The Buddy Program

10 | learn some things

"Define decent," Taehyung hummed. He scoffed.

"I don't have any siblings. I live with my aunt," He listed off the things he could remember, things that wouldn't matter if he said them out loud. "I didn't have many friends when I was younger. People didn't like my attitude. I had one, who used to put me in place, but he moved away. After that, I guess I just... moved along with life."

"You sounded like you were lonely," He said, leading Jeongguk along. At that, he rolled his eyes. As if he knew what being lonely felt like.

He couldn't imagine Taehyung having to deal with the fact that people, even his own friends, didn't genuinely like him. He didn't seem to be the type to be self-centered or selfish to the point where he ruined every chance at a connection, at keeping a real relationship, just so he could please more and more people who never cared in the first place.

One look at Taehyung and he just knew. He knew he had absolutely no idea what being lonely felt like.

"Sure," Jeongguk licked his own lips, pushing his thoughts aside, hating how they made his stomach churn. "You could say that."

"I see," Taehyung whistled. "Where are your parents?"

Jeongguk didn't quite know how to answer that, or well, it was more like he wasn't sure he wanted to tell him that. It was a sore topic, though the wounds had already closed and scarred over a long time ago. Even if there wasn't much resentment left, he couldn't ignore how his chest grew heavy, or how a knot seemed to lodge itself in his throat.

"They're just not around," Jeongguk settled with, his words brittle, voice nearly cracking. Taehyung didn't say a word and kept on skating.

"Hey, at least you have me now. I can be your friend," Taehyung said, thankfully keeping the conversation going instead of leaving it to crash and burn and ultimately become painfully awkward.

"You're really not gonna live that down, huh?" Jeongguk murmured, sneaking a glance at the older boy beside him, only just to realize he was staring at him the entire time.

"Nah," He gave him a crooked smile. "You don't have to be lonely anymore."

"What if I want to be lonely?" He said, unable to hear himself over the rhythmic pitter-patter of his heart.

"I won't let you be," Taehyung declared. "Nobody deserves to be lonely."

"You don't know that though. What if I murdered someone?" Taehyung made a face at him.

"Um, Jeon. Little reminder that you're a ziplock bag of bones and radiation. I don't think that's possible," He scowled. Jeongguk punched his shoulder, but unfortunately, it made no change. Damnit.

"But besides that, I'll be your friend. Not your 'kinda friend' but a friend. An actual friend." Taehyung added, smiling proudly. God, he wanted to wipe that stupid smile off his face.

"Sure. Keep telling yourself tha—," Suddenly Jeongguk's yanked forward once more, his eyes squeezing shut when a pair of strong arms envelop him and tug him close as a few angry yells echoed against the screech of blades against fine ice.

They were spinning, although it was brief, and when he did manage to open his eyes again his back was pressed against the plexiglass barrier. He expected his head to ache from the collision (which was not smooth at all), but much to his own surprise he felt nothing besides the adrenaline roaring in his veins.