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*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ ⠀ ⠀
tonight wasn't as nice as the previous one. it was friday and there was no pop music and bright lights to drown out the senses and kind smiles and soft hands to soothe one's beating heart. it was a different kind of rush, adrenaline from the thrill of a promising win, not the thrill of being with someone that makes you happy. it's being someone that you know isn't happy.
taehyung wasn't going to another party tonight, no there was no time for that. he had to work, and tonight was a promising night.
his cadillac sped down the city street further from the busy shopping stores and thriving clubs. this part of the city was less, inviting. the skyscrapers and lavish apartments turned into abandoned warehouses and crack houses full of whores and smelling of weed.
how bad would it be to call this home. perhaps a temporary home, taehyung only visited for work these days.
it was an unofficial job, you can't study for this in school and read about its annual salary in those textbooks collecting dusts. no one spoke about it, that was the main rule. when one person opens their trap and spews the news, it could ruin it for all, and not just his business.
"took you long enough." the voice was gruff, matching the look the man was going for. "i have a lot of money on this kid."
taehyung just nodded and slammed the door to his cadillac, he heard this every time, but he never disappointed. "what's it tonight?"
"he's come a long way, your big talk over on his side of town." the man tried to laugh but it turned into a dirty cough. his name was hyunwoo but most people called him eugene. "have you heard of daesung? he calls himself dk, thinks he's the king or something."
taehyung just grabbed his duffel from the backseat and started to walk up the warehouse. "i don't remember names." he said. "besides, if you give yourself some lame name like that, how good can you really be."
eugene laughed again, the phlegm was thick in his throat. "there's the funny boy i know!" he hollered, bouncing off the metal walls of the warehouse and echoing in the empty streets. "i didn't think you'd turn cold on me just yet."
the brunette managed a smile, but it looked more like a grimace. just because he was good at small talk doesn't mean he enjoyed participating in it. all he wanted to do was show up, make his money, and head home to bed. it was already 2 am.
eugene slid the huge doors open and more voices could be heard. men gathered in their groups while others stood on their own, confident in their betting skills or simply checking out possible future opportunities. taehyung had never met daesung, or dk, but the guy stood out immediately, standing tall in the center of the crowd with his shirt off and huge pecs on display. compensating maybe.
taehyung was much leaner, he was strong and the days at the gym proved it, but he wasn't body builder material in the slightest. his advantage came with his speed and his brain, most fighters lacked a few screws upstairs.
everything was pretty much routine. taehyung would show up a little late of course, he always enjoyed a dramatic entrance, then eugene would count the bets and call the opponents to the middle where each would check the other out. taehyung usually readjusted the bandages around his knuckles and flicked his bangs out of his eyes. there was no reason to size up the competition when already here and staring in the face of the threat.
this routine would then bring taehyung to his senses. there were many rules here, people didn't argue that much and wanted their money, so a lot of things would slide.
eugene kept talking, taehyung kept not listening. his blood was rushing to his ears and his eyes would flutter close briefly on occasion, light breaths leaving his lips as he zoned in on his goal and the money it would bring to pay his expenses.
he could get the extra large smoothie tomorrow.
taehyungs eyes snapped open. why would that thought come to him now of all times. of all things why jungkook? jungkook.
flashes of the boy rushed into his mind and exploded behind his eyelids, laughs and smiles and good times that didn't involve the violent beatings to wake up to in the mornings.
then eugene shouted something, and daesung was on taehyung in seconds.
over several months, taehyung had built a sort of reputation. it was odd, because while he wasn't widely known by name and on the streets of seoul, it was people like these men, the ones in suits that probably got off at the sight of blood and two boys beating the shit out of each other. they knew how to bet big money on the boy that never loses.
he never loses. taehyung snapped back into reality after a hard blow to the jaw, stars dancing behind his eyes and obscuring his memories of the pretty ravenette.
of course daesung was bigger, much more body mass and muscle to follow, but taehyung was faster and more agile. his lean body and strength had him rolling out from under the larger man, leaving his fist to collide with concrete. a sick smile plastered itself onto taehyungs face at the sight of the other guys pain and blood on the floor.
the brunette flicked his bangs out of his eyes and was on his feet in seconds, bouncing slightly before running at his opponent and aiming a kick to his side, only a distraction for the punch that came opposite, nailing him in the jaw. taehyung felt knuckled collide with his side, but he aimed his kick higher and jumped, hooking his leg around daesungs neck and swinging around to be seated on the mans shoulders.
a cry of cheering came from half the men while the others shouted profanities and threats to the loser. not many believed the rumors heard on the streets of the notorious seoul fighter. taehyung liked to hear them himself and feed into the stories with his own twists.
by now everyone that has seen any fight knew it was over. with a tightening of his legs around daesungs neck and perfectly positioned hands, the man fell unconsciousness to the floor, taehyung falling as well until gracefully tucking and rolling to cushion the impact.
his chest was heaving with each breath he took, the pain of the fight never fully settled until he was home and trying to clean up the cuts and bruises that littered his tanned skin. this was one of the easier matches, someone from out of town showing up thinking their the shit.
they didn't know how long taehyung had been doing this. the streets were his home, it was his grounds that he made his living, and no one was going to show up and shit on that rep.
eugene clapped his back and handed him the same duffel he arrived with. "well done kid, as always." he laughed, always seemed to be doing so, "clean that lip, i'll see you in a few days."
taehyung just waved the man off and stiffly walked back to his car, the blows to his side had hurt more than he expected and part of his face was throbbing. as much as he wanted to go home, taking a quick nap in the back of his cadillac seemed like a better plan.
⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ┆♡┆ yeah so tae is a hot street fighter and kook is a cute smoothie boy iconic duo
