Taehyung slipped on his shoes with the subtly of a mouse, not even a creak in the floor giving away his actions. He glanced around and grabbed the brandless jacket he had somehow obtained and slipped it over his shoulders.

Just as the model unlocked the door, his phone vibrated in his back pocket and he quickly stepped outside the lavish apartment to greet the dim lights of the building corridors at night. Fishing the phone out of its holding place, Taehyung smiled at the messages.

jjungkookie
um im here at some random bench

jjungkookie
kinda scared so come soon

jjungkookie
shit i just heard something in the bush

jjungkookie
tae please don't let me die😭

v_95
your prince is coming angel

v_95
grab a stick and protect yourself from the night monsters

v_95
sorry, jin hyung and hobi hyung finally slept so I just left

v_95
be there in five🤍

jjungkookie
stick obtained and ready for defending

jjungkookie
omg see you soon

jjungkookie
don't be scared okay?? we don't have to talk, we could even just sit together in each other's company... but I want you to meet me too

jjungkookie
me trusting you even after this blow up on social media must mean something right??

Taehyung nodded at the phone, as if it were a response in itself, and replied to the younger while the elevator doors closed in front of him. The empty box carried him down to the ground floor from cloud nine, the gentle hum and groan of the running mechanics acting as white noise to settle Taehyung.

He was so very determined after Jungkook had asked him earlier that day. He sacrificed himself to please others, and yet he couldn't do so for the one who deserved it the most.

"No running away." He whispered, knowing that, although small, it was a mental step for him to overcome.

The ornate gold molding of the elevator led his attention straight to the blinking lights illuminating each number designated to the floor it passed.

Being the middle of night on a weekday left the lobby and halls empty, Taehyung reveling in the quiet space he'd been granted and was transporting him. The ding sounded as the floor numbered 'G' glowed above the door, the mural painted doors whirring open and Taehyung heard his heels echo on the shiny clean floors.

He caught the janitor in the far corner mopping the floor, bowing his head as he passed, the older man smiling at him fondly. The model did the same as he reached the security officer's counter, the woman clicking away at her computer and waving a hand to him.

Just as he reached the double doors at the entrance of the grand apartment lobby, high ceilings leading for every sound to muffle with echoes, beautiful carvings and paintings doing the marble floors justice, he pulled his mask and hood on, concealing his face from any attention he wanted to wish away.

The doorman pulled one of the frosted glass door open and bowed deeply for him, the crisp of of night tingling the exposed skin around Taehyung's eyes.

Keeping his head low and body cowered inwards, his feet were set on the familiar path to the neighborhood's infamous gardens, pace slowing once he was a comfortable distance away from his apartment building.

The rich location and apartment was simply for namesake. Many idols and celebrities lived amongst him and Jin, a sign that they were treating themselves with luxury for giving up their time for entertaining and the public eye. Taehyung wouldn't hesitate to move to a small dainty place, though, where he could sleep and eat in the same room, where he didn't need security ensuring his well-being twenty four seven.

The quiet of night, fans having left the rich alone to rest themselves, was one of Taehyung's favorite things. Sure, there could be a saesang tailing him right at that moment, but he didn't even care anymore. He just appreciated the clouds scattering along the starry sky as moonlight accompanied the street lamps, the warm and cool lights clashing in a beautiful glow.

He crossed the road when the pedestrian light permitted, hardly seeing more than a couple pairs of headlights on the streets as his eyes narrowed with the hidden smile. Taehyung's figure was a silhouette on the sidewalks, suddenly a nobody who simply wanted to unravel a mystery.

His feet hit the cobblestone of the garden path soon enough, view suddenly filled with large trees looming on either side of him instead of tall soaring buildings on hillsides.

Passing through the open gates that would close in a mere two hours, Taehyung's breath was heavy in his chest, making his fingers tremble with each step.

One step closer to his mystery.

The sound of crickets accompanied the bristle of leaves with the soft breeze that shifted his hair as his large hands pulled the hood down and pocketed the mask.

His eyes scanned the benches to no avail, traveling deeper and deeper into the gardens until he was relatively closer to the center fountain plaza.

Taehyung saw the hunched figure, the fountain's sparkling water, from the moonlight above, sending shimmering waves of light to the floor around it and grazing the man's feet.

The man's broadened legs were shifting nervously as Taehyung's feet planted, eyes wide with grateful surprise.

Dark hair hooded his face, the baggy, white, long sleeved sitting on his built frame enticingly well.

Taehyung took a step forward, the scrape of his soles on the stone shooting the man's attention up from the ground.

He was beautiful.

The pale wash of skin, wide doe-like eyes sparkling from the fountain's magical touch, his parted thin lips that revealed cute bunny teeth behind. Even from his position a generous amount of feet away, Taehyung felt his heart flutter rapidly in his chest.

And as Jungkook stood, their eyes locked like two stray lines finally intersecting, holding onto the point before they would have to part again.

"Taehyung," his familiar voice was soft and wispy, making the subconscious smile tug at the model's lips.

"Jungkook." Saying the name aloud, to his face, no barrier of doors between them... Taehyung was slowly waking forward and reaching plausible speaking distance from the younger. "My imagination didn't do you justice."

The adorable dust of pink that was brushed on the photographer's cheeks made Taehyung internally coo. He was enamored by the gentleness of his presence, how he seemed so strong and bold from his built, but so innocent in his features, his deep drowning eyes speaking stories in itself.

"Don't embarrass me that." The younger looked away shyly, biting his lip and Taehyung's closed-lipped smile stretched in awe.

"Embarrass? I'm simply... I'm simply complimenting— Jungkook, oh my goodness, you're beautiful." He outwardly gushed. "I can't help it, sorry!"

The previous pink deepening to a red on the latter's face, hands coming up and burying his face away.

Taehyung chuckled at the action, heart yearning with appreciation for the man in front of him. He reached his own hands out, grasping onto Jungkook's and pulling them away from his face, the hold on his wrists remaining as Taehyung cocked his head.

"You've been hidden for so long, don't hide your face from me again." He whispered and Jungkook smiled softly at the words.

"Okay." He replied. The model led him to a bench nearby, both of them sitting a foot or two apart. Taehyung couldn't take his eyes off the younger's face, side profile gracing him with its beauty.

"Ever need to use that defensive stick of yours?" He joked, eyes shifting from the younger's ducked face to his lap where his hands were interlocked and fiddling nervously.

"No, you showed up in the knick of time." Jungkook bit his lip again, glancing up at him and shooting his gaze away when he realized they had made eye contact.

"Who let you be so cute?" Taehyung rested his arms on the back of the bench, grazing his lips with one hand in thought. "I can't even stop complimenting you, Jungkook."

"You're so ethereal in person," Jungkook admitted with a shy shrug. "When I looked up and saw you, I thought you weren't real."

Taehyung's eyebrows raised as he reached over and ruffled the younger's hair, Jungkook yelping and jolting back in surprise. His rosy cheeks made a quick comeback, eyes wide as they stared at the model in shock.

"You're silly," Taehyung rolled his eyes, pursing his lips to hide the never ending smile threatening to make his mouth ache. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so light and willing to laugh.

"How was your day?" The younger asked instead and Taehyung sighed, slumping back in his seat and relaxing.

"Uneventful besides this past half hour."

"Liar," Jungkook playfully shot back, having gained some confidence as the initial shock wore off and Taehyung's informalities made him comfortable. "Your schedule is never uneventful."

"Know me so well now, do you?" Taehyung teased. "I actually spent the day not shooting. Working on a project with my hyungs and finally got to manage it in today."

"Project? That's exciting!" The younger perked up. "Any hints?"

"Nope," he tapped his lips with a momentary low laugh. "Secret for all."

"Makes sense," Jungkook nodded and he turned on the bench to face the elder, hands rubbing on his jeans anxiously. "Hey, Taehyung?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"DM-ing me that one day, talking to me, inviting me to BigHit, getting me in that shoot, especially this— being here with me now—"

"Shhh," Taehyung frowned, placing his finger on the younger's soft lips and quieting his small rant. "You're going to make me smile wider than I ever have before."

"Why don't you?" He murmured as Taehyung's hand retreated.

"Was that your mission all along, sneaky boy?" The model scoffed as the younger pouted at him, hair fluffed from his previous ruffling, eyes wide and sparkly. "So unfair, angel."

And for the first time in weeks, he let the smile grow insufferably large on his face, mouth tingling at how foreign the motion felt as it overtook the lower portion of his features.

Jungkook giggled quietly in victory, nose scrunching like a bunny as the younger mirrored Taehyung's visual emotion.

"Already have me at your command in the first meeting." Taehyung shoved Jungkook's shoulder with a laugh, tears threatening to well in his eyes.

It felt so normal, so human, so right.

He'd never met anyone so easy to talk to, to smile around, from the get go. With his hyungs, it took him weeks to get past the initial fears and overwhelming disaster of working in the industry, but with Jungkook, it felt so easy to simply be happy— even with his doubts forming a mental barrier.

Lurking in the back of his mind, it scared him slightly that he was in fact reacting to Jungkook with giddiness similar to Bogum. It was a naive situation and he was catching the similarities that was only aiding the devil on his shoulder.

"Stop thinking so much." The younger frowned. "I can see you doing it."

"Can't help it, Jungkook," He blinked back the tears that had slipped to his waterline. "Haven't smiled so much in so long."

The younger frowned at that and nodded knowingly. "I'm glad, I'm really glad you are able to now." He let out a small breath. "Also... Taehyung, I wanted to ask..."

"What's wrong?"

"How do you deal with hate?" His voice had gone small, right and strained, smashing Taehyung's heart. He knew that people were going after the young photographer, but he hadn't known that it had taken a toll on the said boy. "S-Shit, sorry, I shouldn't have asked, I'm just going to upset you—"

"Look at me, Jungkook," he cut in, the tear filled eyes of the younger meeting his and wrenching his heart out of his chest. "You ignore it. I know it's the hardest thing to do, but you ignore it. There will always be someone who still believes in you, so grasp onto that one person and keep going, okay?"

"That sounds a lot better than telling them all to 'fuck off,'" the younger laughed while wiping his eyes with his long sleeve. Taehyung smiled sadly knowing it must have been Jimin saying so. "I'm sorry I'm crying, ugh..."

"Don't apologize," he mumbled. "Please don't. This is very much my fault, and I don't want you to apologize when I can help you instead."

"This isn't your fault, and don't think I will push you away 'cuz of it." He sniffed and Taehyung felt the selfish weight lift off his shoulders. "I just have never gone through this before."

"I'm sorry you have to."

"No," Jungkook reached forward and cupped the model's face with one hand, the gesture making Taehyung still. "I'm getting a small taste of what you go through; I'm sorry you experience this on a scale 100 times as bad."

The words ripped apart the chains holding his tears back and Taehyung found himself cracking in front of his angel. Jungkook shifted forward and embraced him, the arms grounding him and feeling like a wave of warmth rather than invasion.

He hated himself for breaking, for appearing weak, but to be human meant sharing the worst sides of yourself.

Sharing the unwanted, muffled screams of weakness was a trust that Taehyung had instilled in Jungkook much earlier than he normally would, that lurking feeling of doubt beginning to make him wonder whether he was falling into the same trap as before.

—

so like, they hangout and enjoy for a bit after that cut off lol I just liked stopping it there :))

yayyyyy they finally met!! sorry it was mega angsty but I hope for better scenes in the future!!