catch-22.

 seven 

"Ah, what is more pure and beautiful than the masterpiece that are ramyun noodles," Taehyung practically moans out as soon as the hot noodles melt in his mouth.

Namjoon isn't sure whether he should be disgusted by the noises Taehyung's making (and the mess,god the mess) or if he should be embarrassed by the nc-17 groans the younger keeps making.

He quickly glances around the place, relief flooding him when he realizes that they're the only ones in the noodle shop and he doesn't have to hide his face beneath the lights from the raised-eyebrow expressions of strangers.

Namjoon has yet to try his huge bowl of ramyun so he doesn't know what to expect when he slowly brings his chopsticks towards the bowl.

Yeah, he's been watching (and unfortunately hearing) the way Taehyung looks like he's getting off from eating the noodles, but Namjoon doesn't think they can be that great when he's seen Taehyung react the same way whenever he finds an old stash of hard gummy bears clustered in his backpack. 

"Is that you or your stomach talking?"

"Iph thinkfth boph," I think both.

Noodle soup dribbles from the corners of his lips making Namjoon cringe and roll his eyes at the way Taehyung wolves down his food.

"You're so gross," he says as he grabs a napkin and starts to dab the droplets of soup from Taehyung's chin.

The younger only smiles – a smile showing off his munched up noodles (ew) – and shrugs it off.

Namjoon narrows his eyes at the boy who seems practically oblivious to Namjoon's wary glare, all too happy to enjoy his meal.

After sighing and giving up on the thought of Taehyung showing some kind of manners he decides to try the noodles that Taehyung glories over saying that Jesus probably cooked this up in heaven in sent it down to the rest of the puny humans.

Namjoon huffs out a bubble of laughter, but is immediately cut off by the – amazing, glorious, brilliantly achieved, heaven in a bowl – taste of the ramyun.

A guttural like moan vibrates from Namjoons inner self ­– no, actually it comes from his soul, because that is probably (definitely) the most delicious bowl of ramyun that Namjoon has ever. tasted. in. his. entire. life.

Okay, maybe Taehyung wasn't exaggerating when he was doing those porno like sounds from earlier, he was in his complete right to sound like that if his bowl of noodles came out tasting just as great as Namjoon's.

When Namjoon opens his eyes – he must've closed them unbeknownst to him when he first tried them – he finds Taehyung staring at him with his mouth open, pupils blown wide, and golden face resembling a ripe tomato.

They blink at one another for about five seconds or longer, but who knows, no one's counting – before Taehyung flushes all the way to his roots and clears his throat, gulping down his entire drink.

"You know, I'm – uh going to just like, go to the bathroom. I'll uhm, come back." Taehyung manages to grit out before he's running to the men's restroom like his life depends on it.

Namjoon doesn't see too much into it, he really can't when he's too busy shoving noodles into his mouth.

By the time Taehyung comes out of the restroom, Namjoon's halfway done his bowl, he's not even sure he'll be able to finish it when he feels like his stomach is going to burst from his pants any moment.

Taehyung smiles, the corners of his lips a bit strained, but Namjoon decides to ignore it and calls over one of the waiters and asks if they can get him something to go.