iris . vkook

twelve

The position was somehow comfortable.

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I woke up, noticing Netflix on autopause, asking me if I was still there. 

I looked down at the floor to see Hoseok and Taemin cradling one another, asleep.

Namjoon's arms were around Jin's chest and Jimin was laid against Yoongi, Jimin's legs beside Jin's outstretched ones, all asleep.

I noticed how Jeongguk wasn't beside me and as I looked at the time, my eyebrows furrowed in minor concern.

3:54am.

I stood up groggily, grabbing my phone and my bottle of water, looking around the house quietly.

I tiptoed to the kitchen, moving my phone's light around.

No one.

I moved upstairs, checking in my room and in the bathroom.

Not a sign that anyone had even been in here.

My bed was still made neatly, mine and Jeongguk's clothes still on the floor.

The bathroom sink was dry, the water from our brushing of teeth either dripped down the plug or evaporated.

Frowning, I made my way into the garden.

I saw an orange glow and a white light, presumably from a phone.

Found him.

"Jeongguk?" I called softly, so I didn't startle him.

"Hm?" He murmured back, "Taehyung?"

"Yeah, it's me."

I made my way over, sitting beside him on the patio.

"Why are you out here? It's nearly four in the morning." I asked.

He flicked the embers from his cigarette, taking a drag of it before exhaling the toxins above him, like he was sending the smoke to someone.

"Can't sleep." He replied, "why are you out here?"

"I woke up confused, I don't know. Then I went looking for you and found you." I said, "why can't you sleep, what's on your mind?"

"I can't sleep because Jay is dead. He was my friend. We fell out before I moved to Seoul. I can't help but feel guilty, my last words to him were that I regretted everything. And he called me a coward, saying I should've 'fucking gone through with it'. Then we had a proper fight and I broke his nose, he bust my lip and then we got torn apart. Blood was dripping from his nose and I looked directly into his eyes and told him that he should be dead." Jeongguk shook his head, exhaling more smoke, "I was pissed and so was he and we took it out on one another. I don't even know why we fell out in the first place, but he'd told Taeyong that he was glad I was gone."

"So, why are you going to his funeral?" I asked.

"He did a lot for me and I feel like I should repay him by giving my respects. I never hated him, even after everything he said. After I moved up here, he apparently beat the absolute shit out of someone because they badmouthed me. It's clear that we didn't mean anything we said, or the hits we threw. It was just a stupid fallout that led to regret that can't be fixed." Jeongguk squashed the cigarette between his finger and thumb before throwing the crushed item over the fence, into the neighbour's garden, "fuck, at least Jiwook will be happy."

"Don't think about him. Think about something else."

"Like what?"

We made eye contact and I saw that his eyes dipped down to my neck, the garden illuminated by the makeshift lamp I'd made with my torch and the water bottle.

He licked his bottom lip before tucking it behind his teeth, looking at the marks that were probably purple.

"Like you?" He asked, his voice quiet.

"If you want." I said as I leaned in.

"You're on my mind constantly anyway." He replied, leaning closer as his voice quietened.

I thought I heard the sound of the door opening and feet shuffling, but I pushed that to the back of my mind as Jeongguk pressed his lips against mine.

This time, I definitely felt fireworks.

It wasn't full of lust.

It was meaningful and Jeongguk held me like I was every star in the vast sky and every petal falling from a pretty rose.

Narrator's PoV;

Jin admired the two kissing on the patio, bringing his phone out and taking a photo of the two.

The camera clicked and produced a photo of two silhouettes, the pinkish sky blending with purples and white stars serving as the background.

Jeongguk's hand rested on Taehyung's neck as he pulled him closer, Taehyung's hands pressed lightly against Taehyung's chest.

"You're so pretty, Babyboy." Jeongguk spoke gently, rubbing his thumb against Taehyung's jawline.

Taehyung smiled, letting his head fall against Jeongguk's chest as he situated himself on his lap, Jeongguk holding him close with arms wrapped around his waist, occasionally stroking his back as Taehyung contently nuzzled his head into Jeongguk.

Jin took another photo, sending them to Jeongguk, who's phone was laid face down and so the notification didn't ruin the moment.

Jin laid a blanket around the two, who had fallen asleep due to the late time that they'd awoken and the fact that they'd had a long day.

Smiling, Jin made his way back inside and fell asleep against Namjoon, confident that Taehyung was no longer sad.