Worst Behavior

25. the present

It starts off as a simple spark, and at first you're worried it's going to hurt you if you feed to the fire. It's basic human nature to fear new things. After all, the heart may be the most powerful organ in our body but it's the most fragile.

Then all of a sudden that spark catches into a flame, ane suddenly you're trying something new which  is always the hardest. You may never know if it'll hurt you, if it'll make you cry, or make you laugh so hard your stomach hurts.

And somehow it does. This new thing that has entered your life makes you laugh, makes you cry, and makes you feel hurt inside to the point you're not quite sure you can tolerate it. But in the end, it's all worth it.

Feeling complete is something not everyone gets to experience. Everyone feels empty at some point, but the chance to get to have this exhilarating sensation coursing through their veins is something they never want to lose.

It's moments like these where he finds his breath being taking away, or his heart doing flips of all sorts in his chest when Taehyung's gaze fall on him. All the little things and the big things. Everything that's irrelevant or relevant adds up to this feeling.

Perhaps whatever this feeling is also the same thing as love. Maybe it is love.

"Jeongguk," Taehyung's voice resurfaces him back to reality. He feels Taehyung's palm settle on the dip of his hip, drawing him close without thinking.

"Can I ask you something?" He asks, to which Jeongguk nods. He tilts his gaze up to meet his, staring at him so fondly that there has to be stars in his eyes.

"What is it?" Jeongguk asks, carefully observing Taehyung's golden facial features. He focuses on the round curve of his nose and the mole buried beneath his thick lashes, knowing that there will be one day where he'll forget about the small details.

When it comes to them, the only thing they don't have is time—Jeongguk's smart enough to know that. As much as he wishes to be with Taehyung every second of every day of his life, he can't.

The future is inevitable, unpredictable. There's no way telling when they'll be separated. After all, their relationship is built of sin to the eyes of their town, and people here want nothing but to eradicate sin in any shape or form.

"Do you really think we don't have a chance? It scares me a little that you think so negatively," Taehyung says, chewing slightly on his bottom lip. Jeongguk, for a second, doesn't know how to reply.

"Well," Jeongguk starts, scrambling his mind for the right words as Taehyung's smile slowly fades into a frown. He gulps, placing his hands on Taehyung's broad shoulders to assure him.

"I hope we do but you never know," Jeongguk confesses, thumbing the material of Taehyung's sweater nervously. "There's a lot of things to consider."

"Right," Taehyung nods, surprisingly not a hint of anger in his tone at all. "There sure is," He murmurs quietly.

By now, Jeongguk expects him to lash out. Although, he supposes Taehyung knows the consequences much better than he does. Jeongguk can't forget—he's been outed before.

"Don't get me wrong Tae," Jeongguk quickly adds, feeling his chest tighten when Taehyung's gaze flits to the ground. Taehyung looks up, a flicker of hope in his dark eyes. "I want to make this work."