Each of them went to wash up as they had all been called in for dinner. Jongup and Junhong went first, leaving Taehyung and Jungkook to sit in an eerie silence.
Neither wanted to talk about the events that had just unfolded. Though both were desperate to know why they had in the first place. But it was kept silenced, kept in the dark as the conversation was too awkward for either of them to express verbally.
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"I'll let you wash up first," Taehyung said quietly, checking his phone scarcely to make sure his father hadn't sent him a message or attempted to call him.
"No it's okay, you can go."
"Jungkook, I said you can go first." His voice was stern, and he didn't really have the courage to argue. Jungkook nodded for a response before leaving the room hastily to clean himself up before joining Junhong and Jongup at the dinner table. As he returned, his mother was just placing down all the dishes.
"You should sit with us. There is too much for all of us to eat." Junhong spoke happily, though mrs Jeon hesitated.
"Oh no, it's okay. I'm going to wait till Jungkook's father gets home."
"Please mama! You hardly ever eat with Hoseok and I, why not at least tonight?" She caved in after her youngest son gave her the most innocent face. Nodding gently before leaving to remove her apron and fix up herself before she returned.
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"I hope the stew isn't too hot for you all, I tried to keep it a neutral temperature so that you won't burn your-" she stopped mid-sentence, nearly dropping the trays in her hands as she stood frozen, gaping at the sight in front of her.
"Mum are you alright?!" Jungkook got to his feet, running up to her and taking one of the trays just as it slipped from her hands. She didn't reply, instead she seemed set on boring a hole into a particular boy, who was skimming through a book Jungkook had suggested for him.
"I... I'm fine..." she managed to verbalise, letting her son take the trays as she approached slowly. Taehyung felt the stare, raising his head slowly, furrowing his eyebrows as he stared blankly up at mrs Jeon. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, snapping the book shut and groaning. It was like his tongue was paralysed as he tried to speak a word, but failed miserably.
"Sorry mum, he has this thing where he can't speak to some people."
"I know" his mother responded quite irritably, still staring at the other. "What is his name?" She asked suddenyl, gesturing to the boy who was staring back, quite concerned as to why he was receiving so much attention.
"Taehyung, why? He's a friend from school, you remember what Hoseok and I were saying last week?"
"Oh god..." she pinched the bridge of her nose, sending one last glance at him before exiting the room without an additional word.
"What the hell was that?" Taehyung spoke up the moment she was completely gone.
"I don't know, my mother is normally really calm, I don't know what's gotten into her." Jungkook tried to shrug it off, placing the dishes down on the table and handing one bowl to each of the three guests. He called out to hoseok who came to join them, silencing Taehyung for awhile as he still found it difficult to speak in front of his friend's older brother.
Though the night continued ordinarily, Jungkook still couldn't get out of his mind the way his mother had reacted so outrageously to the sight of Taehyung. He was scared that she had seen the strangeness of his eyes, and that she would not accept him. Though he didn't know how she would have seen them, as the contacts obsured most of the abnormality until someone looked really close.
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"Don't worry about my mother for now Taehyung. She'll get over herself" Taehyung nodded, slipping his phone into his pocket as the two of them stood outside the Jeon's household, Junhong and Jongup already having been picked up by their parents.
"It was fun tonight. I never thought I'd say that about school work. But, yeah, thanks for hosting..." Jungkook smiled, nodding in appreciation. He held out his hand, signalling for a handshake. Seeing the other hesitate, he was going to pull back. But before he could his hand was clasped tightly into Taehyung's, a smile hinting across the nervous wreck's features. "I'll see you tomorrow then..."
"I guess you will..." Taehyung turned, beginning to walk down the neatly paved path, beginning his hour walk home.
"And Taehyung!" Jungkook called, just as the said male was nearly out of ear shot. "No need to get jealous over me!" Even in the dark, Jungkook could see the darkened shade of hus cheeks as he stumbled across the lawn before steadying himself.
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"So, can you come?" Jimin nagged, poking his best friends armpit in an attempt to gain some of his attention.
"You know how much I hate parties... and since that last one you brought me to. I've had enough socialising to last me a lifetime."
"You talked to one person. Who is a child, might I add." Jimin argued pointedly.
"He's not a child!" Taehyung snapped back, suddenly gaining full attention. He'd been in a foul mood because the boy of current topic had not shown up to classes, or even school at that. "He's got a higher IQ than you do." Jimin held his hands up in surrender, backing off only slightly, then he attacked once again.
"Alright alright, don't offend the boyfriend..."
"He's not my boyfriend!" Taehyung was utterly happy to know that no one else was currently in the quiet classroom as he screamed in denial. It was a thursday afternoon, so most of the students in their level went to watch the weekly football game that had been organised for fun. Since the two of them had no interest in sports, they spent their time hiding out in empty classrooms. Which sometimes, was highly convenient.
"Whatever. But you two have been getting ridiculously close. Like you won't even let me touch you, yet he grabs your hand and you simply comply." Taehyung tried to ignore the observation, grabbing his phone with a sudden desire to check it for emails.
"If you're implying that I like him, I don't. I've told you before he's just easier to get along with than you."
"Okay, that was rude," Jimin grumbled kicking Taehyung's shin under the desk as he shrugged.
"It's not supposed to be. Look, we are really close friends, but we're completely different people. You practically bleed confidence and assuring in everything you do and I don't mind that. But Jungkook and I are more the same than different. So it just makes sense to me."
"So you feel at peace with each other?"
"Maybe. I don't know how to phrase it. He just... he's compassionate, he understands my fears, and he isn't a cheek like you." Jimin chuckled at the subtle dig, not taking the statement as an insult as it was a trait he was proud to have.
"You're the one who agreed to be friends with a pestering cheek, so, your downfall here."
"Yeah yeah, whatever, send me the details for the party thing you were talking about."
"Oh goodie! I knew you'd come. Just to set your mind further, Jungkook is going to be there."
"Well lead with that you idiot!"
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YOU ARE READING
iris
FanfictionKim Taehyung was born with abnormal eyes that changed colours in sync with his emotions. Shunned by his father for his curse, his childhood was spent in isolation. Now new to the norms of high school after spending years hidden from the world he ha...
