Chapter Text
Jungkook clenched his jaw in frustration. The situation really made him roll his eyes. He had to walk down the stairs squished in the middle of a crowd of people, probably just as exhausted as he was, struggling to pick up the pace before the train arrived and he had to wait for the next one. He just wanted to get home as soon as possible.
He shouldn't be going through this. Just a few days ago, he was moving freely through the streets of Seoul enjoying the wind against his body, with the ease of overtaking cars and people on his prized motorcycle: a marvelous Honda, specifically a CBR650R. A sleek yet sporty black bike, large and running perfectly… and, truth be told, he knew how handsome he looked on it. Jungkook wasn't an egomaniac who bragged about his appearance; he knew he wasn't the handsomest guy around—hell, he had a couple of hyungs whose sheer presence and beautiful faces grounded his humility—but he wasn't naive either. He knew his big doe eyes were charming. That the piercings adorning his ears, his lip, and his eyebrow were a magnet for curious glances. And especially in the summer, when he wore t-shirts that exposed the tattoo sleeve covering his arms, he was even more eye-catching.
Then, of course, there was the whole ritual of riding the motorcycle and the gear he had to wear. He acknowledged that he didn't religiously use every piece of gear every single day, except for the helmet (he never got on his bike without a helmet). Sometimes, when he left work exhausted and wanted to get home quickly, he only wore his biker jacket, gloves, and helmet, and occasionally his boots, because changing his full outfit often was a hassle. However, it was part of the unspoken deal he had made with himself when he bought the vehicle. He already knew how risky it was to choose that mode of transportation; his duty was to reduce the risks as much as possible through self-care and respecting traffic laws. To be honest, only when he had to make longer trips or routes did he wear every part of the protective gear, like the special durable pants and heavy boots.
Someone with a bag brushed against the side of his torso, making him wince. He was still sore. If he was going down to wait for the subway at this exact moment, it was because his motorcycle was in the shop. A few days ago, he was riding his Honda down the main avenue just as the traffic light had switched from red to green. Jungkook had barely accelerated a few seconds prior when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a car far too close, and the next thing he knew, an impact sent him flying through the air until he landed in pain on the pavement. The crash didn't happen at more than 15 or 20 km/h on either side, but the speed was enough to throw him three meters away. That day he was only wearing his jacket and protective gloves, which saved him from burns and worse injuries.
As best he could, he lifted his helmet visor amidst his disorientation. "Well, at least I'm conscious," he thought before instinctively feeling his body, as if to make sure he still had all his limbs in the right places. He managed to stand up almost immediately thanks to having no severe injuries, but mostly due to adrenaline. However, once on his feet, he felt a sharp pain shoot through his body. The impact against the ground made him groan, but he gasped even harder when he saw his motorcycle lying on the asphalt. "Fuck," he muttered, holding his head (with the helmet still on) with both hands.
He felt people approaching to check on him and ask if he was okay, but he could only stare at his bruised bike on the asphalt.
The ambulance arrived relatively fast, in a matter of minutes. Jungkook, now without his helmet, tried not to look at the driver whose recklessness had caused such a scene. He felt that if he looked at him he would lose his temper, and to be honest, the responsible man, a middle-aged guy, already looked terrified and worried. So he preferred to stay calm while the paramedics examined and checked him. They transferred him to the nearest hospital because, even though he had no visible injuries, they had to make sure through exams and a doctor's evaluation. Before the ambulance doors closed, Jungkook saw them hook his bike to the tow truck to take it away. His heart ached a little.
After medical confirmation that he had nothing more than a couple of bruises, and after being discharged with painkillers and instructions to rest for at least three days, Jungkook became just another pedestrian in the great city of Seoul. Yes, the accident had sucked, but at least he was lucky enough to reach an agreement with the responsible party without going to trial.
The driver assumed full responsibility and offered to pay for the complete repair of the vehicle. That was a relief in such a stressful situation. Jungkook took the Honda to a trusted workshop recommended by acquaintances who shared his passion for two wheels; the only problem was that it was so well-known that, while their work was great and flawless, speed was not their strong suit.
Sure, he had seen that key parts like the pedal were bent, the metal footrest was bent inward, and there was cosmetic damage like a scratched side. However, the shop also confirmed a misalignment in the front suspension. What was supposed to take three or four days would take a whole week.
So there stood Jungkook, waiting for the train car that would bring him closer to home. He let out a huff. Was it his imagination, or was the display broken, stuck on saying the subway was five minutes away for the past ten minutes?
The song he was listening to ended right as the train appeared and the doors opened. He let out a sigh of relief upon seeing quite a few people get off; it didn't empty out, but at least a few available seats could be seen. He moved quickly until he dropped into one. He didn't have to adjust a backpack between his legs, as riding public transit felt like punishment enough without also carrying things without the comfort of his bike.
Mentally preparing himself for a half-hour ride (with his beloved motorcycle it only took him twenty minutes maximum in heavy traffic), he started searching his phone for a suitable playlist to relax. He was choosing a track when someone nearly tripped over his foot. That made him look up. The passenger who tripped kept walking in search of a seat without stopping to look at him. However, when Jungkook's gaze returned to the front, he noticed someone was indeed watching him.
Jungkook wanted to blink dramatically to make sure what he was seeing was real.
Sitting in the row of seats across from him, a blonde man with plump lips and sharp eyes was watching him intently.
Jungkook had never seen such a stunning face. It was a delicate face, with soft features like a small nose, rosy cheeks, narrow, curious eyes… and, oh, those lips. Those lips were plump, pink, and prominent, perfectly proportioned to his face, all framed by a defined, gorgeous jawline. The guy seemed to be around his age; he would bet he was no older than thirty.
From where Jungkook was sitting, no more than four meters away, he could tell he was physically smaller than him. He looked shorter and of a slighter build. Oh, but one shouldn't be fooled: in his brief visual scan, Jungkook's eyes caught for a second the fabric of the guy's jeans hugging strong thighs.
Jungkook's gaze darted back up with a bit of embarrassment, but when he saw the blonde offer a fleeting smirk before looking away, he felt a small smile tug at his own mouth.
The stranger threw him one more glance before focusing his attention on his shoes as if they were the most entertaining thing in the world. Gorgeous boots. Jungkook knew little about that type of footwear because it wasn't his style, but he was sure they were Chelsea boots.
"Mmmh… he has nice legs," Jungkook thought absently while trying to subtly observe him. A pair of straight-cut blue jeans hugged his legs. He wore a fluffy cream sweater under a denim jacket lighter than his pants. His arms were crossed, looking away and avoiding his gaze.
Jungkook smiled with amusement again. He decided that staring at him would make him look like a stalker, so he preferred to avert his eyes. Even though he wanted to keep his eyes on him, he shifted his attention back to his phone. He wondered what his name was. He wasn't a regular subway commuter, but he still knew that asking a stranger for his name or Instagram handle wasn't part of subway etiquette. He also didn't know if the guy was gay or at least bisexual, but from the way he had smiled at him, he hoped he was at least queer.
He licked his lips, a bit anxious, forcing himself not to stare. He idly looked at his phone for a few minutes until the next station. When some passengers stood up to get off, he looked back at the guy. Nothing; he hadn't moved, he was still there. And the funkiest part? He was also checking to see if Jungkook was getting off at that station.
When he caught him looking, the stranger's cheeks turned a soft shade of pink, and he averted his gaze again.
Jungkook toyed with his lip piercing, amused. That caught the blonde's eye too. His eyes landed on Jungkook's defined, pink lips, scanned his manly jawline, his slightly prominent nose, his short black hair, and, of course, those large eyes decorating his face.
The dark-haired guy wished he had worn something better that day. On the bike he almost always wore slightly tighter clothing due to protective gear, but today his style was considerably more oversized, with loose jeans, a wide blue windbreaker, and urban sneakers, quite far from his more usual black outfits. Either way, at least the handsome passenger's gaze remained on him.
The ride continued with passengers getting on and off at various stations, but the blonde didn't get off; on the contrary, he settled into his seat and occasionally checked his phone. That was where Jungkook got to observe his fingers. His hands looked small and pale. Jungkook looked at his own hands, spreading his long fingers to compare them. The stranger's were definitely shorter and even a bit chubby. He found it cute. Even though half of his palms were covered by the sweater sleeves falling over them, he sensed that even his wrists were small and slender. He bet he could hold both with a single hand.
It was very hard not to keep his eyes fixed on him. He tried looking around at the passengers getting on and crowding the car, but no one was even close to matching his angelic beauty. He caught a couple of girls glancing at him from across the car, but he didn't have the slightest interest. The stranger noticed too: he caught the young women looking and whispering to each other when they set eyes on Jungkook. The blonde even seemed to chuckle quietly while scratching the tip of his small nose, looking satisfied knowing that the big-eyed guy's attention was on him alone.
Unfortunately, the station where he had to get off was announced over the speakers, and Jungkook winced. Now he didn't want to get off; what an irony. As he stood up, he put his phone in his pocket and dodged people. Walking past the blonde, he couldn't help raising his eyebrows briefly in a subtle nod of acknowledgment. For a moment he thought the guy was going to ignore him because he just looked at him, until he stepped off the subway and couldn't resist the temptation to turn around and look for him from outside. A wave of embarrassment washed over him for a second, thinking he might have misread nonexistent chemistry, until he spotted the guy smiling at him openly right as the train car pulled away.
⊹₊ ⋆
He wasn't going to lie to himself: the stranger from the subway who stole his attention during the commute home had indeed crossed his mind. Even in the quiet of his apartment, he thought about the guy. Did he always take that line at the same time? Would he specifically remember which car he was in…? Just in case he happened to board that exact car, would he find him again?
He laughed to himself. "Weirdo."
But who could blame him? Who hadn't had a fleeting crush on the subway, train, or bus?
The second time he saw him was a Wednesday. He boarded the same train car from the previous trip in hopes of having luck. And boy, did he.
That day he hadn't managed to get a seat, so he simply settled to the side of the row of seats, leaning against the car wall. The day before he had boarded looking in vain for the guy, which had led him to believe his luck had simply run out on Monday's commute.
This time, he shifted his weight, stretching one leg while checking that all his emails were answered. The subway was a bit fuller than usual, so he mentally prepared to stand for the journey. However, when he saw the seat next to him open up, for a second he thought he'd manage to sit down, but someone beat him to it just as he was starting to peel himself off the wall.
He shrugged internally; either way, it was only a few minutes until his station.
He would have ignored the matter to stay focused on his phone, but he paid attention to who had just taken the spot. Looking down, he discovered a cap covering the person's head, but then he looked closer: those lips.
He felt a surge of heat in his lower stomach.
He knew that mouth. Or more or less (at least the intention of wanting to know it was there).
And he was sitting right next to him while he remained standing. Close. Inches away. Jungkook took off his headphones and slipped them into his jacket pocket.
The guy looked up briefly, meeting Jungkook's impressed eyes. The stranger smiled to himself, happy to have snatched the seat. The blonde licked his lips, crossed one leg over the other, and pulled out his phone.
"Fuck, I should have brought my glasses," Jungkook lamented. Don't misunderstand: he could see and even drive without his reading glasses, but for this occasion, where he was trying to look at the guy's iPhone screen without being too obvious to catch a detail, they would have been very useful.
But hey, he managed to catch a couple of things.
First: he opened Melon. Was that IU? Oh, he was listening to Jam Jam. Jungkook laughed quietly. Very fitting.
Second: he switched apps. Instagram? Yeah.
Surely sensing his intentions, the guy proceeded to lower the screen brightness, frustrating his goal.
"He's a tease!" he thought to himself, biting his lip in amusement. But it didn't matter: he wasn't going to give up so easily.
Now that he was a bit closer, he had to figure something out. He looked at the guy: today he wore something much more comfortable than last time. He wore much baggier pants, similar to the ones Jungkook wore in his new pedestrian phase, and a hoodie. Mmm, and were those sneakers? Interesting.
He had a bag on his lap and a canvas tote. He thought he saw a logo. Could it be from his job?
"Jeon Stalker Jungkook."
He tilted his head to try and get a better look. He saw something written in English, but the folded fabric of the bag kept him from reading it all. He thought he saw the letter "H" and some floral prints.
"At some point he'll move and reveal another clue," he thought as he kept watching him.
He briefly lost track of time while observing his pierced ear: he had a pair of hoops and a helix piercing. And he didn't just wear accessories there; the fingers on both hands sported a couple of silver rings. He bet those fingers would feel very nice with the contrast of cold metal against his skin.
He shifted most of his weight, stretching one leg while bending the other. He couldn't be having a semi-erection next to this handsome guy. He cleared his throat quietly.
To his bad luck, still undecided on what step to take to find out more about the guy, he arrived at his station and had to get off. For a brief second he considered staying on to see where the blonde got off, but no; that would be way too weird, wouldn't it?
He exited the station regretting not having learned more or had a more fruitful interaction with the boy.
⊹₊ ⋆
On Thursday he spotted him, but the subway was so packed he had to change cars because that day he had to return home with a bag full of report folders, and passengers squished him to the point of discomfort, not to mention he could still feel the faint dull ache of a few bruises from the accident. Nothing unbearable, but he preferred not to be reminded of the discomfort.
It was on Friday when he had him close. And he even learned his name.
The car was much emptier and the aisles were clear. He spotted him before the doors opened and, luckily, the seat beside him was open. Jungkook wouldn't say he almost ran to sit next to him, just that he picked up his pace elegantly.
He was mentally preparing how to greet him or start a conversation: "Hey, it's getting colder every day, isn't it?" or "Autumn has been really chilly this season…". The weather cliché always worked. Supposedly.
He was about to open his mouth when someone caught the blonde's attention: the passenger sitting on his other side.
"It's one of the big companies in the K-pop industry. The fact that they're reaching out to us means we're not doing badly, Jimin-ah," a guy murmured discreetly, but with clear joy in his voice.
Jimin. He felt a flutter in his stomach. Finally, he had a name. How he longed to say it out loud.
"Uh-uh, yeah, but honestly I don't want to get my hopes up, hyung," a sweet voice murmured while playing with his own fingers.
"Jimin-ah," the cheerful guy continued, throwing an arm over his shoulders to shake him gently yet enthusiastically. That made Jimin smile. "Everything is going to be fine. Now we're going to celebrate."
Jungkook looked at the guy curiously. Jimin returned his gaze and smiled.
His friend, or whoever the guy accompanying him on the subway was, kept chatting enthusiastically. Jungkook relaxed upon noticing the conversation was friendly and lacked any romantic subtext. Still, he stayed attentive, trying to catch something that would let him learn more about him, but got nothing else relevant. The topics revolved around what they were going to drink, eat, and which friends they were meeting at the restaurant they were headed to.
This time, Jimin and his friend got off two stations before Jungkook. He made a disappointed face when he saw him stand up to head for the doors, but the smile returned to his face upon seeing the blonde turn his face slightly toward him to give him a quick glance while lifting the corners of his lips.
Jungkook, once again, cursed himself for not making a firmer move.