Taehyung's POV
The offer hung in the rain-soaked air, simple words that felt loaded with unspoken meaning. "Want a ride?" Jungkook's voice was a low rumble against the drumming rain, and his eyes, fixed on Taehyung's, held a plea that went beyond mere politeness. Taehyung's gaze flickered. The sensible part of his brain screamed no. He had Jennie. He had boundaries. He had to maintain the distance he'd so painfully established.
But the chill of the rain seeping through his trench coat, combined with the sudden, overwhelming relief of seeing Jungkook after a week of agonizing silence, made his resolve crumble. The idea of slipping into a warm car, away from the biting wind and the judging eyes of the city, felt like an irresistible luxury. More than that, the idea of a few more minutes, even just a few, with Jungkook, was a siren song he couldn't resist.
"Yeah," Taehyung heard himself say, the word a little breathless. "Yeah, okay. Thanks, Kook."
Jungkook's smile, subtle but genuine, was his only reply. He led Taehyung a short distance down the street to a sleek, dark sedan. As Taehyung slid into the passenger seat, the warmth of the car enveloped him, a stark contrast to the cold outside. The scent of Jungkook's cologne – clean, subtly masculine – filled the small space, oddly intoxicating.
Jungkook started the engine, the low hum a comforting vibration. He didn't ask for directions, simply pulled smoothly into traffic, navigating the congested streets with an almost arrogant ease. It was another reminder of how effortlessly capable Jungkook was, how he moved through the world with a quiet confidence that both captivated and unsettled Taehyung.
The silence that settled between them wasn't awkward. It was comfortable, weighted with unspoken thoughts and the thrum of a connection too strong to ignore. Taehyung found himself stealing glances at Jungkook – the strong line of his jaw, the way his hair fell across his forehead, the focused intensity in his eyes as he drove. He felt a blush creep up his neck. This was dangerously intimate, this small, shared space, the rain drumming a rhythm on the roof, isolating them from the world.
This isn't cheating, he tried to tell himself. It's just a ride. An old friend being kind. But the insistent tug in his chest, the way his senses were hyper-aware of Jungkook's presence, betrayed him. He knew, deep down, this was far more than kindness. This was the 'pull' he couldn't deny.
Jungkook finally broke the silence, his voice low. "You seemed... a little lost back there. Everything alright, hyung?"
Taehyung hesitated. How could he explain the suffocating feeling of trying to be someone he wasn't, the dull ache of Jennie's unspoken suspicions, or the exhilarating chaos that Jungkook brought into his perfectly ordered life?
"Just... a lot going on," Taehyung mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "Work, mostly." Another lie. The dishonesty tasted bitter, but the truth felt impossible to articulate.
Jungkook just hummed softly, a non-committal sound that somehow conveyed understanding without judgment. He didn't push. And that, surprisingly, made Taehyung feel even more seen.
They continued to drive, leaving the bustling city center behind. Taehyung assumed Jungkook would drop him off at his usual apartment building, but Jungkook took a turn onto a road Taehyung didn't recognize, a quieter, tree-lined street that bordered the sprawling city park. It wasn't the way home.
A thrill, cold and sharp, shot through Taehyung. This was it. The real deviation. And he had absolutely no idea where they were going.