A/N

Good news surprise double update! Bad news at the end of the chapter:(

Chapter 17

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Uni passed a lot quicker than Jungkook had anticipated. Taehyung followed him around just like he usually did, not saying anything, but it was oddly comfortable. Jungkook wasn't too sure if he was just jumping to conclusions but he felt like maybe Taehyung was actually following Jimin's advice and putting some effort into being nice to Jungkook.

For the most part he just quietly sat down next to Jungkook and played with Jungkook's phone. Jungkook had shown him Subway Surfers and apparently even a siren was not immune to how addictive phones could be.

"Taehyung?"

When Jungkook spoke Taehyung almost startled out of his focus, the runner on the screen of his phone bumping straight into a train. Jungkook pointed to the front of the room where the professor was packing up while students were slowly trickling out of the room, some chatting and some on their phones. "The course is over. Are you hungry?"

Taehyung nodded, handing Jungkook's phone back before climbing out of the seat. After having tagged along quite a few times, Taehyung seemed to slowly grow accustomed to being around other people. The first time they had come here Taehyung had been pretty damn on edge, but he almost seemed to be comfortable now.

He already knew exactly where to go as they made their way through the long hallways of the building.

"Before we go inenter..." Jungkook began as they stood outside the restaurant, the bright neon lights spelling out its name above them. "Let me do the talking. Not that you really have any other choice but just try to play along with whatever I say, okay?"

For a second it seemed like Taehyung wasn't going to answer but then he nodded. Jungkook let out a sigh of relief. For some reason taking the siren out to a restaurant was nerve wracking. There were so many things that could go wrong.

If something happened people would hear about it for sure. And the last thing Jungkook wanted was to draw attention to him and Taehyung. That would just create more questions.

They were led to their table - Jungkook had called them before to make a reservation just to be sure they would get a table - and Taehyung kept glancing around. Probably because he was not used to the number of people sitting here.

At uni there was more space, broad hallways, but the restaurant almost seemed stuffed and Jungkook could tell that Taehyung was on edge. He had grown accustomed to the siren's body language and looks.

Right now everything about him was tense as he scanned his surroundings. Like he was waiting for someone to jump at him at any second.

Taehyung didn't go completely unnoticed by everyone around either. His pale skin and weird hair color certainly stood out in the small restaurant.

He really wasn't sure anymore if this had been a great idea. Not that he had thought that in the first place.

When they reached their table without any issues Jungkook felt like a weight had been lifted off his back. The last thing he wanted to happen was for someone to accidentally bump into Taehyung and get their head chopped off or something.

"Could I have the menu, please?" Jungkook turned to the waiter after he had made sure Taehyung had sat down already and was not going to do anything unpredictable. To his surprise the waiter was staring at Taehyung, taking just a bit too long to register Jungkook's words.

"Ah yes, of course." Jungkook watched until he had left before turning back to Taehyung, who had grabbed one of the napkins and was playing around with it now. Like a child. It was weird knowing that Taehyung was older than him, a lot older even, and still acted like this. Probably because of how new and unfamiliar the human world was to him.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I keep noticing people staring at your face... there is something weird about it, isn't there?" Maybe that wasn't exactly a polite thing to ask and maybe he didn't care. Jungkook knew that the siren wasn't going to kill him over being rude like this. At least he hoped so, but who fucking cared at this point.

At least he would finally get out of this situation.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow.

"I mean... like, your voice has this effect on people. You can make them do shit they don't want to do... does that..." Jungkook interrupted himself when the waiter came back, two menus in his hand. Jungkook grabbed onto the edge of the seat a little too tightly when he clearly leaned into Taehyung's space as he placed the laminated card on the table... and Taehyung clearly wasn't too happy about it either, his eyes flashing for just a second, but then the waiter luckily was gone again.

"Ignore him." Jungkook quickly whispered. "He doesn't know that you don't like it."

Taehyung sent one last glance back at the guy, clearly pissed, but then his shoulders relaxed and he leaned back, turning to look at Jungkook again. Waiting for him to continue.

"So anyways, your voice has an effect on people... could it be that your face is similar? Because I know what you are... and sometimes even I feel that effect. It's really weird. For a second I just forget everything that's going on while I stare at your face."

Did Taehyung just snicker? It was a really weird sound. The siren turning away to - probably - silently laugh.

When he turned back around he looked somewhat amused as he shrugged his shoulders. Who would have guessed? The siren did magical things and had no clue about them.

"Think Jimin might know?"

Once again a shrug and Taehyung was glancing around the room again, watching families, partners and colleagues eat dinner and chat with one another. Jungkook let him for a couple of seconds, pulling his phone out of his pocket to ask Jimin about the whole thing.

At least he had someone to talk about all the siren stuff now.

When he looked back up, Taehyung was still scanning the room.

"Is it weird for you to see humans just... being humans, I guess?" He looked down at the menu, trying to decide what to get for Taehyung and himself.

To his surprise Taehyung nodded, trying to get a glimpse at the menu as well. There were a few pictures so Jungkook pointed at them. "Want one of those?"

Jungkook watched the way Taehyung traced his human-looking finger over the menu, his lips forming a little pout as he focused... The siren was not cute. The siren was anything but cute. Jungkook was not supposed to think the siren was cute, what the hell was wrong with him?

After a few seconds of contemplation Taehyung tapped at one of the pictures. Shrimp. Okay, maybe Taehyung was a tiny bit cute. Freaking scary. Ridiculously dangerous and threatening... but also a tiny bit cute.

"Alright. Want to try side dishes too?"

The boy nodded, already back to looking around again. Even though he was visibly more relaxed now than he had been when they had first come in it was still clear that being in the middle of so many people made him feel on edge.

So Jungkook tried to make conversation, hoping to distract Taehyung from his nervousness.

"What did you eat back in the ocean... aside from... you know..." Jungkook just had to ignore that that was a thing. "Like, do you usually eat bigger fish or also small ones? And what size overall? Like shark big or even whale big?"

When Taehyung didn't answer Jungkook realized that he would have to ask his question in a different manner. "Okay, let's start easy. Do you eat super small fish too? Let's say fist sized?"

Taehyung shook his head.

"At which size do you start?" Jungkook asked curiously because if he was going to spend the next weeks if not months with this siren he might as well satisfy his curiosity about sirens. Even if there were hardly any bright sides to it he could just create them on his own.

Taehyung lifted his hands, leaving an about half a meter wide gap between his palms. That was a lot. So Taehyung was probably used to eating a lot more at once than humans usually did.

"And up to what size? Sharks?" A nod. "Whales?" This time Taehyung hesitated for a second before shrugging his shoulders. Jungkook decided to interpret that as 'it has happened before'.

"Can you eat the whole thing at once... let's say something shark sized." Or human sized, Jungkook added mentally, not quite happy at the thought.

To his surprise Taehyung nodded. That guy had to have a gigantic stomach... or maybe siren bodies simply worked in different ways.

"Wow, that's impressive. But you couldn't eat a whole whale, could you?" To Jungkook's relief Taehyung shook his head.

"Can I take your orders?" Jungkook startled when he heard the voice next to him. He hadn't heard the waiter approach their table, too distracted by Taehyung.

"Uhm yeah, sure. He wants Kkanpung Saeu and I'd like Daeji Bulgogi. Are side dishes included?"

He could feel his phone vibrate in his pocket but decided to ignore it for now, instead focusing on the waiter, who nodded as he wrote the orders down. "And to drink?"

"Just water for both of us, please." Taehyung on the other side of the table nodded in approval and Jungkook really hated that things weren't black and white with Taehyung. Taehyung wasn't just scary. Jungkook couldn't just hate him.

He really seemed to be trying now after that conversation he had held with Jimin. Maybe Jungkook should give hissing a try too. After all, it seemed to have worked for Jimin.

Once the waiter was gone Jungkook quickly excused himself and pulled his phone out to read the messages had Jimin sent him. Not that Taehyung seemed to mind. He was perfectly content with watching his surroundings, after all there was a lot going on.

Jimin
Lol

Jimin
Taehyung sucks at shifting it seems

Jimin
Yeah it's a siren thing that our faces are kind of... meant to attract people so we can pull them under water

Jimin
But it's something a siren can theoretically drop when they shift into human form... at least I can

Jimin
Taehyung has always been weaker than me at shifting so I'm not really surprised though. He hasn't shifted that many times in his life while I have spent many years looking like a human

Jimin
Maybe tell him but I doubt it would do anything

Jimin
Also yay you actually asked me a question... Yoongi said I've been kind of harsh so I was worried you wouldn't

Jimin
If you have any other questions I'll gladly answer them!

Jungkook
Thanks

Jungkook
Yeah you were a bit harsh but it's alright... an angel in comparison to Taehyung

Jimin
He just takes some time to warm up to people...

Jungkook
I want your honest opinion
Do you think he will kill me?

Jimin
I'm not sure to be honest

Jimin
But he accepted your deal that he wouldn't kill you as long as you show him around and don't try anything funny so I think he won't

Jimin
Taehyung is a really traditional siren in a way... and sirens never lie so you can take his word for it

Jimin
The only issue is that it was pretty vague

Jungkook
Sirens don't lie? At all?

Jimin
Not the ones who are like Taehyung. It's a human thing to do. Sirens are pretty straightforward in what they want and don't want, there is no need to lie about it

Jimin
It's probably also because the way we communicate doesn't really allow lies

Jungkook
I really need you to tell me more sometime, but I think I should go back to focusing on Taehyung

Jungkook
Took him to a restaurant and he's starting to look bored

Jungkook
Thanks for answering my questions

Jimin
No problem :)))

When Jungkook looked up Taehyung was starting to look bored.

"So Jimin said the reason you're having this effect on everyone probably is that you're not as good as him at faking being human?" When Taehyung raised a questioning eyebrow Jungkook lifted his hands in surrender. "I'm simply the bearer of the message. Not my words. Please don't kill me."

Just for a second there was a hint of a smile tugging at Taehyung's lips, but then the waiter once again showed up out of nowhere and leaned over the table to put down their plates... but he was once again clearly in Taehyung's space.

And just like the first time Jungkook could tell that it really put Taehyung on edge. His hands gripping at the edge of the table, his shoulders tense as he stared at the oblivious human before him. Jungkook could see his nails growing longer, his color slowly greying, and he knew he had to do something before Taehyung could actually hurt that waiter.

So he quickly stood up, startling both Taehyung and the waiter in the process. At least Taehyung seemed distracted, even if it was just for a second. "Uhm... where is the bathroom? We should wash our hands before eating."

He quickly moved past the waiter and grabbed Taehyung's hand to tug him into a standing position. Taehyung certainly didn't seem happy with being touched but at least he didn't look like he was going to jump at Jungkook's throat any second.

The clearly confused waiter gestured into one direction, muttering something about a right corner and then stairs and Jungkook quickly tugged Taehyung that way, away from everyone.

Luckily they made it to the restroom without any further complications and Jungkook let go of Taehyung's hand. Jungkook was relieved to find that it was only them.

"Okay..." He turned around to Taehyung, who was somewhat glaring at him, probably because Jungkook had dared to take his hand and tug him along, but Jungkook didn't care. "I know you need your space and that's a really important thing for your kind... but you can't be this close to killing a waiter just because he's getting on your nerves. He does not know what you are and it would be good if it stayed that way. If you want to do this thing you really have to try to ignore stuff like that because... who knows what will happen if anyone finds out that you exist? That Jimin exists."

Even though Taehyung had looked somewhat annoyed during his little rant, his features softened at the mention of Jimin.

"Look, I'm really trying to make this whole situation as pleasurable and fun as I can... for the two of us. But having to keep an eye on anyone overstepping with you is pretty exhausting. I get that you don't want anyone touching you... but he wasn't even doing that. He was just a little too close to you."

Taehyung pressed his lips into a thin line but didn't say anything.

"Think you can do that for me? Because I'm doing all of this for you?" He knew he wasn't exactly in a position to negotiate but trying couldn't hurt.

After a few seconds, Taehyung sighed, nodding. Still clearly not too happy, but Jungkook was surprised he had gotten that much out of the siren. He had taken Taehyung for someone who always wanted things to go exactly his way.

That not actually being the case took a load off his mind. "Thanks... seriously, thank you. It might come as a surprise but my life has been a bit... stressful since you showed up."

Taehyung actually looked awkward. That was new.

"Good to know we're on the same page." Jungkook took a look around the room. "Think you might be able to keep your claws hidden now? You were this close to shoving them up his ass earlier."

When Taehyung simply looked confused at that Jungkook couldn't help but laugh.

"Let's get back inside and eat our food that is probably cold already."

A/N

So... I'm gonna be breaking some hearts here but I will be taking a little break from wattpad and uploading actively.

I will still be writing I just want to take some time for myself to write when I feel like it with no pressure to keep up with the weekly updates. Wattpad has been stressing me out with nothing working recently and overall I'm just not quite content with how much writing has been affecting my mood badly recently.

Ya'll know me so you know I'm coming back, probably not even far in the future. Just want a little breather.

BUT the good news within that even during that time you won't be completely without my content. I took part in a fest and wrote two taekook oneshots there that I will be posting soon so there will be stuff to read.

But I'm taking a little break from this story and 2:1... and of course prejudices but that was on break before already.

Rich kid will be updates normally.

I hope I'm not making you all too sad:(