bikers & beaches | tk ✓

❧17

❧ (Hypothetical) Change ❧

Hoseok slid the back door shut, stepping out onto the wooden flooring of the patio as the moonlight hit his skin with an every wisp. His fingers unraveled from the metal handle as his cautious steps halted, waiting.

He waited for a few minutes, before stalking across the patio and down the steps to reach the cold sand pooling around his shoes.

Kim Taehyung, where are you going?

Taehyung had said he worked on his fear, little by little, every night and Hoseok had been worried sick about it. He just didn't want his friend drowning again just because he didn't want them to help him.

And after seeing the younger make his way to the sidewalk towards the diner-end of the beach, he was more confused than worried. They had the shore right in their backyard, so what was Taehyung doing heading to the diner? If that was even his destination.

Hoseok felt the guilt chip at him for following one of his best friends with doubt, but he felt his doubt was warranted. There was too much he didn't understand and if it meant Taehyung risking his life again— he wasn't letting it stay unsolved.

The sidewalk was empty by the time Hoseok was on it, eyes trained on Tuan's diner in the distance, those string lights glowing around and spilling some beacon of light through the dark accompanying street.

Hoseok's steps slowed cautiously as he approached the end of the strip mall just beside the solitary diner.

His lips parted in surprise, breath catching in his throat as he caught sight of the motorcycle gleaming under moonlight, parked all alone in the diner lot.

What?

The surfer's eyes shot up to the diner window ot see the inner lights were shut off, indicating closed hours. Hoseok stayed as quiet as he possibly could while walking towards the motorcycle.

He'd seen the bikers' unique rides enough to know who usually sat in which; the one before him didn't look like it belonged to anyone but Jeongguk.

What?

Was Taehyung okay? Jeongguk might have found him first. Taehyung could be in trouble—

Hoseok cursed under his breath and silently moved to hide next to the entrance to the diner, brick wall scratching his shoulder blades as he peeled around the corner in search of his friend.

He spotted two silhouettes, slightly hazy near the shoreline. They were seated next to each other from what he could make out, his attention pinned to them in dreaded shock while his feet peeled off the pavement in soundless steps towards the line of bushes separating the sand and parking lot.

Crouching beside it, Hoseok made sure he was as inconspicuous as the gentle breeze, unsure of what was audible from their spot by the water.

The air itself felt so empty besides the ocean's unchanging crashes. Hoseok didn't come out to the shore at night often, it felt almost eery and lifeless without the sun— but that wasn't the unnerving problem.

Taehyung sitting with a biker was. Jeongguk was one of them. Hoseok knew they caused trouble everywhere they went and he was further hurt that Taehyung had lied about where he'd been spending his nights.

But the younger wasn't stupid. In fact, Taehyung was generally the most cautious and safe one of them all. What did that mean for the sight he was seeing unravel before him?

It was still Jeongguk. An annoying asshole with leather on his back. Someone who supported and participated in destroying things. Was Taehyung just being naive?