TASTE | KTH

pick up

"Pick up. Fuck, pick up, Taehyung."

Hoseok isn't someone to get distressed easily. He's a fairly happy-go-lucky individual, and rarely does something ever seem grave enough to warrant genuine peril. On the few instances he has gotten worried, his friends have known something is very serious—if someone like Hoseok is worried, they probably all have valid reason to be worried, too.

Right now is one of these instances, and Taehyung isn't answering his phone, which only heightens Hoseok's concern tenfold. Ever since the night of his party when Taehyung had a meltdown in his bed, Hoseok has been researching their circumstances to no end. He thought there had to be a way to reform Taehyung and Yura's bond without death—and it turns out, he thought right. There is another way.

It's just not remotely pleasant for either party involved, if done incorrectly. Hoseok knows Taehyung is at the police department gala, and is therefore with Yura. He also knows Taehyung is impulsive when it comes to Yura. One thoughtless decision could result in a whole lot of issues and even a lost chance to restore the bond—if Taehyung made another Yura-induced impulsive decision, they could be in even deeper shit. Hoseok groans when Taehyung's phone goes to voicemail for the fourth time, and leaves a hasty message telling him that it's really important that he calls back. Resorting to his final option, he calls Namjoon.

"Hello?" Namjoon answers on the fifth ring. Hoseok breathes a sigh of relief.

"Hey, it's Hoseok, is Taehyung around?" He cuts to the chase. Namjoon hums, as if looking around for him.

"I haven't seen him in a bit, but guess what? I think he left with Yura." Namjoon says, and Hoseok's heart drops to his stomach.

"Shit." He deadpans.

"Why don't you sound happy? I think this is a good thing for them. He looked really happy, and so did she. She stayed pretty close to him for most of the night." Namjoon explains.

"Shit!" He exclaims, the originally bad news getting worse.

"Seok, what's wrong?" Namjoon asks, hearing the notes of worry in Hoseok's voice.

"I found a way to reconnect Yura and Tae's soulmate bond, but it has a really specific process. If they do anything out of order, they're fucked." Hoseok explains.

"Oh, that's bad. That's really bad." Namjoon deadpans, sighing worriedly. "What do we do?"

"I have no clue—do you think he took her home with him?" Hoseok asks.

"I mean, I doubt he'd take her back to her place." Namjoon reasons.

"Right, that makes sense. The hotel you're at is in Hongdae, right? Can you get to Tae's place?" Hoseok rushes out, but Namjoon sucks in his breath through his teeth.

"I'm kind of tied up here. The heads of the other precincts and I are about to get lectured by the superintendent of the district." Namjoon says, voice hushed. "I can't leave."

"Damn it. I'm half an hour away. I'll call Jimin and get him over there, and start heading there myself." Hoseok decides.

"Okay, sounds good. I'll be there as soon as I can. If I get there before you, what do I do?" Namjoon asks, and Hoseok starts rushing around his apartment, throwing on mismatched shoes and grabbing his keys.

"Whatever you do, make sure they don't kiss."

•••

Meanwhile, Taehyung and Yura sit in the back of a taxi. Taehyung's fingers rub soothing patterns into Yura's thigh through the mauve fabric of her dress. His touch is comforting, but all she can think about is how harsh Wonho's touch is going to be in contrast to Taehyung's. Her decision and the fact that Wonho was drinking earlier is a recipe for disaster, but she knows she has to do this. She has to leave him before she loses her nerve. The more she thinks about it, the quicker she can feel her courage abandoning her.