ARCANE - taekook ✔

01 : your eyes

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The black 'southside serpents' hoodie and dark bangs hid his eyes. His vision was either focused on the book in front of him or shut sleeping, Taehyung wondered. It was intriguing to him how the tip to toe black clad boy in his history class was so quiet. So mysterious.

It was the enigmatic aura of Jeon Jungkook that drew Taehyung more towards him.

Feeling the gaze of someone Jungkook looks up from his book and makes eye contact with the now startled boy. Taehyung whips his head to the front, his heart pounding harshly against his chest and the sweat lining his back. It was not a fear of getting caught staring at someone, but the mere milliseconds he met the eyes of the other, he felt his chest constricting —air leaving his chest.

the whole entire hour left for the class, Taehyung doesn't dare to look back at Jungkook. His breaths now relaxed, but the thought of the other and their 'moment' hovers above all the other thoughts making him tune out whatever the teacher says.

"You done with class, Tae?" His best friend, Jimin asks while striding towards him with big steps.

Taehyung blinks his eyes in surprise. Standing in the middle of the hallway, the students' chatter filled his ears.

"Huh?"

'I was just in class right now.' Nonetheless he is shocked and his hands subtly shake inside the pockets of his sweatpants. The sweating returns, accumulating on his palms.

"Earth to Tae?"

Instantaneously, he swears he feels chills run through the back of his spine. He turns back hastily just to see a glimpse of the black piece of clothing in the swarm of students heading out from the exit.

"Yeah sorry"

"Weird."

He hears his friend mumble under his breath. "Hey, I heard that!" His body surges forward to hit the other lightly on his arm. He pulls out his books and stuffs some sheets needed for his assignments into his bag. 

"You gonna go to the arcade with the gang?"

"Nah I'm gonna pass this one. There's this new record shop behind an old basketball court under the bridge, I'm gonna make a visit." Excitement laced in voice, his steps now having a bounce in them as the duo pushes through the crowd outside.

Music has always been a way Taehyung expressed himself. The beautiful melodies sometimes bear the most painful meanings. It relaxes him when he feels frustrated or stressed and it makes him energised when he feels like going through a slump and slowly over the years that's what Taehyung found home in. It fascinated how music is never bound within different cultures and languages. It's what binds people. And it mesmerised him deeply, founding a permanent anchor to hold on.

"Okay then see you tomorrow. Enjoy Tae!" Jimin understanding how much the other loves music, walks to the other direction towards the arcade after giving him a side hug. Taehyung takes a deep breath and looks up towards the sky. The clouds were scarce in the blue sky, the sun shining brightly.

It was a winter afternoon, but the sunlight made him feel comfortably warm. He puts on his ear buds connected to the Sony Walkman. Call him an old soul, but he loved vintage collections and music. A reason why he cherished visiting record shops.

The song "Dreamboat" by Elton John starts playing, the lilting instrumental and his favorite artist's voice introduced. The song's vibe is summery and the contrast in the weather and the mood of the song, makes Taehyung smile. Skipping steps he makes his way towards the shop.

As he catches the sight of the dark brown shop displaying the words, "Vinyl Café" his strides quicken as the song reaches the chorus. As he comes closer he sees the building carefully analysing the details on the outside. The brown bench matching the tint of the bricks of the building, the old hit magazines on a rack, bright posters adorning the windows. It was breathtaking.

As he enters, the bell chimes indicating the entrance of a customer but taehyung doesn't hear it, considering the guitar strumming against his ears. Noticing nobody on the counter, he switches off the walk-man as he walks into the aisles, taking in the mellow sound of probably a 70s rock song playing in the background.

The ambiance of record shops never fails to enthrall him. The beautiful hundreds of vinyls and records across the store with different performers' posters, captivates him towards them more and more. Taehyung loves to get stuck in the labyrinth —soothing him.

He walks into a small section of Rock R'n'B and skims through the covers while humming softly to the song. The shop is huge and he's unsure if anybody is there with him. Taehyung's feet pad against the carpet covered wooden tiles as he moves towards his favourite division, the Soft Rock and Pop. His lips curve upwards as he sees the artists' names and their iconic and underrated albums under his fingertips.

His fingers freeze when he feels the chills against his spine again, down from his nape till the dip of his curve.

Not able to move his body, he feels the numbness throughout his body and is unable to form any thought. He holds his breath for the second time of the day for too long. Feeling suffocated he closes his eyes, still not able to focus his thoughts. It's all blurry.

His knees buck when he finally is able to breathe out. Suddenly feeling dizzy he stumbles back, on the rack behind him. The wooden stacks don't fall off but Taehyung manages to sit down on the floor with the help of those. A harsh excruciating pain piercing through his skull makes his hand voluntarily pull on his hair. It hurts too bad. He wants to scream but his voice doesn't come out. A choked sob manages out through his throat and tears sting the corner of eyes.

He keeps himself curled into his body, while a hammering sound starts beating against his ear.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.