Beauty of My World

Chapter Two

"I'm fine," he lies. Oddly, the cold that was surrounding him earlier has disappeared entirely, along with his father's scent.

"Should I turn on the AC?" Seokjin asks.

"No, no need to," Taehyung could feel the sweat still on him. He must look like he just ran a marathon. "Why are you here?" he questions, accusingly. "You're not sleeping here are you?"

"I-I'm not. I just couldn't sleep so I came out for fresh air and thought that I should check in on you," Seokjin explains, flustered. "I'll get going," he says.

Taehyung doesn't acknowledge him, hearing the light switch turn off and Seokjin's steps getting further away. He takes off the glasses and lies back down on the sofa. Just as his eyes close, he feels that coldness again and smells his father's scent once more.

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Seokjin gets up, rubbing his eyes and struggling to get them to open. The knocking continues on the door and he stands up, going over to answer it. His sleepiness vanishes as he's met with Taehyung. He blinks, not believing if he's seeing correctly. "Yes?" Seokjin lets out at last.

Taehyung stands up straighter. "I can't sleep. Can I sleep here?" he asks, poker-faced. However, Seokjin can see the slight tremor on his shoulders.

"Okay..." Seokjin agrees, however, confused. How will sleeping here make him sleep better? Taehyung steps forward and Seokjin steps backward as he enters the small house. "There's only one mat though so I'll go sleep in the big house then."

He turns to leave but Taehyung speaks before he steps out. "Don't," he says, almost abruptly. Seokjin turns around, waiting for an explanation. "Just stay here," Taehyung doesn't elaborate.

"But..." Seokjin scrutinizes the tiny sleeping mat.

"We can just share," Taehyung seems to have read his mind. "Now close the door, it's getting cold," he orders.

Seokjin parts his lips to speak but struggles to form any objections. Accommodating Taehyung's wishes, he closes the door to the outside.

Dreading it, his feet drag over to the mat where Taehyung waits. "It's down here," Seokjin tugs at his sleeve and pulls him down to the mat. Taehyung follows him and Seokjin pulls the covers over the both of them. It's a tight fit but both of them magically fit.

His shoulder touches Taehyung's and he tries to scoot away but meets the end of the mat. He turns on his side, back to Taehyung, and his face heating up.

'It's nothing. I'm just overreacting. Besides, it's only for tonight. Tomorrow, he'll return to the big house and I'll be all by myself again,' he tells himself in an attempt of comfort.

Talking about that, Seokjin wonders why Taehyung is here. Does this have to do with what happened earlier when he went to check in on Taehyung and found him sitting in the dark, covered in sweat but shivering as if he was freezing?

He parts his lips to ask but stops himself, not wanting to overstep his boundaries.

~~~~

Seokjin was wrong. Taehyung did not return. It's been three days but Taehyung is still sleeping in the small house with him, completely avoiding the big house.

They don't talk much and when they do, it's usually Seokjin asking something and Taehyung replying with a curt response. Seokjin follows Taehyung around to be there whenever needed. Yet, both are doing their own thing.

Taehyung doesn't do much. He usually sits in silence and then takes a nap. He would wake up and eat then sit in silence, then take another nap.

Seokjin wants to change that and make Taehyung's day more entertaining.