Chapter 2: The Nacho Incident

...Taehyung pants, his lungs burning as he skates through the difficult choreography Jin had just taught him. Although it’s freezing in the rink, Taehyung is sweating and his skin feels hot compared to the air. He is completely in his element, twisting and turning, listening to his blades scrape the ice. He repeats the choreography religiously until it's the only thing he can think about....

...There's a pounding in Taehyung’s head, and he should probably stop, but he doesn't want to. He doesn't stop because he can feel the ice under him and he’s so comfortable like he was born to do this. At this moment Taehyung doesn't care about prying eyes or the future and responsibilities. When Taehyung skates, he is completely oblivious to anything outside of himself and the ice....

...He doesn't notice Jin skating up to him, a smile on the older man’s face....

...“Taehyungie, do you want to take a break? Tae? Taehyungie? Taehyung!” Jin’s hand snaps out and grabs Taehyung’s forearm....

...Taehyung is snapped out of his daze and he stops suddenly, his skates digging into the ice. He blinks up questioningly at Jin,...

...“Hyung?” Jin rolls his eyes at this, already used to Taehyung’s shenanigans. Jin shakes his head and continues talking,...

...“I was saying you should take a break Tae. You know, get water…”...

...Taehyung drops his head, blushing and embarrassed that he got so into skating, that he neglected the fact that he was practically panting and his mouth felt like the Sahara Desert....

...Jin smiles knowingly and throws his arm around Taehyung, skating to the gate with him,...

...“Don't worry Taehyungie, it’s cute how much you love skating, and if it wasn't detrimental to your health, I would let you skate all day long!” Jin pokes Taehyung's nose as Taehyung puts on his blade guards and the sweatshirt that he had thrown off earlier....

...Taehyung scrunches his nose and bats Jin’s tickling fingers away but wraps his arms around the older boy and buries his face in Jin's shoulder. Jin pats his head and Taehyung smiles, tightening his grip on the older male....

...Taehyung suddenly realizes he no longer has the feeling of being watched and he thinks of his dilemma. For the past two hours during practice, Taehyung has had the feeling of eyes on his back. Not just the casual onlooker watching him kind of feeling, but the someone is staring holes in his back feeling. He doesn't turn around to look for the boy with dark hair because as much as Taehyung doesn't want to admit it, his stalker is hot. Every time Taehyung sees the boy looking at him, Taehyung secretly dies a little on the inside....

...Suddenly Taehyung's stomach makes an angry, grumbling noise that means it's time to go get terrible junk food from the snack bar no matter what Jin does to try and stop him. Jin freezes, hearing the sound and also knowing what Taehyung will want to eat. He lets out a long, tired, sigh, and opens his arms to let Tae wiggle out of their hug....

...Taehyung looks guiltily up at Jin, but Jin shakes his head and chuckles, jerking his head toward the snack bar. Taehyung's mouth drops open but he leaves quickly before Jin can change his mind, blowing kisses and making hearts at the elder thankfully, before entering the warm food area....

.........

...When Taehyung leaves the snack bar with nachos dripping in cheese, he is too preoccupied with licking his fingers to see a person coming towards him. With all the grace of a baby deer trying to walk for the first time, Taehyung looks up at the last second before smashing into a hard, broad chest....

...Taehyung holds his breath. Oh God. Oh God please tell me I did not . Taehyung looks down, horrified to see his nachos smashed into this guy’s white shirt. Taehyung, panicking, jumps back dropping the nachos, and they fall. Right onto the person's white skates....

...Taehyung thinks he might cry....

...Taehyung takes one look up and he regrets it immediately because Oh my God it's my stalker....

...Stalker boy is even hotter up close and Taehyung curses his luck. The dark haired boy is incredibly built and he's got these strong, thick arms that leave Taehyung breathless. Taehyung stares at some moles on the boy’s neck, eventually looking up at his face. He has dark, almost black eyes framed by long eyelashes, too pretty for his sharp jawline. The boy’s skin is tan and there is a little stubble like he didn't shave this morning and Taehyung thinks God may be trying to kill him. His cheeks have a flushed look to them and Taehyung can't tell if it's from anger or something else ....

...They stare at each other for a few moments. Taehyung can't breathe and he's just praying this hot man is not going to try and kill him in the next few seconds. The dark haired boy is the first to break the eye contact, his cheeks flushing even darker....

...Taehyung, snapped out of his daze, hurries over to a table and grabs napkins. When Taehyung gets back, he feels very awkward. Okay. Let's go Taehyung. Just be nice and maybe he won't kill you. Taehyung coughs, getting the males attention....

...He stares down at Taehyung as Taehyung hurriedly dabs at the white shirt....

...“I'm so sorry! Um... if you want I have some extra clothes in my locker! I'm sure I could find something that fits you!”...

...Taehyung rambles, still dabbing at the man’s shirt. He looks up for a second and smiles at the guy. The dark haired boy is looking down at him with a shocked expression and pink cheeks. Taehyung goes further down cleaning drops of cheese off the guy’s black jeans. Taehyung can feel how firm the thighs are under his fingers and he gets a little carried away before he realizes how close he is to something else....

...Taehyung, flustered, freezes and stops wiping the pants. He starts to crouch down to wipe off the white skates but a hand wraps around his wrist. Taehyung is pulled up to his feet and the dark haired boy rubs the back of his neck as he lets go of Taehyung's wrist, looking as awkward as Taehyung feels....

...“Uh no! I mean… U-um don't do that.” The guy stutters, his voice croaking like he hasn't used it in a while, but Taehyung thinks it's still the hottest voice he has ever heard. It's not as deep as his own but sounds boyish and sweet....

...Taehyung thinks this is best and worst moment of his life as he watches the hot boy carefully, his adams apple bobbing as he swallows nervously. The guy sighs and opens his mouth to talk again, “I mean, it's okay, um, you don't have to, uh, clean my shoes.”...

...Taehyung would laugh at how awkward and cute this guy is, but Taehyung doesn't want to scare him off....

...“Okay, thanks! Do you want anything to change into…?” Taehyung asks smiling his cutest smile up at him, hoping to relieve tension....

...The guy almost visibly panics and Taehyung feels kinda bad. The dark haired boy shakes his head as he splutters out his response,...

...“No! Um, n-no thanks.”...

...He says goodbye before turning and hurrying out of there, and Taehyung stands there shocked at the abrupt exit. He is sad that he might never see the hot, cute guy again and then suddenly Taehyung wants to punch himself. I didn't even get his name! Or tell him mine!...

...Taehyung leaves the snack bar, touching the place where the boy touched his wrist and thinking about their encounter....

...…...

...Jeongguk swears he's not a pervert. Or a stalker. He just thinks the red haired boy is really pretty....

...He has to be here for practice with his new team in two hours and he came early to warm up a bit, but as soon as he saw the boy from yesterday going out onto the ice, Jeongguk became too shy to go out....

...So here he is. Sitting on the bleachers watching his crush because he's too scared to even be near him....

...Jeongguk sighs. The red haired boy looks absolutely gorgeous spinning around on the rink, his red hair and tan skin contrasting with the white ice all around him. Jeongguk has to bite his lip to keep from cooing at the boy when he makes a mistake and the cutest pout covers his face....

...Jeongguk has a weakness for cute things. And the red haired boy is incredibly cute....

...Jeongguk doesn't realize how tense he is until his foot falls asleep and he has to move. Jeongguk cracks his back and gets up. Walking down to the floor by the bleachers, Jeongguk stretches for a few minutes, wondering if he's finally gotten the courage to go out on the ice....

...When Jeongguk stands up and looks for the red-haired boy, he's gone. Jeongguk is hungry, cold, and now with no cute boy to watch, decides to go get comfort food that will heal his heart from this tiresome crush....

...Still unable to stop thinking about the boy as he walks into the snack bar, he looks out the window to the rink to look for him. As Jeongguk is walking he bumps into something or someone. He feels a hot stickiness on his shirt. Horrified and a little angry, Jeongguk looks down to see fluffy red hair and big brown eyes staring at him, shocked....

...Oh God why. Jeongguk can't stop staring at the boy and he probably thinks Jeongguk is weird. But up close the boy is so much more beautiful than Jeongguk ever imagined....

...He's actually quite tall, Jeongguk and he are about the same height, but the red haired boy is very slender and thin, unlike Jeongguk. He has huge light brown eyes and a cute button nose. His red lips contrast with his dark skin and Jeongguk feels faint. The boy blinks staring back at him and Jeongguk tears his gaze away, flushing even darker when he looks down and sees the boy's slender legs wrapped in very, very tight leggings....

...There are nachos on his skates and his shirt, but Jeongguk can't bring himself to care as he watches how the boy swims in his huge sweatshirt and hurries over to grab napkins....

...The boy has to roll up his sleeves and Jeongguk thinks that's cute and that maybe he can handle this. Jeongguk hasn't said anything embarrassing yet so maybe they can talk and Jeongguk won't look like a total weirdo....

...The real problem comes when the boy speaks,...

...“I'm so sorry! Um if you want I have some extra clothes in my locker! I'm sure I could find something that fits you!”...

...This cute boy has the deepest voice Jeongguk has ever heard. Jeongguk is speechless and incredibly flustered when the boy smiles up at him cutely....

...Jeongguk can feel the warm hands through his thin shirt and he doesn't think he will ever be able to talk again....

...The red haired boy gets lower and lower, cleaning the drips off Jeongguk’s pants and Jeongguk can feel the hands on his thighs very close to-...

...Why me. Oh My God I can't deal with this stress . Jeongguk watches as the boy tries to bend down to clean his shoes, but in a moment of impulse, Jeongguk grabs his wrist and pulls him to his feet....

...Jeongguk’s hand burns where he touches the red haired boy's wrist and he immediately lets go. He stares at Jeongguk as he attempts to talk,...

...“Uh no! I mean… U-um don't do that.” Jeongguk’s voice is scratchy from not using it and Jeongguk winces. 'If there is a God out there, now would be a good time to send down some of that divine power to help me.' The boy blinks at him, waiting for Jeongguk to continue....

...Jeongguk gulps, taking a deep breath before talking again,...

...“I mean, it's okay, um, you don't have to, uh, clean my shoes.”...

...Jeongguk sighs in relief at getting a coherent sentence out of his mouth. But then the boy smiles at him cutely and Jeongguk is short-circuiting again....

...“Okay, thanks! Do you want anything to change into…?” The boy asks sweetly....

...Jeongguk is dying because he's pretty and sweet as an angel. Jeongguk shakes his head and lamely says,...

...“No! Um, n-no thanks”...

...Ugh why me. In the most awkward way possible Jeongguk says goodbye and hurries out of the snack bar....

...As he walks away he wants to die just thinking about what had happened but is also happy he got to meet the cute redhead. Jeongguk looks down at his hand, remembering how it felt to touch the boy’s wrist....

...…...

...“Jinnie!! You don't understand! He was so hot and I smashed nacho cheese into his white shirt!” Taehyung immediately went to Jin to whine, and so far Jin has done nothing but laugh at Taehyung's expense....

...They leisurely skate around the rink having already warmed up and waiting for the rest of the team to arrive....

...“Well did you get his name?” Jin asks with an amused smile on his face....

...“No,” Taehyung says pouting, “I was too distracted by his hotness!”...

...Jin rolls his eyes muttering “kids” under his breath....

...Taehyung gasps and with fake hurt on his face says, “Not like you can talk Hyung! You act the same way around Namjoon hyung!”...

...Jin's mouth drops open and he stutters out excuses. Taehyung cackles as he skates away teasingly sending hearts at his Hyung....

...…...

...“Hyung! You know how I can't talk! And he is literally the cutest person I have ever seen!”...

...Hoseok rolls his eyes at Jeongguk's exaggeration,...

...“Kookie, you are super hot. There is no need for you to be so nervous to talk to him, he was probably just as scared and nervous as you were.”...

...Jeongguk and Hoseok walk from the locker rooms where Jeongguk had cleaned up and changed his clothes. They immediately head toward the rink for practice. When Jeongguk first moved here from America and signed up to join the team the coach, Namjoon, had seen how shy Jeongguk was and immediately introduced him to Hoseok. Now they’re good friends even though they have only known each other for a few weeks....

...Jeongguk sighs as he watches how easily Hoseok flirts and socializes with their teammates as they walk toward the ice and wishes he could be like that with the redhead. Jeongguk steps out onto the ice, gracefully letting himself glide forward to the center. Jeongguk closes his eyes and spins, feeling the ice under his skates....

...Hoseok shouts and skates over to the left, presumably to talk to another teammate....

...Jeongguk feels eyes watching him and he turns to where Hoseok skated and sees something that makes his stomach flip. His crush and Hoseok are talking, but the red haired boy is staring right at Jeongguk with a shocked look on his face as Hoseok chatters away next to him....

...Jeongguk quickly turns away and skates around in circles on the other side of the rink nervously....

...Oh my God....

...Jeongguk can hear people approaching him talking and skates sliding against ice. Jeongguk hears Hoseok’s laugh behind him and silently prays that what he thinks is happening, is not happening....

...Hoseok calls his name,...

...“Jeon Jeongguk! Come over here and meet Taehyung!”...

...Jeongguk is going to kill Hoseok....

...Jeongguk turns slowly and looks at the group waiting for him....

...Hoseok is smiling but his eyes were screaming what's wrong??!?! at Jeongguk. Jeongguk glares at Hoseok and turns to look at the other two boys....

...His crush, Taehyung, is still looking at him with a shocked expression. And the other boy, who Jeongguk saw coaching Taehyung earlier, is looking between the two of them with a confused expression on his face....

...Taehyung opens and closes his mouth a few times before sputtering out,...

...“You're Jeon Jeongguk? Why have you been watching me?”...

...Everyone is silent for a moment. Jeongguk can feel his cheeks blazing. Oh my God, I hate life. Goodbye, world. This is the end....

...Suddenly Hoseok bursts out laughing....

...“Hahahah- oh my- hahaaha ha ah- Jeongguk you- ahaha- you like- hahah!!”...

...Jeongguk automatically grabs Hoseok in a headlock and looks menacingly down at him,...

...“Hyung shut up please!” Jeongguk pushes out through gritted teeth....

...Hoseok continues to laugh and shakes off Jeongguk’s choke hold to skate out of the rink. Jeongguk turns and sees the other two boys had been whispering to each other. Jeongguk gulps as he looks at his crush and the coach. Surprisingly the coach seems to be reprimanding Taehyung....

...When they notice him watching, they separate quickly and Taehyung skates forward and looks down at the ice like a child in trouble,...

...“I'm sorry I yelled that out, it was rude and sometimes I can't control what I say, so I hope we can be friends?”...

...Jeongguk is shocked and immediately feels bad,...

...“No! It's fine, I shouldn't have been watching you like that! I just thought you were really good and prett- umm, I mean I didn't even know you were on this team or anything, sorry.”...

...Taehyung looks just as shocked and awkward as Jeongguk but smiles, making Jeongguk think that God has finally given him a break....

...Taehyung laughs and the awkward atmosphere is dispelled,...

...“Wow, that was awkward, sorry.” Taehyung laughs, “friends?” Taehyung asks as he holds out his hand....

...Jeongguk laughs in return and is dazed by how nice Taehyung is and how cute his laugh sounds....

...Jeongguk snaps out of it when he sees Taehyung reach forward. Jeongguk shoots his hand out to grasp Taehyung's. His hand is soft and delicate in Jeongguk's grip and he wants to intertwine their fingers but he doesn't....

...Jeongguk smiles back, “Friends.” he says warmly squeezing his hand a little in their handshake and hoping that this means Taehyung doesn't think he's creepy....

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