evocation | ✓

35+

"taehyung!" junghan pouts, reaching his hands up in a grabby motion. taehyung cooes down at him and punches his cheeks before lifting the small boy into his arms, settling him onto his hip.

taehyung and junghan have been in line for a while, waiting for the auditorium to be opened. the line is long, really long for a high school event. sora was inside with jungkook helping him sort out his presentation—he was a bit nervous. he had every right to be, this was his final semester grade.

"how m-much longer, tae?" junghan asks, and taehyung sighs and readjusts the slipping boy. junghan tucks his head into the crook of taehyungs neck, showing that he was tired. taehyung pats his back, sighing in relief when the gate opens.

"look, baby, we can go in now." taehyung smiles, and junghan looks up from taehyungs neck, but made no move to get out of his arms. taehyung certainly didn't mind, and carried them both into the building.

the building itself is decorated very prettily. the lights were dim and golden, and there was art from all types of famous painters and eras on the golden walls. it looks like something out of a movie, and taehyung can't help but stare in awe.

"taehyung!" sora yells once she spots his blue hair in the crowd. she reaches her hand up and waves so taehyung knows what direction she's in.

"hey," taehyung chooses to yell instead of waving due to the child on his hip. "i'm coming!" he says and pushes his way through the crowd, though they probably only parted since he was carrying junghan.

"hi," taehyung smiles when he gets there, slightly out of breath from lugging around junghan's weight, but he doesn't mind. "is everything okay with jeongguk? is he all set?"

"yep," sora smiles back. "all good. he's last, though. but i think that's good. it'll give him time to calm down. he's really nervous." sora explains as they make their way towards their seats, in the front row since they bought tickets when they first came out. taehyung offered junghan to stay in his lap, but instead they decided to push up the arm rest in between them and let junghan curl into his side.

"what's he so nervous about?" taehyung asks, pushing black strands of hair from junghans face. junghan whines and shuffles closer, making taehyung frown.

why's he so sleepy?

"his painting was a little...out there. different from the other paints the other kids have done. a good different, though. i think this one has a stronger meaning than theirs. i think he'll win." sora explained, and taehyungs curiosity peaked at this point.

this and breakfast made him anxious to see it.

"what is it?" taehyung takes a chance at asking.

sora smiles, "you know i cant tell you that. he wants you to hear it from him."

taehyung sighs; he knew that.

the lights dim in the audience and brighten on the stage, revealing the first painter and painting. the painter was a young boy—an eighth grader, maybe—named taehyun, and the painting was of a male and a female hugging. he says that he thinks love is compassion, affection. taehyung claps with the rest of the auditorium, it was a great piece.

the rest of the show goes like this. the paint comes up and shows their painting—all of the paintings were beautiful—and what it means to them. the meanings were also beautiful. the entire experience gave taehyung a new outlook on love. maybe he wasn't so afraid to love after all.

when jeongguk came out, taehyung immediately smiled. jeongguk found him quickly in the crowd, returning the wide smile. his isle was next the barstool covered in a white paint covered sheet. jeongguk sits next his isle and takes a deep breathe, rubbing his two hands together.

"hello," jeongguk bows the best he could from the stool. "my name is jeon jeongguk, and this is my painting." jeongguk announces, anxiously revealing his art.

taehyung gasps in disbelief. the painting's background was black and white, much like the hand on the mans cheek. the man himself was saturated in many colors, his cheeks red and lips raw, his eyes glassy and blue. he was crying, the tear on his cheek being wiped away by the hand.

but the beauty of the painting is not what shocked taehyung. it was the fact that the man in the painting was him.

"love to me means..." jeongguk trails off, looking towards the painting. "comfort. being there for the person when they need you; hence the hand on his face wiping his tears. but," jeongguk looks directly at taehyung for this part of his speech, trying to get this part across to him. taehyung looks back with glassy eyes. "his hand is gray because he's not there. not how he wants to be, and not how the other man needs him to be." jeongguk brakes the eye contact first, looking towards the rest of the crowd.

"thank you." the crowd claps, and taehyung cries as he watches jeongguk get up from the stool, grab his painting, and walk off the stage. taehyung didn't want to wait to see him, he wanted to see him now.

because that was him on his painting. because yes, jeongguk lied to him, but he did it to protect his family, because that's just the kind of guy he is. because jeongguk gives him spa days when he doesn't feel good. because jeongguk cuddles him when they sleep. because jeongguk laughs and smiles around him. because jeongguk protects him from random perverts and jerks at school.

because he loves jeongguk.

"i've gotta go," taehyung says suddenly, standing up. "where? where'd he go?" taehyung asks, turning to sora.

she points to a door directly next to the stage. "in there. you'll find him."

taehyung rushes towards the door, pushing the door open. it's busy inside, and the air conditioning is on full blast. taehyung shivers, cold in his body suit. [photo above/to the side] taehyung looks around the room, searching for jeongguk.

he pushes past people, barely apologizing for elbowing them in the ribs. taehyung is stopped by a loose hand around his forearm. "hey! you're that guy in jeon's painting!" the guy says, and taehyung smiles.

"yeah," he giggles.

"you really are pretty, prettier than he said," he smiles, and taehyung smiles back.

"thank you. do you know where i can find gguk?" taehyung asks, and the guy nods quickly.

"yeah! he's in there," he points to a closed door. taehyung sighs in relief.

"thank you...?" taehyung trails off, asking for his name.

"yoongi."

"thank you, yoongi!"

taehyung speed walks towards the door, not even knocking before he pushes the door open, revealing jeongguk who was packing up all of his things. taehyung closes the door and locks it, gaining jeongguk's attention.

"tae?" jeongguk asks, surprised and slightly nervous. jeongguk didn't expect to have to have this conversation so soon. he sighs. "look, i'm sorry. it's just, i couldn't think of anyone but you and i didn't mean to be cre-"

taehyung cuts him off by placing his lips on his. taehyung grabs his cheeks and pulls him closer, and jeongguk wraps his arms around the small taehyung's back. their lips move together perfectly, like they've done it a thousand times—they have.

taehyung smiles into the kiss, finally knowing what he tastes like again.

taehyung pulls back and sighs, looking into jeongguk's eyes with shining eyes, "i love you too."

+
damn son 😔
I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS BC I LOVED WRITING IT.

also i'm sick 😔 ya boy has tonsillitis send help.

so, what do you think?
[cue simply what do
you think montage]

muah 🥰