𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀 [𝘁𝗮𝗲𝗴𝗶]

002

taehyung walked jeongguk to his dorm. reading lips was hard for the blonde when he was standing next to someone, so he avoided conversation.

and besides... it hurt him a little every time jeongguk talked. no matter how hard he tries to, taehyung can never seem to be able to recall what the older's voice sounded like— but what he missed most, was jeongguk's laugh.

taehyung can still remember how both the brunette's smile and laugh could lift his spirits in seconds; but as the years went on and hardships were more consistent, sometimes jeongguk's smile wasn't enough. but he could never bring himself to tell the latter— the brunette wouldn't be able to handle it, despite the tough act he puts on.

taehyung was like a little brother to jeongguk. the blonde's emotions were tied to his own; anything that made taehyung unhappy, made the older ten times more unhappy. he'd been there for the younger since primary school, when his family migrated from bordeaux to lead a better life.

the two were, and always will be, best friends; it didn't matter that taehyung was a year younger, they might as well have been twins. you could never separate them. jeongguk couldn't even begin to think about what his childhood would have been like without taehyung.

they'd been next-door neighbors since they could remember— so it was no surprise when jeongguk was there the moment taehyung's parents came knocking on their door that day. once the words passed the blonde's mother's lips, the boy ran out, denying the thought of his friend holding death's hand.

[•][•][•]

jeongguk didn't know where he was going, he just needed a way out; a way to escape this warped reality where taehyung, his best friend, would no longer be able to hear his voice.

"they're lying. taehyung's fine. he'll be there.. sitting under the willow, waiting, like he always is."

but as jeongguk reached the grove, his running came to an abrupt end. he looked around for that fluffy bush of blonde hair— willow trees, flowerbeds, a couple small animals here and there but— no taehyung. tears filled jeongguk's eyes to the brim, "no." he squeezed his eyes shut and prayed that the boy would be in front him to tell him everything was okay.

but when he opened his eyes and his hazel brown irises adjusted to the sunlight, the tears fell. everything was there— the willows, the cattails, yellow chrysanthemums and tulips, and purple hyacinths, the woodland creatures.

everything was there except taehyung.

[•][•][•]

taehyung, of course, was grateful to have someone like jeongguk around, as it gets crowded sometimes. he was born into luxury as a city boy; paris was the only home the blonde knew. he wasn't complaining though; he had plenty of other scholarship offers from universities outside of france.

but taehyung doesn't think he could ever get tired from this city. paris is his home— his comfort zone— but it was more than that. this city is taehyung's inspiration, his muse; that and jeongguk. he could never abandon either one as they meant too much to him.

both boys relied on each other day and night. whenever taehyung needed jeongguk, he was there and vice-versa. taehyung was born an only child and jeongguk had an older brother who died while serving in the french military. but that didn't change a thing. they were still independent; still best friends.

them relying on each other had nothing to do with their place in society. they were both well-known throughout paris, mainly their university district, but they managed their careers on their own— with the acceptance of taehyung needing the older as a music consultant, considering he doesn't know what his work sounds like.

"y'know..." taehyung began, "i kinda miss bein' kids." the brunette turned to look at him before playing a sad smile on his lips. "yeah, but— do you really want to relive that day? i mean, think of what it did to you. you wouldn't eat or sleep for days and didn't talk for weeks." the look in taehyung's eyes saddened.

yes, he didn't talk for almost two months after the accident. but it wasn't because he didn't want to—he did, he really did— it was because he was scared to see his parents or jeongguk talk to him without actually being able to hear them.

for the longest time, that was taehyung's worst fear: not being able to hear another voice again. but as life went on, taehyung surpassed this fear, and began healing. not physically, but emotionally. and it happened to have been the best decision of his life. he wouldn't have the music and love he has now.

[•][•][•]

"i'll see you tomorrow." jeongguk reached for his keys, "i still can't believe spring break is already over." taehyung nodded; he didn't want to have to go back to producing so soon. "we have one more semester left, gguk. let's just get through it."

the two boys were confused to find the dorm empty— jimin was usually laying over the couch's armrest playing some game on his phone— but it seems he went out. taehyung laughed when he saw jeongguk looking around in mass confusion, "i'm gonna go home, i can't have yeontan here for very long. i don't feel like getting reprimanded by the dean again. say 'hi' to jimin for me!"

"bye ma tigre." jeongguk smiled before laughing at the blonde, who was red from frustration. he knew how much the younger disliked that nickname but he couldn't resist using it when the reaction was so funny to him.

"and stop calling me that!"