Brighter Days || Taekook

Part 36

Taehyung's hands are trembling. He blames it on the merciless cold that has Seoul tightly in its grip in what is barely the second half of January, but he knows it's just an excuse. He is trembling from the cold as well, that much is true. His shoulders shiver and his knees jitter and those are indicators that he's freezing, but Taehyung doesn't really take notice of that. His fingers have never really trembled from the cold before; it's the anxiety that causes their shaking, and no matter how many times Taehyung tries to blow hot breath into his cupped palms, the trembling won't stop anytime soon. His body is a traitor for exhibiting signs of anxiety while his mind is surprisingly calm. Maybe the few gulps soju he nicked from Yoongi's hidden stash did help after all. He hates alcohol for turning his father into a monster, for its smell clinging to so many of his former clients, but tonight it grants him some relief which he is entirely grateful for.

He watches the traffic light change colour many times while waiting at the crossroad. Only a few minutes are left to midnight, and the streets aren't crowded anymore. Occasionally someone passes Taehyung by, an employee who comes home late for work or college students on their way to have some fun. None of them pay him any attention, and none of the cars slow down either.

Taehyung's shoes are drenched in the remains of mushy snow that's been walked all over and has lost all of its white innocence, only a gray heap of wet dirt now. He kicks some of it and stuffs his hands into the pockets of his coats, wishing that he had taken some hot packs with him. It's not like they'd stop the trembling of his hands, but maybe the warmth could help lessen the rest of his body's shaking that is definitely the by-product of clothes too thin for this time of the year. Taehyung curses himself for not having taken up Namjoon's offer to join him for some clothes shopping, instead opting to save the money.

When a car pulls up next to Taehyung, his heartbeat starts to pick up. Traitorous heart, giving in to anxiety just like that. The windows are tinted, but the one on the passenger side slides down. Taehyung swallows when spotting the familiar figure behind the steering wheel.

"Can you imagine how surprised I was to get a phone call from you?"

A cold shudder runs down Taehyung's back when hearing the voice, but this time it's not from the freezing temperature.

"You've got a new car," Taehyung says. He tries to sound nonchalant, hoping that the slight tremble in his voice goes undetected.

"The seats are leather. They're quite comfortable. Fancy trying them out?"

Taehyung can hear the tell-tale sign of the car doors being unlocked. He swallows as he grips the handle and yanks the door open with more force than is necessary. A surge of warm air welcomes him as he slides in and instantly sinks into the leather passenger seat, heart now beating so violently he fears it might get stuck in his throat. A hand lands on his knee and he wants to pull away from the unwelcome touch, but Taehyung forces himself to stay still.

"So tell me, V-ssi, what exactly it is I can do for you?"

And that's the moment Taehyung knows just how much he actually fucked up, but it's too late now. He's in a car with Mr. Kim, and it's too late to go back now. It was his own idea. It's his own fault. He was dumb enough to search for Mr. Kim's phone number the day after his ultimatum, and call him for a meeting. He also didn't expect said meeting to happen the same night. If he had more time, he might have changed his mind, or come up with a plan. But now he's just sitting in Mr. Kim's car with no one knowing where he is and not knowing what to do. He had acted irrationally, and he's royally screwed. He'll be damned if he'll let this man see his insecurity though.

"Twitter. You want me to be introduced as an official member, but that's not possible. I'm still not an official member yet."

Taehyung knows how dumb he sounds, but at least his voice is stable.