Is This Love? || Vminkook ||

Chapter 18

Saturday. A day where Taehyung should be resting in his bed but instead, he's up early as he has his weekend shift at the local coffee shop across town.

Thankfully, he had yet to be fired from this job. He yawns, ruffling up his flamed coloured locks as he shuffles through the streets. The air feels fresh since it was still early hours. Taehyung enjoyed taking his time on these long walks to work every weekend. It almost feels peaceful.

Almost.

A boy dressed from head to toe in black while smoking came into Taehyung's view. Instantly, he panics, unaware as to who exactly it could be. Taehyung was always on edge, especially whenever it came to walking around on his own. Who knows when Namjoon or anyone else for that matter might jump out and attack him.

Still, the closer he got to the boy, who stood leaning against one of the lone lamp posts, the more he began to recognise him and relax. "Jungkook?" He whispers aloud, catching the elder's attention. Jungkook whisks his head up, gawking at the red head with surprise. "What're you doing out so early in the morning?" Taehyung questions, making Jungkook remember his reason. The taller shivers at the thought before giving Taehyung a shrug, "why're you out at this time?" He fires back before bringing the cancer stick to his lips again.

Taehyung watches, a look of disgust on his face as he snatches the cigarette from Jungkook's grasp. "Hey! What the fuck?!" The elder barks out, observing as Taehyung throws the coffin nail to the ground and stamps on it with his beaten up shoe. "They're bad for you." He murmurs, recalling back to when his father was still alive, he would constantly be out buying and smoking them.

Jungkook just huffs, annoyed that the younger would waste one of his cigarettes. Deciding on not starting an argument, Jungkook re-asks his question, "so why are you out?"

"I have work." Taehyung casually states, causing Jungkook to raise a brow. "What? So you work at that shack place on a Saturday too?"

Taehyung shakes his head, his lips stretching out into a thin line. "On Saturdays, I work at the coffee shop on the other side of town." He announces. Jungkook was confused, 'why does he work so much? Isn't he only my age?' While Jungkook was busy in a world of his own, trying to figure out why the younger would work so much, Taehyung began walking away.

The brunette realises this as he begins to chase after Taehyung. "Hey! I'm not finished with you!" He yells, catching up to the crimson haired boy. Taehyung continues on but lets Jungkook walk beside him. He knew he would be late if he stopped to chat any longer.

"So why do you work so much? Doesn't your parents just buy everything for you?" Jungkook questions, wondering why on earth the smaller male has so many jobs. 'Does his parents make him do this?'

Taehyung immediately freezes up when Jungkook utters the word 'parents.' The red head knew Jungkook meant no harm. After all, he only recently moved here so he must not know of the curse just yet.

"Uhh no," Taehyung mumbles with a weakened smile. He didn't really want to say that he doesn't have any parents since it's almost too painful to say every time. Jungkook just stares at Taehyung for a second, taking in the younger's failed attempt to wear a grin. The older could tell how difficult the topic was for Taehyung. "Parents are assholes." He chuckles lightly, trying to ease the tension.

Though instead of doing so, Taehyung's feeble smile turns into a prominent frown. "...y-yeah," he whispers back.

The two walk in silence, no longer having anything else to talk about till Taehyung asks, "w-why are you still following me?" Jungkook couldn't think of a simple explanation as to why he was following the smaller around. Might it be because he was curious to see Taehyung at work? Or maybe he just felt lonely? Who's to say?