Slow Dancing

Taehyung had always believed that mornings were meant to be quiet. Unfortunately, his commute had never received the memo. The city was already awake around him, horns blaring, buses crowding the road, and impatient drivers treating every traffic light like a personal insult. He tightened his grip on the handlebars and sighed, already regretting the decision to leave home ten minutes later than usual.

When suddenly, some idiot decided that it was a good idea to stop their car in the middle of the fucking road. He suddenly hit the brakes, but the bike skidded beneath him.

Great. He was already late for the office, and now this.

For a second, everything went black. Taehyung blinked a few times, trying to clear the dizziness from his head. He didn't have time to sit there and figure out what had just happened. He still had an important meeting to attend. He pushed himself up and quickly checked himself for any injuries. A few scrapes here and there, a stinging cut on his palm, and a sore shoulder. Nothing serious. Good. He could deal with that later. Right now, he was already late for work.

Taehyung pushed himself to his feet and pulled his bike upright, wincing when he saw the damage. “Fucking idiot,” he muttered, glaring after the car that had already disappeared into traffic.

Then he looked down at his helmet. The visor was cracked. He stared at it for a second before letting out a tired sigh. At least he'd been wearing it. He checked the time. “Oh, for fuck's sake.”

He was already late for the office. And then he remembered the coffee. Jungkook's coffee. Of course. Because apparently, getting into a bike accident wasn't enough to ruin his morning. He still had to stop by the café before heading to work.

Taehyung pushed his bike back onto the road, checking the time again as he adjusted his helmet. He was late. Not terribly late, but late enough that Namjoon would probably give him that disappointed look when he walked into the meeting room. And he still had to stop at the café.

Taehyung sighed. Of course he did. He could skip breakfast. He could probably survive without fixing his hair properly. He could even walk into the office with a cracked helmet and scraped palms. But he couldn't show up without Jungkook's coffee. That would somehow be a bigger offense than arriving nine minutes late.

He pulled into the small café a few minutes later and parked his bike outside. The barista looked up as he walked in, then glanced at his scraped hands and the faint smear of blood near his eyebrow.

“Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Taehyung answered automatically. He walked up to the counter. “Two coffees, please. One Americano. And the usual for the other one.”

The barista gave him a strange look, but Taehyung ignored it. He had a meeting to get to. And a very annoying coworker to deliver coffee to.

Jungkook glanced at the clock on his monitor for the third time. Nine minutes. Taehyung was nine minutes late. Not that Jungkook was counting. He was just... aware. He was about to send a message when the office door opened.

Taehyung walked in, helmet dangling from one hand and two coffee cups balanced in the other. Jungkook looked up. And froze.

There was a small cut near Taehyung's eyebrow. His hair was a mess, his hands were scraped, and there was dirt smeared across one sleeve of his shirt. For a moment, Jungkook couldn't say anything. Taehyung walked straight toward him and placed one of the coffee cups on his desk, completely oblivious to the way Jungkook was staring at him.

“Good morning.”

Jungkook said nothing. Taehyung frowned slightly. “What?”

Still nothing. From somewhere behind them, Jin glanced at the clock. “You're late.”

Taehyung turned toward him. “Good morning to you too.”

“Nine minutes,” Jin added.

Taehyung looked at the clock, then shrugged. “Were you counting?”

“Unfortunately.”

Taehyung turned back toward Jungkook. Jungkook was still staring. This time, Taehyung noticed. “What?”

Jungkook's eyes moved from the cut near his eyebrow to his scraped hands, then back to his face. “What happened to you?”

“Ohh, this?” Taehyung glanced at the cut near his eyebrow. “It’s just a small scratch.”

“Scratch?” The disbelief in Jungkook’s voice made Taehyung look at him.

“Yes.”

Jungkook stared at him for a moment before his eyes dropped to Taehyung’s scraped palms. “And your hands?”

“Also scratches.”

“And your shoulder?”

Taehyung blinked. “How do you know my shoulder hurts?”

“You’re holding it.”

Taehyung looked down. He was, in fact, holding his shoulder. “It’s nothing.”

Jungkook’s jaw tightened. “Nothing?”

“Nothing serious.”

Jungkook didn’t answer. He just kept looking at him. Taehyung shifted uncomfortably under the stare. “What?”

“You’re bleeding.”

“Barely.”

“You’re limping.”

“I am not.”

“You just limped.”

“That was walking.”

“That was a limp.”

Taehyung turned and made his way toward his desk, limping slightly. Jungkook immediately noticed. “Look. You’re limping again.”

Taehyung stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Jungkook, go back to your desk. I’m already late for my meeting.”

“I don't care about your meeting.”

“Well, I do.”

“You just got into an accident.”

“And I'm fine.”

“You're limping.”

“Because my leg hurts.”

Jungkook stared at him. Taehyung stared back. Neither of them moved. Finally, Taehyung sighed.

By the time Taehyung came back from the meeting, the adrenaline from the morning had mostly worn off. And with it came the headache. He pressed two fingers against his temple as he walked back to his desk, hoping no one would notice.

Unfortunately, Jungkook noticed everything. He looked up from his monitor the second Taehyung walked past.

“You have a headache.”

Taehyung stopped. “How do you know that?”

“You're rubbing your temple.”

Taehyung sighed. “It's just a headache.”

Jungkook was already getting out of his chair. “Sit down.”

“I'm going to work.”

“Sit.”

“Jungkook—”

“Sit.”

Taehyung stared at him. This was going to be a long day.

Jungkook disappeared for a few minutes. Taehyung barely had time to wonder where he'd gone before Jungkook came back carrying a bottle of water, some painkillers, and a small packet of food. He placed everything on Taehyung's desk.

“Take this.”

Taehyung looked at the things, then at him. “I'm fine.”

“I didn't ask.”

“Jungkook—”

“Take the medicine.”

Taehyung sighed but picked up the water. Jungkook didn't sit down. Instead, he stood there with his arms crossed, staring at him. Taehyung swallowed the medicine.

“Happy?”

“No.”

“What's wrong now?”

Jungkook leaned closer. “Do you know who hit your bike?”

Taehyung blinked. “What?”

“The car. Do you know who stopped in the middle of the road?”

“No.”

“Did you note the number?”

Taehyung stared at him. “No.”

Jungkook's eyes narrowed. “You didn't?”

“I was busy falling off my bike, Jungkook.”

“Right.” There was a pause. “Did you at least see the driver?”

“No.”

“Do you know what car it was?”

“Jungkook.”

“What?”

“I have a headache.”

“I know. That's why I'm asking.”

Taehyung rubbed his temple. Jungkook immediately pushed the packet of food closer to him. “And eat.”

“I'm not hungry.”

“You're eating.”

“I’m fine.”

“You got into an accident this morning.”

“A minor accident.”

“You're bleeding.”

“Barely.”

“You have a headache.”

“It's just a headache.”

“You're limping.”

Taehyung opened his mouth. Jungkook pointed at him. “Don't.”

Taehyung closed it. For once, he had absolutely no comeback.

Across the office, Jin slowly lowered his coffee. He looked at Yoongi. Yoongi looked back. Neither said anything for a few seconds. Then Jin leaned closer.

“Okay.”

Yoongi raised an eyebrow. “Okay what?”

“I think it's time.”

“For what?”

Jin glanced toward Taehyung's desk, where Jungkook was still standing there like a security guard who had personally been assigned to protect one very stubborn man. “The bet.”

Yoongi sighed. “We've already made the bet.”

“I know. I'm revising it.”

Yoongi looked over at him. “Why?”

Jin nodded toward Jungkook. “Look at him.”

Yoongi did. Jungkook was currently pushing the food packet closer to Taehyung for the third time.

“Eat.”

“I’ll eat later.”

“Now.”

“I have work.”

“You have a headache.”

“I can work with a headache.”

“You can work after you eat.”

Yoongi watched silently for a moment. Then he looked back at Jin. “You're reconsidering?”

“Absolutely.” Jin folded his arms. “Four years of evidence. I originally said Taehyung would confess first.”

Yoongi took a sip of his coffee. “Jungkook.”

Jin frowned. “You didn't even think about it.”

“I have eyes.”

Jin glanced back at the two of them. Taehyung was now trying to ignore Jungkook. Jungkook was very clearly not going to let him. Jin sighed. “Fine. I'm increasing my bet.”

Yoongi's eyebrow lifted. “Why?”

Jin pointed toward them. “Because apparently, we're at the stage where Jungkook is interrogating him about a hit-and-run before lunchtime.”

Yoongi nodded thoughtfully. “Optimistic.”

Jin narrowed his eyes. “Don't ruin this for me.”

“I wasn't.”

“You were.”

“I really wasn't.”

Jin stared at him. Yoongi calmly took another sip of coffee. “Still betting on Jungkook.”

Jin groaned. “Fine. But I'm putting more money on Taehyung.”

“Deal.”

They shook hands. Neither noticed Jimin standing a few feet away, watching them with an expression that suggested he had absolutely no idea what was happening—but was already regretting getting involved.

The rest of the day passed with Jungkook keeping a suspiciously close eye on Taehyung. By the end of the workday, Taehyung had had enough. He packed his things and stood up. Jungkook immediately looked over.

“You're going home?”

Taehyung gave him a look. “No, I'm moving into the office.”

Jungkook ignored the sarcasm. “You're not going home by yourself.”

Taehyung looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean exactly what I said.”

“I can go home by myself.”

“No.”

...

“Jungkook.”

“You have a headache. You could hurt yourself.”

Taehyung stared at him. “It's a headache, not a concussion.”

“You don't know that.”

“I know I'm fine.”

“You got thrown off a bike this morning.”

“And I'm still standing.”

“Barely.”

Taehyung sighed, rubbing his temple. “Jungkook, I'm fine.”

Jungkook shook his head. “No.”

Taehyung slowly looked up at him. “I'm not asking.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you still arguing?”

“Because you're not listening.”

Taehyung stared at him for a long moment. Then his expression changed. He sat back in his chair. “Jeon Jungkook.”

Jungkook immediately stopped. “…What?”

Taehyung pointed toward the chair. “Sit.”

Jungkook blinked. Then, without another word, he sat down. Taehyung stared at him. Jungkook stared back.

From across the office, Jin slowly turned toward Yoongi. Yoongi didn't even look up from his computer. “Told you,” he muttered.

Jin's eyes widened. “Oh, this is getting good.”

Jungkook was still sitting across from him, watching him like he was waiting for Taehyung to do something stupid. Taehyung sighed.

“Fine.”

Jungkook's eyebrows lifted. “Fine what?”

“I won't go home alone.”

“Good.”

Taehyung hesitated for a second before adding, “Then drop me home.”

Jungkook blinked. Taehyung looked back at his computer as if he hadn't just said anything unusual.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“You want me to drop you home?”

“Yes.”

Jungkook's expression softened immediately. “Okay.”

Taehyung glanced at him. “Don't look so happy.”

“I'm not.”

“You are.”

“I'm just glad you're finally listening to me.”

“Don't get used to it.”

Jungkook smiled. “Too late.”

Jungkook pulled up outside Taehyung's apartment and turned off the engine. For a moment, neither of them moved. Taehyung reached for the door.

“Thanks for dropping me.”

Jungkook didn't answer. Taehyung looked over. Jungkook was staring straight ahead, his hands still resting on the steering wheel.

“Jungkook?”

“I was scared.”

Taehyung paused. “What?”

Jungkook finally looked at him. “When I saw you walk into the office this morning…” He swallowed. “I thought something was seriously wrong with you.”

Taehyung's expression softened. “It wasn't.”

“I know that now.” Jungkook looked down at his hands. “But I didn't know that then.”

A quiet moment passed.

“You were bleeding. Your helmet was cracked. You were limping, and you were still standing there telling everyone you were fine like nothing happened.”

Taehyung gave a small smile. “That does sound like me.”

“That's not funny.”

The smile disappeared from Taehyung's face. Jungkook exhaled.

“I kept thinking about what could've happened if you weren't wearing your helmet. Or if the car had hit you differently.” He shook his head. “I don't even want to think about it.”

Taehyung watched him quietly. “You really were scared.”

Jungkook forced a soft laugh, but there was no humor in it. “Yeah.” He looked at Taehyung again. “More than I should've been.”

Taehyung's eyebrows drew together slightly. “Why?”

Jungkook looked at him for a long moment. “Because I never want to lose you.”

Something in Taehyung's expression melted. He reached for the door, then paused. “Then you'll never lose me, Jungkook.”

Jungkook looked at him, completely speechless. Taehyung smiled faintly.

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

“And… thanks.”

Jungkook nodded. Taehyung stepped out of the car and walked toward his house. Just before he reached the door, he turned around. Jungkook was still sitting in the car, watching him. Taehyung gave him a small wave. Jungkook smiled.

Taehyung shook his head, trying not to smile too much, and finally went inside.

The next morning, Jungkook walked into the office and immediately spotted Taehyung at his desk. And sitting beside Taehyung's laptop was a familiar coffee cup.

Jungkook stopped. Taehyung looked up. Their eyes met. For a second, neither of them said anything. Then Taehyung pushed the cup toward him.

“Your coffee.”

Jungkook's lips curved into a small, shy smile. “Thanks.”

Taehyung nodded, suddenly finding his computer very interesting. A few seconds of silence passed. Then Jungkook picked up the cup.

“You're still buying me coffee?”

Taehyung looked at him. “Don't make it weird.”

“I wasn't.”

“You were about to.”

Jungkook grinned. “Maybe.”

Taehyung rolled his eyes. “Drink your coffee.”

Jungkook took a sip. “It's perfect.”

“Obviously.”

And just like that, the awkwardness disappeared.

“You're still not beating me in today's pitch, by the way.”

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. “Who said you were beating me?”

Jungkook smiled. “There he is.”

Taehyung smirked. “Try to keep up.”

Four years of rivalry hadn't disappeared overnight. Neither had their banter. The only difference was that now, when they looked at each other, they both knew.

They were idiots in love. And apparently, still competitive ones.