Just Friends

Chapter 18

"Why was he so mad?"

"I had this stupid thing I had to do tomorrow night, I guess. Some important dinner with a client—I don't know." Jeongguk stands, but his shoulders and arms sag so heavy he appears inches shorter. "It doesn't matter," he shrugs. "I've ruined everything."

Taehyung frowns, heart sinking when Jeongguk's eyes roll up towards the ceiling, the way they do when he's fighting back his angry tears.

"Can't it be rescheduled?"

Jeongguk lets out a humorless half-laugh. "Apparently not. He said because of me, he's going to look like a fool now to this guy and told me I'm going to go nowhere in my life. As if I have any control over the weather," he answers with a shaky voice, plopping down on the side of the bed. "I guess that's nothing new, though."

The ache Taehyung feels—it borderlines on anger. He can't stand anyone making Jeongguk feel this way.

Because of his mother, Taehyung respects and has his own relationship with Jeongguk's father, but he's always hated how his father talked to Jeongguk. He's always been way too hard on him.

If only he knew how smart and capable Jeongguk is. If he stopped and really looked at his son for who he is, and not who he wants him to be, he'd be amazed.

But his parents don't approve of him going to school for anything but law, they want him to follow in his father's footsteps and become a hot shot lawyer like him.

The day Jeon Jeongguk was born his future was decided.

It's not fair.

"I'm sorry Taehyung, I-I didn't mean to bring this down on you."

"Hey." Taehyung walks over and kneels down in front of Jeongguk and puts his hands on his knees. "You are amazing, and you will go places in your life. You're so talented, Jeonggukie. You're smart and anything you want to do, you will succeed at."

Jeongguk gazes down at Taehyung and attempts to smile. "You think so?"

"I know so. And I can't wait to see you get there. I can't wait to watch you stand at the top of whatever mountain makes you happiest."

Jeongguk's smile grows then and it makes Taehyung smile, too. Bringing along with it another new feeling he's never experienced before. He doesn't know what it is yet, but it feels good.

"Thank you," Jeongguk whispers, and then he's leaning down to leave a chaste kiss to Taehyung's lips, with Taehyung coming up on his knees to meet him half way.

The kiss lasts longer than intended, Jeongguk's hand cradling Taehyung's jaw. His touch is sweet, so sweet, and Taehyung wonders how he could ever not want this, to be kissed, to be touched by his silly, sweet, overly competitive, at times stubborn best friend, Jeon Jeongguk.

—><—

It's amazing what Jeongguk's presence does to Taehyung, everything exploding inside of him while his body stills on the outside from anticipation. The pounding in his chest increasing exponentially as the world around him starts to move in slow motion.

With every step Jeongguk takes, Taehyung can feel the magnetic pull strengthen, Taehyung's body calling out for his. His senses heightened, eyes dilated, breathing rapid, simply all in response from this person he's known for a handful of years existing in such proximity.

And, somehow this morning, Jeongguk looks a little older. Maybe it's that he's getting to watch him cook. Or maybe it's his black hair parted to the side, or the jeans and red flannel button up he has on.