I'm Taking Over You

Taehyung shrugged his suit jacket off in search of some coolness. Don’t get him wrong, he loved wearing suits. In fact, his friends often wondered why ‘casual’ and ‘formal’ meant the same to him. But he was in Qatar, and man it was hot. He really needed to get rid of all his clothes, but, first, his shoes. 

 

For a man who loved wearing formals, Taehyung’s relationship with shoes was really funny. He hated them.

 

Walking towards his hotel room, Taehyung looked around at the almost deserted corridor. It was around 10.30 in the night, and it seemed like everyone had already retired for the night. Ah well, good for them, normal, regular people, who slept at normal, regular hours. Taehyung’s work meeting had run late. Of course. It wasn't even new to him. Except that he had yet another meeting at breakfast the next morning. He hated his job.

 

He didn't.

 

He loved his job and all the travel that came with it. He just hated wearing shoes.

 

He walked across the pool, wondering if he'd ever have any chance at letting go during this jam-packed work trip he was on. Tomorrow, he had meetings all day. And after two days, he'd be witnessing the event of a lifetime. That's what he was here for, anyway - to watch the first ever Korean singer take the center stage at one of the world's biggest sporting extravaganzas, the football World Cup. 

 

Taehyung worked for an entertainment company back in Korea. His job was to coordinate and host interviews of upcoming and established Korean talent and ensure that his company always received the first exclusive insight into whatever the artists were up to. He was skilled at his job, there was no doubt about it. Always getting his way, using his connections to get the right entry point. It was as a recognition of his efforts that he'd been put up at one of the most luxurious hotels in the city - a kind of an incentive for the last interview he recorded that went to fetch the company billions of views.

 

And here he was, following Korea's sweetheart, The Jeon Jeongguk, who had achieved the unimaginable feat of singing the opening song for the men's football world cup this year. Well, unimaginable till Jeonggukssi cracked it. And Taehyung had this feeling that it was just the beginning for the young singing star. 

 

He had managed to keep his excitement hidden from his colleagues when he was handed over the assignment, but he was a Kookie himself, the name Jeongguk's fans went by. Aah… just two more days till he would be face to face with the man himself, getting an exclusive byte for his company. He felt giddy at the thought.

 

A sudden movement caught his eye and he turned his head towards the pool. The entire area was empty, save for 2 or 3 people who looked to be guarding someone, a man, clad in black, who was inside the pool. Said man seemed to be filming something… or… was he actually splashing water at the camera?

 

Who the fuck was this grown-up man-child?

 

Taehyung started to walk towards his room when the sound of the most delicious giggle he’d ever heard made him stop dead in his tracks. He knew this sound. 

 

Kim Taehyung, successful celebrity host in his own right, had stayed awake night after night just to hear this sound on the most unhinged SNS lives he had ever witnessed in his life. He didn’t care if it meant he would only get a few hours of catch-eye before his work day began. Okay it wasn’t just about this sound. It was also about the enthralling voice that came with it, the doe-eyes that stared at you through the screen, the adorable lisp, the cutest expressions. Taehyung could go on and on about the one person in showbiz that he was completely obsessed with.

 

Jeon Jeongguk. 

 

Apparently, he was the grown-up man-child. 

 

Taehyung’s first instinct was to run towards the pool. But then he acted like the grown-up mature man he was, took out his cellular phone, and called his boss. 

 

Not a wise move when it was 4.36 am in Korea. But did Taehyung care?

 

Min Yoongi picked up the phone after the tenth ring.

“You’re fired”

“Yoon. Please.”

“I don’t care, Tae. It’s fucking midnight!”

“It’s not. But listen, hyung. I need to talk”

“Don’t pull the hyung card just because you figured out I am the most terrific person with the most terrific network in the whole world. And fucking don’t pout. You know it doesn’t work on me, and I can’t even see it right now.”

“Did you… did you really book me in the same hotel as him?”

“Goodnight Taehyung”

“Yoon. I love you. I love you the most in the world. I will do anything you want.”

“Hang up and let me sleep. And never ever hug me again”

“Yoon!”

“Go tell the security guards you’re my man. And Tae?”

“Yes?”

“Fuck off.”

“I love you too”

 

The beeping tone told Taehyung that his hyung had hung up on him. Nothing new. The more Taehyung called him the more used to he got with Yoongi hanging up on him. Taehyung couldn’t believe Yoongi would pull this big a favour for him. And yet, he could. The big mean boss of Korea’s biggest entertainment channel was a softie for a handful of people, and Taehyung had been one of them. Okay, now he could accept that he was completely gone for the singer, his pathetic crush growing with each new song released, each music video, each time the singer made an appearance. Which explains why he hadn’t interviewed Korea’s heartthrob till date. He simply couldn’t. It had taken him a long pep talk (read scolding) from Yoongi and the insanely jealous thought of someone else getting to meet his Jeonggukie for him to agree for this interview. 

 

The Kim Taehyung that celebrities lauded for his witty remarks, sassy attitude, and disarming charm (read puppy eyes and cute pout) which pushed them to reveal things about themselves they otherwise would never, wasn’t sure he could hold his ground in front of his crush. Yoongi had pushed him for this meeting saying he really couldn’t ignore the superstar anymore just because Tae was a scaredy-cat. Taehyung had given in. He was doing this for his company (and not for his poor heart. Not at all).

 

Slowly, Yoongi’s words caught up to him. Go tell the security guards you’re my man.

 

Wait. 

 

He could hear the beating of his own heart so loud that it drowned out all the noise from the pool. It took him a few seconds for the world to come back into focus. His shoe-clad feet had already carried him towards the pool by the time.

 

“I am so bored. I am so bored. I am SO bored!” came the angelic voice from the pool.

 

Let me remedy that, sweetheart, his mind supplied.

 

The guards came up to him real quick, and somewhere he felt relieved that his precious boy was well protected. Immediately, the thought stunned him. Your boy? First, find the guts to speak with him, then we’ll talk, okay?

 

“I…  hello. I’m Kim Taehyung. Min Yoongi-ssi sent me to speak with Jeongguki… Jeongguk-ssi. If he doesn’t mind of course!”

 

“Min Yoongi?”

 

“Yes”

 

“Do you have an ID on you?”

 

“Of course. Of course I do,” this fucking suit had too many pockets, Taehyung thought as he patted each one by one for his wallet. That’s it. Not wearing any more suits from tomorrow. 

 

“Aah. He did mention you. Let me ask Jeonggukah if he’s okay to see you now.”

 

“You call him Jeonggukah?”

 

The guard finally smiled, adoration writ large across his face.

 

“He throws a tantrum if we don’t”

 

🎤🎙

 

Taehyung stood transfixed in his spot, waiting for about an hour (it wasn’t even two minutes), before he realised that he had died and gone to heaven because an angel in black was walking towards him, a big bunny smile adorning his beautiful face. 

 

“Taehyungie hyung? Taehyungie hyung? Hi! Taehyungie hyung are you there?”

Fuck. Now the angel was talking. 

To him.

Oh no. This wasn’t… this wasn’t heaven. It was… fuck.

 

“Sorry. Sorry my bad, Jeongguk-ssi. I zoned out for a while.”

Jeongguk pouted in answer. He had already offended him? Wow Kim Taehyung. This was a new low.

 

“I am sorry. I’m really sorry, I wasn’t ignoring you, I swear. I mean who can ignore you?” Taehyung pulled his best hurt puppy expression, willing himself to not lose this chance.

 

“Ohh!! I’m not upset about that,” Jeongguk pouted harder.

“Then?”

“I called you Taehyungie hyung and you called me Jeongguk-ssi. That’s not polite!” 

“Uhh it is…not. Absolutely not polite. You’re right. My apologies…” he looked behind the singer’s head where a guard was mouthing Jeonggukie , “...Jeonggukie? Sounds good?”

“Perfect! You’re Yoongi hyung’s friend?”

“Yoon is your hyung?”

“Yeah he’s older than me so”

“No, I mean, do you know him?”

“Everyone does. What do you mean?” Jeongguk frowned.

Deep breaths, Taehyung. Deep breaths. 

“I mean, do you know him closely?”

“I do. He’s the one who arranged this interview for me… uhhh. For your company.”

“Ah I see. I’m not really his friend. He’s my hyung too. I’m from Daegu too, you know? We went to the same school.”

“I know”

“What?”

“What?”

“What do you know?”

“That Yoongi hyung is from Daegu”

“Ohh”

 

They had already taken a few steps towards the corridor from where this entire episode had started for Taehyung. And Taehyung was starstruck, but he wasn’t dumb. It was his brilliant brain that had gotten him to where he was today - the most respected celebrity host in the business. He never crossed a line with his guests, never ever disrespected their boundaries, but they always ended up giving him the exclusive scoops he was looking for. Out of their own volition. The gears in his head turning, he suddenly spun around to let Jeongguk crash into him since he was walking a little behind him. He did not miss how Jeongguk’s breath hitched at the sudden contact as he held him to stop themselves from falling.

 

“I think, Jeonggukie,” he whispered as the superstar singer struggled to keep his eyes on him, “I think we need to talk alone, before we do your exclusive interview. Don’t you agree?”

“About what?” Jeongguk whispered back, “I don’t know anything.”

“I didn’t say you did. But that’s exactly what we need to talk about. All the things you don’t know about me, and the little things that you might,” slowly a triumphant smirk was taking over Taehyung’s face. Who knew that the man touted to be the world’s next global popstar was so easy to tease?

 

Suddenly, Jeongguk seemed to have figured things out as well. His posture straightened, before he leaned into Taehyung’s personal space, and it was now Taehyung’s turn to be flustered. A mischievous grin lit up the younger man’s face, “We should talk about a lot of things. Tonight, preferably. In your room? Then some more tomorrow, after I come back from rehearsals, and day after when I come back from my scheduled day out? And what about after the interview, when we go back to Seoul?”

 

The huge boxy grin that took over Taehyung’s face seemed to knock the wind out of Jeongguk as he stumbled in his hold. “Yeah? You want to have never-ending conversations with me? About what?”

 

“About how I can keep you up night after night with just the sound of my voice, even when you have early morning shifts, or how you’re a Kookie, or… maybe… I’m not so sure, about the teeny tiny crush you have on the person with the best voice in Korea? ”

 

Ohh Jeon Jeongguk was a brat. And Kim Taehyung was here to out-brat him in his own game. For life. 

 

“I see. Yoon played me well. Unfortunately, you’re the one who’s going to have to pay the price for it.”

“Gladly,” Jeongguk whispered, before turning in his arms and dragging him along the corridor, his guards following them, amused. Apparently, they too, were in on this little story. Taehyung was the only one in the dark. “Which way is your room?”

 

“Really Jeonggukie? You’re walking towards it as we speak. Are we still pretending to be oblivious?”

“Fine. I won’t pretend anymore. But you have to promise to answer all of my questions. And tell me the truth.”

“I don’t think I could lie to those eyes even if I tried.”

Jeongguk’s speed increased, his grip on Taehyung’s wrist tightening. But Taehyung didn’t miss the pink rising on the back of his neck that peeked through the black locks of wet hair. 

 

🎤🎙

 

“We’ll be close by, Jeonggukah,” the guard who Taehyung had spoken with bid them goodbye at the door of his room.

“Sleep well, hyungs! I’m safe with him,” Jeongguk sounded so confident that Taehyung could feel the rush of warmth spreading across his chest like wildfire. 

 

They closed the door behind them.

 

And Taehyung pinned the boy to the door, his own breath stuck in his throat, “are you sure you’re safe, Jeonggukie?” 

“About as safe as you are, Taehyungie hyung,” the brat leaned forward and kissed his cheek, draining Taehyung of all his confidence. “Give me something to wear so I can change and we can get this conversation started. I’ve waited years.”

“Years?”

“Give me clothes.”

“You brat”

 

Taehyung had found his match. 

 

And so the night went, two smitten boys, on a shared bed, telling each other about the crush they had harboured ever since they had known of each other. It took him a while, but Jeongguk told him how he had finally gathered courage to approach Min Yoongi to arrange an exclusive interview with Taehyung, so he could make his move. Just like Taehyung grew up with Yoongi in Daegu, Jeongguk grew up with Jimin in Busan. About two years back, when Jimin had started seeing Yoongi, he had encouraged Jeongguk to act on his pining. Taehyung was awestruck. First, he couldn’t believe that Jeon Jeongguk had a crush on him. Him. 

 

Second, it was even more unbelievable how Min Yoongi, out of all the people in the world, had been roped into this scheme by this brat. He had kept a straight face throughout. Taehyung always knew that Yoongi was a menace, but this time, he had surpassed even himself. He would have to remember to hug the shit out of him when he got back - as gratitude, and as punishment. 

 

Third, Taehyung had no clue that Yoongi was dating. For two freaking years! He’d have to settle that score too. A hug marathon is what he deserved.

 

Fourth, Jeon Jeongguk had a crush on him. (Yes, he’s repeating that). Jeon Jeongguk, the best voice in Korea, and owner of a pair of eyes that held the entire Milky Way within them, had a crush on him, and was now looking at him like he should talk less, and do more. 

 

And who the fuck was Taehyung to disobey the prettiest eyes in the universe? 

 

They had their entire lives in front of them to talk. Taehyung was sure of it. He had never been so sure of anything else. 

 

“You’re not safe with me Jeonggukie. In fact, you’re in big big trouble,” he said, leaning in to close the gap between the two of them. Jeongguk came willingly as he tugged on his hand, resting his hands on Taehyung’s shoulder, fingers coming to play with his hair at the nape. “Who said I want to be? You think I do this often? I’ve been waiting to get in trouble with you, only you, for the past five years, hyung.” 

 

The hand on his nape pushed his head forward, and Taehyung wondered for a second exactly who was in trouble out of the two of them, before he felt the softest pair of lips on his own slightly chapped ones. The jolt of electricity that coursed through his veins propelled him forward into Jeongguk’s personal space, pressing his lips further onto the younger man’s. 

 

Jeongguk was straddling him in an instant, deepening the kiss, probing his mouth open, allowing them to explore the depths of their feelings for each other. It was in that moment that Taehyung realised how intensely he felt for the man in his arms. He had never given it much thought because it never seemed a possibility. But now, as he slowly lowered their interlocked bodies into the mattress, every puzzle piece fell into place, and he was finally at peace. 

 

Taehyung had found his destiny.

 

🎤🎙

 

When the two of them woke up the next morning, tangled with each other, and Taehyung’s face nuzzled into Jeongguk’s chest, for the first time Taehyung felt at home. He was in a city full of unknown people, but he was in the arms of the man who was made for him.

 

That made all the difference.

 

It was another thing that both of them had received the same texts from Yoongi - “I don’t need details. Don’t you dare. And I don’t need thank yous. Just don’t show me your disgustingly love-struck faces anytime soon. All that whining and mutual pining had to end. I don’t want any discussion on this anymore. Get a life. And let me live.”

 

Another beep two seconds later - “Jimin asked me to tell you that I love you”

 

The video call that followed was disconnected three times before the grumpy cat submitted to his fate and showed his face to the two boys. It was a good thing that Jeongguk was now on Taehyung’s side (forever, if he could have his way), because the brat took his revenge for him when just before ending the call, he shouted a “thank you Yoongi hyung for making me meet this greek god of a man,” and kissed him on his cheek. Taehyung was extremely embarrassed, but the shocked expression on Yoongi’s face made up for it. 

 

Taehyung had found his partner in crime.

 

If the exclusive interview had to suffer too many cuts and edits because both the interviewer and the interviewee were blushing furiously through it, we’ll pretend to ignore it. 

 

Because frankly, it's the fact that Jeongguk asked Taehyung to be his boyfriend as soon as the director yelled wrap-up , is what we’re more interested in.

 

Ohh, and, Taehyung said yes.