn't for him. He had this itch inside him, a need to perform. And as happy as Siwoo looked, he'd never know what it was like to stand in front of tens of thousands of people who loved you, who sang your songs back at you, who supported you no matter what.
It was too loud up by the decks to talk or anything, so Taehyun left Siwoo to it and went back to the bar, where Yeonjun was on his second cocktail. A pink one this time.
'It's okay,' Yeonjun said. Taehyun must have made a face. 'I'll stop after this. I want to dance.'
'Do what you like, hyung,' Taehyun said.
'I want to daaaance.'
Taehyun drained his beer and ordered another.
Taehyun would never tire of watching Yeonjun dance. And he spent at least four hours most day doing just that, right there in the mirror in front of him. Yeonjun was just one of those dancers: unique, fluid, expressive. Like Taemin. And Jimin.
And there he was, dancing right now. With Taemin. And Jimin.
Taehyun would join them in a moment. Jimin had already caught his eye and beckoned him over. But first he needed to take a moment to watch the three of them move together. No choreography, no expectations. Just dancing.
It was so beautiful it made Taehyun's eyes hurt.
'I thought you were on tour,' said Jimin, as the shots arrived.
Naturally, Jimin and Taemin had booked one of the private rooms at the back of the club. There were snacks, and drinks appeared miraculously at the touch of a phone screen.
'Three day break,' Taehyun said.
'Nice,' said Taemin, his voice so soft and gentle, and the part of Taehyun that still had a crush on him melted a bit.
'Where's Yeonjun?' asked Jimin, but no sooner had he spoken than Yeonjun appeared at the door, proudly brandishing a beer mat.
'I got her autograph, for Soobin,' Yeonjun said, sliding into the seat next to Taehyun. 'Do you think it'll make him love me?'
'He already loves you, hyung,' said Taehyun.
'Maybe he'll love me more.'
'I think he'll really like it,' said Taehyun.
'He does love me,' Yeonjun explained to Jimin and Taemin. 'It's just we had a fight. Oh no.'
'What?' said Jimin. 'Are you all right?'
'I don't have anything for Beomgyu. It's so hard with two boyfriends, hyung, you have to treat them the same, in case anyone gets jealous. It's so hard.'
Jimin and Taemin exchanged a glance, and chuckled.
'I'm sure it is,' Taemin said. 'I'll stick to one at a time in the future.'
Jimin sighed theatrically. 'And that one is never me.'
'Well.' Taemin paused to take his shot. 'Only sometimes.'
More shots arrived. 'Where's Yeonjun?' Taemin asked. He was such a good hyung.
'He went to the bathroom,' Taehyun said. 'I'll go check on him.'
Apparently, on his way back from the bathroom, Yeonjun had decided to have a go at pole dancing.
He'd attracted quite the crowd.
Taehyun texted Jimin, and in a second, just as Yeonjun slumped, giggling, to the floor, Jimin appeared at Taehyun's side. Taehyun saw him tapping into his own phone, and took a peek over his shoulder.
> Hyung. Code D. We'll be outside.
He put his phone back in his pocket without waiting for a reply, and they went to retrieve Yeonjun.
'I love him so much,' Yeonjun wailed. It was taking all Taehyun's strength to keep him upright. He'd prop him against the streetlamp again, but last time he'd used it to demonstrate a slut drop. Nobody needed that on a busy Gangham street.
'I can get him home in a taxi,' Taehyun told Jimin. 'Or call the staff.'
'Don't be silly. It's no problem. Yoongi can get here quicker and it'll just be our secret.'
'I love you too,' Yeonjun announced, swaying into Taehyun's side. 'But in a friend way. And you, Jiminie hyungiguiiie. I love you. Too.'
'Yoongi's right. He's so cute,' Jimin said. He pinched Yeonjun's cheek, and Yeonjun beamed at him, cooed, and then passed out cold in Taehyun's arms.
'What the fuck?' said Soobin. 'Seriously, what the fuck?'
He was wearing fluffy pyjamas with bunnies on, and his hair was pulled back in a hairband. A toothbrush stuck out of the corner of his mouth.
'I believe this is yours,' Jimin said, pointing to Yeonjun, who was sagging between Taehyun and Yoongi.
'Never seen him before,' Soobin said. 'And also, what the fuck, Taehyun?'
'It's not my fault,' Taehyun said. 'Anyway, look in his pocket.'
Soobin sighed and rummaged through Yeonjun's skirt pockets. At one point Yeonjun roused enough to giggle and murmur 'tickles', before he passed out again.
'This?' Soobin asked, producing the cardboard coaster. 'It says, "Sorry Beoms - I think that's Beoms? - I'll get you… and there's a squiggle." What does that even mean?'
'Other side,' said Taehyun, and Soobin turned it over.
'Oh.' He took the toothbrush out of his mouth, and his dimples popped. 'Is this?… Oh. Oh, that's so sweet of him. She was there?'
'Yep,' Taehyun said.
'Can we get him to bed?' Yoongi said. 'He's fucking heavy for a skinny person.'
Jimin helped Taehyun and Soobin manhandle Yeonjun into his room. Beomgyu popped up at some point and whined about Yeonjun being ridiculous and irresponsible, only to pushed his hair gently out of his face and kiss his nose while he thought no-one was watching.
Taehyun and Jimin left the three of them to it and went back to the living area, where Yoongi had produced an armful of bottles of water which he took to Yeonjun's room. With a bucket.
'He's very practical,' Jimin said, a little misty-eyed.
'I'm sorry we ruined your evening, hyung.'
'You didn't! Not at all, it was fun. A lot of fun, actually.'
'It's irresponsible of us.'
'We all need to break free occasionally,' Jimin said, pulling Taehyun in for an unexpected hug. 'It's good he has you to go with. Since Hobi left, I… Yoongi doesn't like going out much. Tae and Jungkookie are away a lot. When Taemin called tonight, I was so relieved, you can't imagine. Just needed to cut loose for a bit. It's normal, Taehyunnie.'
Taehyun hugged back - quite hard, judging by the way Jimin squeaked. He didn't know his own strength sometimes.
Yoongi reappeared. 'Should we stay?'
'He'll be fine,' Jimin said. 'He's got plenty of people looking after him.'
Taehyun said, 'He'll just sleep it off, I expect.'
'Right,' said Yoongi. 'D'you want dropping back at the club, Jimin?'
'I think I'm done,' said Jimin. 'Or at least, I'm done with having fun outside, if you know what I mean.'
He might have waggled his eyebrows, and Yoongi hyung may have looked flustered. Possibly. Taehyun couldn't possibly say.
Kai was in bed, fast asleep, cuddling some cat plushie with a bushy tail that had recently appeared in their room. Taehyun, freshly showered (he'd used the main bathroom so as not to wake Kai), looked at his own bed, neatly made with plenty of space, and then back at Kai's, messy and full of Kai and plushies.
He lifted Kai's comforter and slid underneath, curling his body around his boyfriend's solid warmth.
'Mmm,' Kai said. 'Good night?'
'It was okay.' Taehyun kissed Kai's shoulder. 'But this is nice, too.'
'Lie-in tomorrow? Brunch delivery? We could have a Netflix marathon.'
Taehyun nestled into Kai's neck and breathed him in. 'Sounds like heaven.'
They lay there for a little while. Taehyun could tell Kai wasn't asleep, just relaxed and cuddled into a state of bliss.
Mmm.
'Hey,' he whispered into Kai's ear. 'You still got that popping candy?'