Partners in Speed - ver.2 (also Street Racers #2)

SR 4. Taehyung

I used to work seven days a week – as much escapism as possible. Nowadays, though, I take days off. I need to make time for more now. Things change. Friends, dating. Old schedules no longer work.

So I'm not working today. I'm out with Wooshik on a date. I love this word. Though I'm wondering now – are we just dating? Are we... more? Maybe he's not big on titles. Am I? It's not that titles change feelings, but... 'boyfriends' has a nice ring to it.

I want boyfriends. But what are we?

Right now, though, it doesn't matter all that much. Right now we're holding hands, and that's perfectly fine to me. We're walking straight to Ikea. Then to his new apartment.

Whatever. We're holding hands. It makes me insanely happy. I think I might be blushing.

"What are you buying?"

"I don't know," he says. "Eighty percent of the things in my apartment are from my friends. I want more things. Sometimes that would be very mine. And something that would be very you."

"Very me?"

"Yeah. So that when I'm at home, it feels like you're a part of my life."

Immediately, I have the most ridiculous idea. I mean... is it ridiculous? What could be more me than... me? There is obviously no way I'm going to say this out loud, but... living together. Being so close, so comfortable with someone, wanting to spend your days with them. Mornings, evenings, simple moments like making coffee or brushing teeth.

"Taehyung?"

"Hm?"

"What are you thinking about?"

Nope. I'm not saying this out loud.

"A lot of things."

"Okay, give me one of them."

"I like holding hands with you."

He gives me a funny smile and, instead of holding my hand, wraps his arm around my waist. I yelp, all... warm and with urges to, I don't know, giggle? Fuck, I don't giggle for no reason.

"How about this?" he asks.

"I like that, too," I say. "You could throw me over your shoulder and I'd like it."

"Mhm, don't give me ideas you don't want me to fulfill in the middle of the street."

When we walk into and through Ikea, I can't focus on anything but his hand on my waist. Only when his arm falls to pick something up, I start breathing properly.

"You should totally get the road rug," I say.

I love how he looks like he's considering it. "I should, you know? That would be the coolest thing in my place." He grabs my hand again. "Come on, I'm gonna find it."

"You're not serious."

"I'm dead serious."

"When's your birthday? I'm gonna get you toy cars to go with the rug."

"December 22nd. Can you get me a set with a police car? That would make a cool car chase."

After an hour in the store, and another hour in another store, we walk back to his car with a small road rug, a set of mugs with dinosaurs – because 'they remind him of Jurassic Park which reminds him of me', and a Ford Mustang Lego set.

"I don't think I've seen shopping this successful," Wooshik says, as I'm driving to his new apartment.

"I want to have my assigned mug. No one else can touch it."