banana milk; kv ✓

chapter 29.

Taehyung woke up due to the sound of a door being shut, he flinched and fearfully sat up even with sleep still trying to hold him down. His heartbeat calmed down when he realised he was still at Jeongguk's apartment.

"Merry Christmas," Jeongguk softly smiled at the boy who didn't say anything and awkwardly stared at the room, "Get ready, I want to take you somewhere," He had excitement written all over his face.

"Okay, but it isn't anywhere big, right? I don't really celebrate Christmas," Taehyung spoke with a blank face, however, his tone was fragile and his eyes were drowning in sadness which was enough to explain how he felt.

"I know, it's simple so don't worry." Jeongguk's voice was warm, like the fireplace in an empty house. It eased Taehyung and motivated him to hurriedly prepare for the day.

Jeongguk's smile began to fade away as Taehyung stepped into his bathroom. It's too simple. He was nervous, he was taking his rich crush on a date with just enough money for next month's rent. There wasn't any worry about the money since the place he was going to would offer free food, however, he hoped it would impress someone as rich as Taehyung.

"Jeongguk, I don't have any other clothes, can I borrow some?" Taehyung stepped out of the bathroom with the front strands of his hair wet. Jeongguk didn't say anything and walked over to his closet, he picked out the warmest pair of clothes he had and passed it over to Taehyung.

As the boy got dressed, he took out two light purple beanies and also one coat. A quiet curse word left him when he realised that there were no gloves for either of them.

"Ready?" Jeongguk turned around to the boy who put his shoes on and quietly nodded, "Put this coat on," Jeongguk passed it and then walked over to his drawer where he kept some creams. A picked up a blue tube for wound treatment and walked back to Taehyung who had already put the coat on.

"What is that?" Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows as Jeongguk squeezed some out onto his finger and extended out his hand to Taehyung's bruised face.

"It's to help with the cuts," Jeongguk gently massaged it into his face and winced whenever Taehyung would flinch or try to move away, "How's your sto-"

"It's fine," Taehyung didn't want to hear those words again.

"Okay, let's go," Jeongguk tossed the tube onto his bed and placed a beanie on top of Taehyung and then himself.

Taehyung shuddered the second they stepped outside into the cold, snow must've fallen overnight which he already knew that Mina and Minjoon were ecstatic to see. The first place Jeongguk took him was obviously back to his house to check on the two, he dreaded every bit of it since he'd face his dad but, he had to know if the two kids were okay.

"Do you want me to go in instead?" Jeongguk offered once they stopped outside, breaking the silence they had between them. Taehyung hesitantly nodded and opened the door for the elder. 

He stood shaking in the cold for a few minutes until Jeongguk came back outside with a reassuring smile. Taehyung's eyes asked the question.

"They're fine and asleep, your dad's in his room too," Jeongguk shut the door behind him and started their silent walk again. He wanted to talk to Taehyung, but he didn't though because he could tell that the boy was still too shaken up to talk about something new and was stuck on what had happened.

Taehyung swallowed harshly and stuck his hands into the coat pockets for more warmth, "Where are we going?" He finally spoke up when he noticed they had been walking in the cold for ages now. He also remembered that since it was Christmas, nothing was really open so where could they even go?