The Boy Next Door | Taegyu ✔️

45

Daylight broke across the sky as Taehyun reached the school's entrance. The cold air pricking his cheeks and his insides hollow. He felt his body go stiff and heavy as he dreaded to go inside.

Taking a deep breath, Taehyun walked inside the building as he made his way towards his homeroom. He took his seat at the back of the class, the table on his right being empty and deserted.

"Taehyun," said Mr Jung. The latter immediately jolted awake from his trance as he looked up, replying with a "yes?"

"Since Jung Hoon isn't here yet, could you help me take the registration book from the staffroom?" He requested. Taehyun looked to the seat right in the front row to see that their class monitor hasn't arrived yet— a little odd, considering how he would usually be the first few people to arrive at class in the morning.

"Sure," Taehyun said, getting up from his seat as he made his way towards the staffroom.

Nothing but bleak emptiness and a desolate feeling sat on the bottom of Taehyun's stomach as he walked towards the 1st floor, his mind bare and blank.

Reaching the staffroom, he went towards Mr Jung desk as he searched the area for the registration book. After rummaging through some files, he found it right under the stack of marked papers.

Taehyun held the booklet in his hand as he walked towards the entrance before being stopped in his tracks after hearing the familiar voice of an elder man.

"I see, thank you for informing me on this matter," he spoke to the lady on his right; it was Ms May, their co-homeroom tutor. Taehyun spun his head around quickly; his eyes resting on the face of the person he'd want to see the least at that moment.

"Of course," Ms May replied as she headed back inside the staffroom.

Taehyun froze in his spot for a few moments. His heart pumping with blood madly as he had his fists clenched. Hatred and fury boiled in his veins as Taehyun went up towards the man, grabbing him by the collar.

"Do you have any idea where your son is right now?" Taehyun spat, raising an eyebrow as his gaze locked onto the elder's face which showed no sense of remorse or guilt.

"Yes, I do, and do I look like I care?" uttered the man in an extraordinarily calm tone which only served to worsen Taehyun's temper. The fact that he was being so casual and undisturbed by this matter made Taehyun's blood seethe with deep resentment, his anger swelling up in his head like a balloon that was about to burst open.

"HE'S CURRENTLY IN SEOUL'S HOSPITAL FOR GOODNESS SAKE!" He flared. It seemed as if his current emotions have pushed out all reason to remain calm as Taehyun didn't have a single care in the world for how much trouble he would be in right now.

Just as the younger was about to open his mouth to speak some reason into Beomgyu's father, a certain blue-haired boy came rushing towards him.

"Taehyun!" Spluttered Yeonjun, immediately breaking the two apart, however, their gaze remained intact. "What do you think you're doing?" Yeonjun whispered to Taehyun, who diverted his eyes quickly as if he has been brought back to earth after waking up from a horrible dream.

"Nothing," said Taehyun breathlessly, shooting Mr Choi one last glare before being ushered back to class by Yeonjun.

»»—— ♡ ——««

Tugging Taehyun by the sleeve firmly, he brought the latter towards their next class being abruptly stopped by a sudden force behind him.

"It's him," muttered Taehyun under his breath.

"The man just now?" Yeonjun asked.

"Beomgyu's father." Spoke Taehyun darkly.

Silence filled the space between the two as Yeonjun was at loss for words. No wonder Taehyun was acting rashly just now. To be frank, he still found it shocking that Beomgyu had a father who hits him at home— but never would he had guessed that it was so bad to the point where Beomgyu would end up in the hospital with a bruised rib.

"I'm going to visit Beomgyu after school," said Yeonjun. He needed to clarify with Beomgyu himself, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to accept the cruel fact about his mistreatment at home.

"We're going together then, I guess," Taehyun said, "I intend to visit him as well."

Yeonjun would be lying if he said that he wouldn't want some alone time with Beomgyu later in the hospital; it seemed as if getting rid of his feelings for Beomgyu would be a lot harder than he thought it would. Pushing away his thoughts, he gave a nod to Taehyun as they walked back to class.

»»—— ♡ ——««

Of course, Taehyun would assume that his relationship with Yeonjun had calmed down a little after talking it out, but there was still this undeniable sense that he wasn't able to shake off; the forever awkward tension between the two. And Beomgyu was to blame for that.

He didn't need Yeonjun to verbally tell him as he could detect how the latter still had some feelings for Beomgyu. Without even thinking twice, he asked, "did you know that Beomgyu and I are dating?"

To his utter surprise, Yeonjun replied. "I kinda guessed," he said with a smile. But the sadness in his eyes was clearly pronounced. "Since he's technically dating you already, I've been trying to get rid of any leftover feelings I have for him."

"Oh," said Taehyun, a little flustered as he wished to take back the question he had just asked. Yeonjun handled the news much better than he had anticipated— and for that, it made him a little guilty for asking such a personal question in the first place.

"You would like to get some alone time with Beomgyu, don't you?" Taehyun asked as they hopped onto the lift to bring them towards the 2nd floor of the hospital. Bewildered by the latter's uncanny sense for reading his mind, Yeonjun stared down at his feet, not knowing what to say.

"I'll just go out for a bit," said Taehyun calmly. "I know you're filled with questions about how he's being treated at home. Just don't make him uncomfortable and don't try doing anything silly— I'm warning you; if I see you doing funny stuff with Beomgyu, you're dead," He said sternly, yet, with a slight tone in his voice which implied that he meant it as a joke— nearly.

Yeonjun merely let out a giggle as he mumbled a "thank you". The doors of the elevator swung open as they made their way towards Beomgyu's room. Knocking the door, they entered the room to see Beomgyu on his bed, reading a book.

"Taehyun!" Said Beomgyu energetically. "Oh, and Yeonjun too," he smiled, waving at the two. Giving Yeonjun a nod, Taehyun then began to say, "I'll go and pick up some snacks for you, be right back," as he left the room.

They watched Taehyun leave, feeling as if the liveliness of the environment left with him as silence filled the space between Yeonjun and Beomyu.

"So, how are you feeling?" Asked Yeonjun in an attempt to start their conversation.

"Okay, I guess," replied Beomgyu, who was mildly panicking. How was he going to explain to Yeonjun the reason for him being admitted into a hospital for simply passing out?

"Beomgyu," he spoke, snapping him out of his deafening thoughts and worries which were rapidly speeding around in his mind. "Yes?" Beomgyu replied.

"There's just something I'd like to ask you."