Versailles

Jung Hoseok

...

I follow Taehyung into the empty hallway. The last time I saw him he had dyed blue hair, but he dyed it black again, grew it out into a mullet and got a perm. He's wearing a very formal suit, it looks like he just came out of a business meeting. Gosh, he actually looks older than me, he looks like he has his life together. I'm not saying he looks good, but that's exactly what I'm saying.

He walks into an empty office in the university building and I follow him, even though I'm not in the mood to talk to him at all.

"Jung Hoseok" the deep voice I know all too well, finally speaks.

"That's my name" I respond. Taehyung rolls his eyes "Hyung, I don't know how to do this, so I'll just go out and say it: I need your help" his gaze shifts to the ground. "What are you talking about Tae? Do you really think I'll help you?" Taehyung is someone I need to keep my guard up with. I can't let him in again. "Hobi..." he touches my arm "you're the only one who can do this". I take a step backwards, I don't feel comfortable around him. "Do what?" who does he think he is? He just walks into my class after two years and asks for my help?

"I need you to go to France"

I look at him with a confused face "France? Me?". "Yes, you" he says. I've been wanting to go to France since forever. I know I just fell asleep during my French class, but that's just the language. France is so much more than her language, there is the culture, the food, the history, the art, I could go on forever. I would love to go to Paris and see architecture like the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower or the Notre-Dame (rip) or go to the Louvre and see paintings by all the old masters, maybe even get a glimpse of the Mona Lisa. Maybe I could visit the French countryside and see how they make wine and cheese. I could stay in a small village and wake up early everyday to buy croissants at a local bakery and eat them at a cafe while drinking a nice cup of coffee.  

"Hobi-hyung, Don't worry, I resigned from my old job. I have a new job and I need your help with it. You see, we buy and sell jewelry and we found an amazing deal in France. The only problem is, most French people only speak French, and I don't" he looks at me with a pleading face. "Hoseok, you're the only person I know who speaks a decent amount of French."

"I speak decent French? I was just struggling with the easiest sentences in class, I think you got the wrong guy". Tae's face turns to disapproval "Stop downgrading your own skills! You're just making excuses at this point!" Why does he think he can talk to me like that? I don't want to have anything to do with him. I start walking out of the meeting room, but Taehyung grabs my wrist. "You've been wanting to go to France forever, please, I need you Hoseok-hyung!"

I scoff at him and pull my arm out of his hold. We had been planning to go to France together. Two years ago we still were good. Until... Ugh I don't even want to think about it. "Don't you understand that you can't be in my life anymore?" I tell him. Taehyung looks like he's panicking. "This doesn't have to do anything with me! You just go to France, make the transaction and come back! My company will probably even let you have a few days to explore the country, isn't that what you want? Your spring break is coming up and I'm doubting you have anything planned"

"I don't have anything planned because I'm a broke college student, no need to be a dick about it". What I'm not telling him is that I actually really want to go. This is a great opportunity to visit a new country and maybe even practice my French in a real-world environment. I just don't feel good about trusting Taehyung.

As if he read my mind, Tae says "don't worry, I'm just the messenger, everything else goes through my company" I let out a reluctant sigh. "I'll think about it Taehyung, I don't know if I want to get into bed with a company you work for". He defends his point "It's not like my old job at all, please just say yes Hoseok! If you didn't want it deep down, you wouldn't still be here!"
I look for my bag and start grabbing it to leave.

He looks at me with a smirk "you'll get paid you know?". I turn around "what?". He continues his sentence "you'll get paid, it's just like a freelance job. You go to France for a few days and a nice cheque will show up at your doorstep".

"Well, that makes things a whole lot more interesting, doesn't it?" he says. I want to rub that cocky smile off his face, but now, I just need to play along. "It certainly does" I smirk back at him. I do really need money, I've been eating instant ramen since forever, my body is craving vegetables. The new semester is coming up and that means I will need to buy new textbooks and I still don't really know where I'm going to get the money from.

"I'll do it" I have finally given in. Taehyung looks at me like he knew from the beginning that I was going to say yes. He speaks quickly "spring break starts next week, right? Your flight will be ready by then, my company will send you a letter with further details". He looks at his expensive watch "I have to be going now, good luck on your trip".

And suddenly, I'm left alone in the meeting room. What did I just agree on? A group of university staff walks into the room. "Uhm, hello, we need to use this room, can you please leave?" I look up "sure!" I say quickly. I leave the room with my coat and bag, still thinking about the decision I just made.

I shouldn't worry too much. Taehyung says it has nothing to do with him and the only thing I still trust him to do is be honest. Going to France is my dream and I really need the money. 

What could go wrong?

...

a/n
Yay another chapter. I don't know where all this love for France came from all of a sudden, I just kinda wrote it on autopilot. Stay tuned, because Hobi might be meeting a certain meow meow soon...🍿

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