Work Text
"A road trip?"
Namjoon speaks with a mouthful of his home-brought ham sandwich, refusing to buy cafeteria lunch. After the heinous lunch lady incident of Freshman year, he vowed to never purchase school lunch for the rest of his high school existence. Namjoon shakes his head and swallows his bite before continuing. "Wouldn't that be costly?"Taehyung scoffs, a smirk rising. Namjoon knows that mischievous smirk all too well. Since the beginning of time, Taehyung has dragged Namjoon into every possible childish escapade imaginable; as soon as he uses that same suspicious smirk, Namjoon instantly knows he's up to something diabolical. "I think you've forgotten just how big the Jung family's bank account is." He patted his wealthy friend's back, eliciting a struggled cough full of food from the latter. Taehyung sympathetically rubs Hoseok's back after the realization of what he just did dawns on him. He returns his attention to Namjoon, his smirk reappearing. "I doubt money would be an issue here."Namjoon pauses for a moment before he continues moving down the mental list of concerned questions that require an answer. "What about our parents? I doubt they'd allow a bunch of teenagers travel across the country unsupervised."Taehyung's eyebrows furrows, staring at Namjoon with a dismissive gaze and scoffs. He waves his hand to emphasize his indifference for parental supervision. "So what?" He never lets that smirk fade. "I'll just tell my mom it's for a college project. As long as I 'stay safe,' she really doesn't give a shit. Hoseok could throw a three day house party and his dad would never know. Your parents and Yoongi's parents are close, I have faith you two will come up with something to convince them."Within his peripheral vision, Namjoon notices Yoongi shrug at the mention of his parents; even with many years of friendship
under his belt, Namjoon still can't decipher what his universal shrugging language. A man of few words.Hesitant for another moment, Namjoon opens his mouth to complain once more, not completely sure what to say but starts anyway. "But what about—"A melodramatic groan draws from Taehyung's lips and interrupts Namjoon, exhausted from his friend's barrage of pestering questions. Hoseok giggled at the boy's exasperated expression. "Jesus Namjoon, stop being such a debby downer.""Who even says that anymore?" Hoseok sputters out a louder chuckle amidst Namjoon's sarcastic inquiry.Taehyung rolls his eyes, ignoring the rhetorical question. "The point is, we're doing this road trip. Weren't you the one who said we should do something big before we head to college?"Taehyung lets the question settle in the silent air. Well, he isn't necessarily incorrect; ever since the four friends began Senior year together, Namjoon had occasionally expressed just how important it was for them to create one last extraordinarily huge and long lasting memory they can take with
them once they part ways for university. The entire summer will be bittersweet, but entirely worth the experience. It was only Namjoon's fear of airplanes and Hoseok's refusal to stand within a fifty feet radius of the ocean that restrained many summer vacation ideas to come to life.Taehyung leans back in his chair and lengthens his road trip persuasion to the table, his eyes glazed over in a faux daydream. He sighs contently. "I've always wanted to travel the country. I've never been outside of California. It'll be an experience for all of us. I get you're old and shit but—""I'm a year older than you." Namjoon deadpans and even makes Yoongi smile in amusement, Hoseok of course laughing up a storm on the other side of the table. Taehyung rolls his eyes once more and responds deftly and unaffected."And yet you act like you're fifty years old. Loosen up, hyung." Namjoon lays a palm against his chest and stares at his best friend of ten years in mock offense, pretending his words hurt him when he even agrees himself that he's missed out on countless opportunities of pure fun at the fault of his mild prudeness; if it wasn't for Taehyung and eventually Hoseok dragging both him and Yoongi on their bizarre endeavors, Namjoon would have curled up in his shell years ago, avoiding most to all human contact. He mentally sighs, accepting Taehyung's statement. Maybe this road trip will unravel his reclusiveness and become more extroverted. Not to Taehyung's level, though.Taehyung disregards Namjoon's obvious fake act and rests his elbow on the lunch table, his cheek sitting on his palm. He sighs once again, a more solemn and heavier exhale than the previous one. "Between now and August, these are our last few months before we're classified as adults. Then we'll start doing shitty adult stuff. Like paying taxes."Despite Taehyung's intentions of lightening the mood, the gravity of the boys' future suddenly hits Namjoon square in the face. These really are the last few moments they have together. The months will fade and pass as fast as they'll arrive.Personally, Namjoon had always felt more than intellectually ready for university; his maturity level and mental abilities gave many of his teachers over the years the notion that a college campus is an environment made for him. Not to mention his evergrowing enthusiasm for his major—in which he settled on at a younger age than most kids do—instilled faith in his parents; their son was practically a child prodigy.But, was he emotionally ready for college?Namjoon admittedly failed to understand the emotional aspect of graduating from high school. Maybe, sitting in the rearmost of his conscience, he was aware of the tear-jerking experience of essentially promoting from child to adult, the caps and gowns a symbol of the ceremony. Maybe he knew he wouldn't be able to let go of his friends (literally and figuratively) once they split into four different universities. Namjoon was a borderline genius, but when it comes to feelings, it's a grey area.Taehyung's now tempting offer reels Namjoon back to present time."So, what do you say? Are you in?"Namjoon stares at Taehyung, an expectant glint in his eyes as he stares back. His earlier smirk is nowhere to be found. Instead, he beams with a gentle, accepting smile, a message of I'll be okay if you say yes or no.But, something's still pulling Namjoon back in his mind, almost like an ominous foreshadowing implanted in his mind. He's hesitant, as he usually is, having second thoughts. Taehyung notices his mental battle from his slight change in expression and his smile falters. Namjoon goes to verbalize his uneasiness, his mouth opening before a different voice comes out."I'm in."The small table focus their undivided attention on the otherwise silent boy sitting next to Namjoon. Yoongi meets the stupefied stares of the three other boys, shrugging once more to further demonstrate his nonchalance of the topic. "Taehyung's right. We don't have much time until we're off for college, and a road trip seems like a good idea. Maybe not the best, considering it's Taehyung, but it's something. And personally, I think it'd be fun."And just like that, Namjoon drops the weight of his concerns and ties to Yoongi. The momentary twitch of his heart pushes him to immediately side with his best friend's decision, a strange feeling Namjoon can't bother to dwell on for now and pushes into one of the filing cabinets in his brain labelled Do Not Open Until Further Notice. Whatever it was, Namjoon's mind is set on one single answer, Taehyung and Hoseok grinning until their mouths hurt upon his declaration."You know what, I'm in too."