Driving Teacher | tk ✓

25 | EPILOGUE

The beige concrete architect and the colourful crowd brought a warm aura everywhere, even if the honking cars were doing their best to rapture the whole environment.

Faces with a tanned, orange-red paint on them and similar accents rolling off their tongues with unfathomable languages were foreboding — troublous, even. The intensity of detachment from these people left Tae irked.

Even Jungkook's presence seemed somewhat off-putting.

Taehyung had taken off his jacket while he dragged his suitcase, exhausted after journeying a long way, his legs still sore.

Exhaling loudly, he muttered to Jungkook (who was busy tapping on his accursed device) in a tired tone, "I can lay on the bench just to get a nap, Kook. Will you be my pillow?" He elbowed him hard to get his attention when he did not reply.

The other responses in a distracted hum, too busy on his phone.

Huffing, Tae snatched the case and argues, "Won't you listen to me?" He glares at the click of Jungkook's tongue, who stretched out a hand to give him back his phone.

Stubborn and annoyed, Tae purses his lips and raised eyebrows questioningly.

Sighing most heavily, Jungkook flickered a small smile before answering, putting an arm around Tae's neck as people - tourists, mostly - bustled by, "I was trying to book a tour guide — Korean, if possible. Gimme back my phone, now, Tae." The mere shine in the younger's eyes brought rainbows to Tae's world, who automatically grins.

After he does, a slant smile formed on Jungkook's lips. Eyes twinkling with mischief, he queried, "When do the company wants to see you?"

Grabbing himself to not fall in Jungkook's mesmerising looks, Tae cleared his throat, "Tomorrow morning at seven - sharp." Like it has always been, punctuality was not really Tae's thing.

Passing him a lopsided smile once more, Jungkook raised his phone to his left ear, conversing politely to a random tour guide at the other side. Bringing it down, they jogged to yet another cab to book a hotel room near them the guide has told Jungkook about.

***

Jungkook insisted on taking a long drive to Ostia's beach because he missed Busan - his favourite seashore.

Unable to gather a reason not to, him and Tae abandoned the previously mentioned hotel and booked another cab all the way to the beach, a first at hurting Tae's wallet.

They set up the mat, snacks, crackers and an icebox, promising them to return after they pay a visit to the awaiting water.

Hand in hand, the two ran to the vast sea, orange filling the sky as the sun threatened to dip in the blue ocean. Thanking God for the barely crowded shore, Tae pulled Jungkook closer to him as their ankles dug in the wet sand, waves teasingly coming and going over their bare feet, their hairs wind-swept.

Staring at each other for a long time, nothing else but the closeness of each other and the spraying water, and the sun setting behind them?

Perfect.

"Do you know why I chose you to come with me?" Asked Tae tenderly, not breaking eyes contact as their breath mixed with the salty air.