Chapter Text
Yoongi didn’t call Hoseok. He texted him instead. Not right away of course, Yoongi wasn’t that desperate to talk to Hoseok again. He waited a couple days before he entered the number into his phone and typed out a message.
It was late, but not too late to be weird, when Yoongi was crafting his message. He and Jin were watching TV. Or Jin was at least, Yoongi was staring at his phone screen, finger poised over the send icon.
“Staring at your phone like that can’t be good for you,” Jin commented without even looking over. “What are you doing anyway?”
“Texting,” Yoongi said and ground his teeth together. He should just send his text. It didn’t really matter what it said. However, the longer he sat there, the more he second guessed himself, so he backspaced what he’d typed out and typed something new.
Yoongi: Hey, it’s Yoongi.
Was ‘hey’ too casual? Should he say ‘hello’ or ‘hi’. Whatever. He pressed send.
“Who are you texting? You don’t have any friends.” Jin had turned off the TV and was smiling slightly like he knew something Yoongi didn’t. Then again, he always smiled like that regardless of what was going on. He smiled like that while eating too, so maybe that was just Jin being Jin.
Yoongi considered making something up to tell Jin, but he figured it would be less painful in the long run if he just told him the truth. “Okay, first of all, I have friends,” Yoongi began.
“Like who? Besides me,” Jin interrupted.
“Um, Namjoon. He got me that ghostwriting thing. I’m friends with those guys down the hall…” Yoongi tried to remember the name of their neighbors, but he couldn’t. Of course.
“I’m friends with the guys down the hall. You complain when they come over. Their names are Jeon Jungkook and Jimin, by the way,” Jin said. He was such a know-it-all sometimes.
“Whatever. Well I’m texting Hoseok,” Yoongi muttered and checked his phone. There wasn’t a response yet. That was fine, Hoseok was obviously pretty busy. Come to think of it, maybe his offer hadn’t even been sincere. Maybe he wouldn’t text back at all. Or maybe he was one of those weird types who didn’t like texting, only calling. Well, Yoongi certainly wasn’t going to call now after just sending a text.
“Wait, as in the serial killer guy?”
“He is not a serial killer!”
Jin stood up and grabbed his laptop before sitting back down. Yoongi had briefly told Jin what had gone down at Hoseok’s house-no mansion-a few days earlier, but he didn’t go into extensive detail. He was surprised Jin hadn’t asked for more details, but when Yoongi said he didn’t get the gig Jin had backed off. He didn’t seem to get that not getting the gig turned out to be exactly what Yoongi wanted.
“I’m googling him,” Jin announced. Yoongi only rolled his eyes and waited for Jin to start spouting off facts. There was no use in stopping him.
Yoongi felt his phone vibrate than and he too-eagerly unlocked it and looked at the screen. After shifting so Jin couldn’t see, he read the message.
Hoseok: hey i was starting to think u werent going to get in touch.
Of course, Yoongi thought, he’s one of those people who ignores all grammar rules when it comes to texting.
Yoongi: Well, I did.
Yoongi responded.
“Ooh, he’s a dancer. Nice. He’s pretty good,” Jin said as he typed something on his computer. “Apparently he got into some trouble from partying too much a while back. Then again, what semi-famous person hasn’t had a ‘parties too much’ scandal?” After several more seconds of typing and scrolling, Jin said, “Wait. I thought you didn’t get the ghostwriting thing? Why are you texting him?”
“He gave me his number, I don’t know,” Yoongi said casually, trying to get Jin to stop asking so many questions. That, however, was Jin’s favorite thing to do, unfortunately for Yoongi.
While Jin thought up ten million more questions to ask, Yoongi continued to text Hoseok, who had just suggested they meet up the next day.
Hoseok: we cld get lunch or something maybe at oneish??
Yoongi: Sure, why not? Let me know where. I’m very punctual, so don’t be late.
“‘I’m very punctual, don’t be late’? Smooth, really smooth. You really have a way with words,” Jin was leaning over, reading the conversation. Yoongi jerked away, but it was too late for that. “What are you going to wear?”
“What? It doesn’t matter, it’s not a date or something, jeez Jin,” Yoongi stood up, taking his phone with him and heading for his room.
“I never said it was, the only one mentioning the word ‘date’ here is you,” Jin called after Yoongi, but Yoongi ignored him completely.
~~~
The address Hoseok had sent him was unfamiliar, so Yoongi kept glancing down at his phone where he had a map pulled up, and then back up at the street. He was pretty sure they were meeting at some sort of café, but that was about all. It was probably some fancy place where people stuck their pinky out while they drank tea and ate those mini sandwiches. So that was the kind of place Yoongi was looking for as he walked down the street, but most of the shops he was passing were normal, if not a little obscure.
He certainly wasn’t in some overly-nice part of town.
As he walked, he suddenly became aware of the sound of music. It was, at first, a faint beat just up ahead. He glanced at his phone again, checking the time. He was early, as he usually was for things. So he had time to investigate the source of the music before continuing his hunt for the café.
It wasn’t long before Yoongi came to the entrance of a nondescript little building. It was obvious that music was playing inside. There was no big sign announcing what the building was, but there was a side door, which someone pushed open and exited from. The music inside intensified momentarily before the door swung shut again. Yoongi didn’t know the song, but it seemed good. Sort of hip-hop, the kind of music someone might dance to. Not that Yoongi danced.
However, something drew him towards the building. He pushed open the door and went inside. The entry area was pretty plain, and a row of lockers lined one wall and some random posters lined another. A couple of kids, maybe a bit younger than Yoongi stood by the lockers talking. They were both shiny with sweat and wearing clothes one might wear when working out, but this place was clearly not a gym.
The kids paid him no mind as he headed towards a hallway, which led off to several rooms, all walled with glass so you could partially see into them. The first room was empty, but it hut Yoongi all at once where he was. It was a studio. Like, a dance studio. The room was mirrored and the floors were shiny wood, marked up with scuff marks from various pairs of sneakers.
The music playing from a room a bit further down the hall drew Yoongi in, and soon he was stopped in front of a room that did not have glass in front of it, so he couldn’t see inside. So, since Yoongi really didn’t care if someone caught him spying at this point, he pushed open the door and slipped inside. The door closed silently behind him and he pressed his back against it.
Unsurprisingly, Yoongi found that the person inside the room was Hoseok. Somehow, he knew it would be him. The music played loud and Hoseok was so engrossed in it that he didn’t notice that Yoongi had slipped inside. His body moved effortlessly to the beat and it really was pretty amazing to watch. Hoseok’s brows were scrunched together in concentration and his blonde hair stuck to his forehead. He was dressed normally, in black sweats and a white t-shirt, not in anything fancy or anything that would indicate that he lived in a freaking mansion. Not to mention that of all places he could choose to dance, he had chosen this run down little place. Yoongi respected that.
He also respected the fact that Hoseok was good at what he did. Like, really good. There wasn’t any point in denying it.
Then, the song abruptly ended and for a moment Yoongi didn’t even realize because he was so focused on watching Hoseok. Hoseok turned around to either turn off the speakers or to restart the song, and he finally spotted Yoongi standing there. He froze and then his face broke out into that damn smile.
“Hey, I was just about to go to meet you,” Hoseok said casually and grabbed a bag off the ground and slug it over his shoulder. “Ready to go?”
~~~
“Wow, I really like this. Why aren’t you doing this full time? I mean, the lyrics are fantastic, but so are you,” Hoseok said as he removed the earbuds form his ears.
The two of them had made it to the café where they initially planned to meet. Hoseok had ordered hot chocolate, even though it was warm outside and Yoongi had ordered a black coffee. Hoseok teased him for it, even though it fit him pretty well. Although, Hoseok noticed Yoongi eyeing his hot chocolate several times over the course of them sitting there.
“I don’t really show anyone this,” Yoongi admitted as he tucked his phone back into his pocket. “It’s all really rough, you know? A friend of mine has access to some recording equipment and he let me borrow it, but none of it is very…professional.”
“Well you showed me and I think it’s insanely good. Other people would too,” Hoseok nudged Yoongi’s shoulder and smiled. Yoongi looked down at the table, but he was smiling too.
“What about you though? You’re good too. I saw you dancing, obviously. You’re good. I mean, I guess you have to have been to be on TV for it…but I didn’t know you were that good. Have you always danced?”
Hoseok shrugged and looked away. “Yeah, sort of. It’s always been a passion of mine, but my parents sort of decided to…exploit it. That’s not really what I wanted to do with dancing, you know? I don’t know what exactly I do want to do with it though…I just want to be able to do it and not feel like I have to do it.”
Yoongi nodded. “Either way, I haven’t ever seen someone dance like that. Not that I’m any expert on the matter.”
Hoseok started to respond when his phone rang. He sighed and glanced at the screen before rolling his eyes. “I have to take this, sorry,” he stood up from the table and walked a few paces away. It was then that Yoongi’s phone also chimed with a text message from Jin.
Jin: Are you alive?
Yoongi: He isn’t a serial killer, Jin.
Jin: I’m making dinner. Invite him over if he isn’t a serial killer. Otherwise I might think you made this whole thing up.
Yoongi: Bye.
Yoongi put his phone on silent and put it back in his pocket. Hoseok ventured back over to the table and slumped back into the chair. He looked more tired all of a sudden. “Is everything alright?” Yoongi asked.
“Just the usual. My manager wants me to meet with some person for some thing that I don’t want to do tonight…” Hoseok trailed off. “But I won’t bore you with the details.” He picked up his mug of now luke-warm chocolate and took a long sip.
Yoongi pursed his lips and stared into his cup of coffee. “You could blow them off,” he blurted out without thinking.
“Huh?”
After clearing his throat, Yoongi cursed himself silently. Shit shit shit. “I mean, my roommate is making dinner or something and you could just come over and hang out, if you want. You don’t have to. Jin, that’s my roommate, will probably interrogate you. He also googled you, so um that’s weird, but I wasn’t involved in that at all. But, uh, yeah, you’re invited.” Yoongi had never rambled so much in his entire life. He had never talked this much at once in his whole life. But there he was, babbling on and on and on.
Hoseok sat there watching him for far too long. It started to look like he was going to harshly turn down Yoongi’s offer. Why would he even want to come to my tiny apartment and eat anyway when he probably has a personal chef who cooks him five-star meals at home all the time, Yoongi thought.
But then, Hoseok was nodding. “I would really like that.”
~~~
Hoseok followed behind Yoongi as he led them through the hallway towards what Hoseok assumed would be Yoongi’s apartment. The building was normal, not anything fancy at all. As they passed by other doors, Hoseok cold hear bits and pieces of what was going on side. Pots and pans, water running, muffled voices, kids crying. It might have been annoying for those living there, but to Hoseok it was homey. Real.
“How long have you been living here?” Hoseok asked casually.
“A few years. I actually got the place through, like, one of those shady websites where you really shouldn’t look for a roommate. But Jin is a cool guy. Don’t tell him I said that though,” Yoongi replied.
Hoseok chuckled and Yoongi stopped in front of a door and put a key into the lock. The two of them stepped inside the apartment. Hoseok looked left and right and that pretty much allowed him to see the entire place. It was small. There was a hallway off to one side that probably led to the bedrooms and bathroom. In the entryway there was a desk off to the side with a laptop on it and a desk lamp. Beyond that was a small living room area that consisted of a slightly ugly yellow couch and a small TV and a wooden table. The kitchen was to the side of that, but there was no dining table or anything, just a bar countertop with some stools. Behind said countertop was who Hoseok presumed was Jin.
He was dressed in a yellow sweatshirt that oddly resembled the yellow couch. Jin was tall and when Yoongi walked past him to get to the fridge, Hoseok smiled to himself at their height difference.
“Want something to drink? We have…water,” Yoongi said.
Hoseok nodded and turned to Jin. “Hi, I’m Hoseok, nice to meet you,” he said politely.
“You too. I’m Jin. I’m sure Yoongi has told you all great things about me. Like how handsome and funny I am, but in case he didn’t, I am handsome and funny.”
“You can ignore him,” Yoongi handed Hoseok a bottled water. “And you can sit if you want. Couch or at the bar there, whichever.”
“The food will be ready in a minute,” Jin said.
“It smells great,” Hoseok commented as he sank down onto the yellow couch. Okay, he thought, as ugly as it is, it’s super comfortable. Yoongi was getting plates and utensils out and Hoseok watched as Jin said something quietly to him and Yoongi scowled. He imagined that they argued like this pretty often. Hoseok had never had a friend like Jin, and he found himself slightly envious.
He wished that he could just stay in their tiny apartment indefinitely. He imagined Yoongi curling up on the yellow couch late at night with his laptop, typing away and Hoseok smiled.
Being there was much better than whatever meeting they had wanted him to attend. His phone was turned off and he decided that he wasn’t going to even think about his real life. He was exactly where he wanted to be.
~~~
“Go sit with him you idiot, stop being awkward,” Jin hissed as Yoongi chugged his water.
“The food is almost ready I’ll just wait.”
“He’s just sitting there! Put on some music or something at least. I mean, do I have to do everything?” Jin asked in exasperation. “Don’t you like him? He’s going to think you don’t if you leave him in there.” Jin was whispering, but Yoongi could see Hoseok glancing over at them. Rather or not he could hear was unclear, but it wasn’t like he was that far away. Nor was he stupid, obviously they were talking about him.
Jin groaned loudly. “You know, I think it would be less weird if I went and got my speakers and we put on some music,” Jin announced. “Yoongi, come help me get them.”
“What speakers? When did you buy speakers?” Yoongi asked as he followed Jin past Hoseok to the hallway. “This is why we barely make rent!” As soon as Yoongi said that, he regretted it and he could feel Hoseok’s eyes boring into his back. He must think they were pretty pathetic.
Once they were in the little hall, Jin grabbed Yoongi by the shoulders. “Pull yourself together,” Jin said.
Yoongi shrugged him off and glared. “Just get your speakers,” he muttered. “This was all your idea anyway.”
Jin stared at his friend and roommate for a long time. “He wouldn’t have come here if he didn’t want to. He’s been smiling like an idiot since he walked in, too.” Yoongi just rolled his eyes. “What is it?” Jin asked.
Yoongi sighed. “I wanted to hate him,” Yoongi admitted and peeked around the corner at Hoseok who had picked up the TV remote and was trying to turn on the TV. Unfortunately for him, you had to press the Power button and point the remote in just the right way for the damn thing to turn on, so he wasn’t having much luck. “But damn it. I want to date him.”
Jin laughed loudly. Yoongi turned back to his roommate. “Shit. Did I say that out loud?” Yoongi asked.
“Oh yeah. And I’m never going to let you forget it, either.”
~~~
“Wow, that was really good, thanks for cooking it!” Hoseok complimented Jin as he finished eating.
“See, I like you, Yoongi never gives me any credit,” Jin stood up from the stool he was sitting in-Yoongi and Hoseok had taken the couch-and gathered up all the dishes and brought them to the sink. Then he put together a dish with the leftovers. “I’m going to bring these over to our neighbors, they’ll probably starve otherwise, be right back,” Jin said and left before Yoongi could protest. Jin was clearly not going to ‘be right back’. Chances were that Jin would not come back at all that night, he’d just stay over with their neighbors and they would all talk about how Yoongi had someone over and he’d never hear the end of it ever.
“He’s not subtle,” Yoongi murmured and cleared his throat.
“Subtlety is overrated anyway,” Hoseok said with that damn smile of his.
“Sorry the place is kind of…messy,” Yoongi said quickly. “I didn’t know this was going to happen. I’m sure you think we’re pretty…” he trailed off. He didn’t want to say ‘pathetic’. He didn’t think he and Jin were pathetic at all. In fact, he’d never really been embarrassed about living here before. It was only now that he felt self-conscious about it. How could he not though, after seeing how Hoseok lived.
“I don’t think anything. Not anything bad anyway,” Hoseok said. “Except that maybe this yellow couch is a super ugly color, but like, isn’t it?”
Yoongi smiled. “Jin and I bought it knowing exactly how ugly it was. We decided to embrace it,” Yoongi shrugged.
“I like your apartment,” Hoseok assured Yoongi again. “I like that you let me come here. I like Jin, he’s funny,”
“Don’t tell him, you’ll just feed his ego.”
“I like you,” Hoseok finished. “I’m pretty glad that you sent in that insulting, yet somehow great, draft of yours.”
Yoongi felt his face get hot and he hoped he wasn’t blushing. He did not blush. “Yeah, uh, I’m glad I did too.” They were both quiet for a moment and then Yoongi thought of something. “Oh! I should let you read the actual draft, you know, the good one. The one where I’m not insulting you. It’s on my laptop, I’ll just get it.” Yoongi spoke quickly and stood up from the couch.
To get to his laptop on the desk, he needed to pass Hoseok. He was about to pass him, when Hoseok grabbed his wrist. He got the same electric sensation as he had that first time Hoseok had grabbed hm. This time though, it lingered, because Hoseok didn’t let go right away.
“I don’t need to read it,” Hoseok said in a low voice. Yoongi looked at him. His face was serious and his eyes were full of everything he wasn’t saying. Yoongi couldn’t breathe.
Shit shit shit.
“I uh…” Yoongi glanced at Hoseok’s hand still wrapped around his wrist. “I like you too,” he blurted out before he could think better of it.
Shit shit shit.
Finally, Hoseok smiled and Yoongi felt like maybe he might be able to breathe again, except it wasn’t a full on smile, it was a kind of smirk that was way too damn attractive and super annoying and Yoongi seriously hated Hoseok for it. “And what you said earlier,” Hoseok continued. “Me too.”
Now Yoongi was confused. Since when did Yoongi become so bad at keeping up with conversation? What had he said earlier? He said a lot of things. His confused must have been pretty obviously because Hoseok’s stupid smirk got more intense.
“You said something about wanting to hate me…” Hoseok said and pretending to trail off in thought.
“Oh my god.” Yoongi said.
“And then the thing you said after that, you know.”
“Yeah.” Yoongi said. He was blushing now for sure. Although he wasn’t sure he cared. “Shit. You weren’t supposed to hear that.”
“Well,” Hoseok said as Yoongi finally drew his eyes away from Hoseok’s hand, which seemed to be not so much on his wrist anymore and closer to being in his own hand, to Hoseok’s eyes. “I’m glad I did hear.”
“Yeah…?”
“Yeah. Because the feeling is mutual.”