Chapter III
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What the hell did we do?
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* * *Day One* * *
Taehyung didn't know exactly how to feel about what happened, and the fact that he accepted meeting Jungkook made him feel a bit conflicted, confused, so he decided against telling Jimin or anyone else that he was about to meet him.
He knew Jimin would kill him when he finds out, but he preferred to understand why he accepted the invitation, why he felt so drawn to him, and he needed to do it alone.
Anyway, Taehyung liked to think that he was more curious than anything else, and just knowing that Jungkook only had a few days left in Seoul, determined him to be maybe a bit more excited to meet him.
He wanted to find out why Jungkook had been so eager to become his friend, especially during his last moments in Seoul, worst timing possible to give birth to a new friendship
On top of it, a change of scenery was exactly what Taehyung needed.
He put a white-collar shirt on, a simple pair of brown chinos, and his plain grey coat. Jungkook didn't exactly tell him where they were heading to, but he let him know mid-day that there had been a change of plans and he wanted to show Taehyung something, so, instead of meeting at 5 pm, they were to meet at 8.
He checked himself in the mirror, a bit disappointed that his mother hadn't visited in a while to give him an opinion. He took a quick picture and sent it to her, with no caption. His family was living in a different city, but Taehyung's mom would visit at least every two weeks to make sure her son was well and happy.
At first, when he moved to Seoul, his mom would live with him, because he was still young and Mrs. Kim wouldn't be able to stay away from her precious son, but as time passed by, she gradually had to go back to her home, to take care of their family business.
Taehyung smiled at himself confidently, knowing that his mom would just praise his looks at that point, and approached the door in the hallway.
-
Jungkook had his personal car, or at least that's what Taehyung thought because he offered to pick him up.
He didn't even have to wait. As soon as he opened the main gate to his apartment building, a C Class Mercedes was already waiting for him. Not thinking much of it, Taehyung approached the car and got in carefully, not to ruin his coat.
Jungkook didn't have any jacket on covering his shoulders this time, he had dressed in yet another plain t-shirt that allowed a strange and glaring contrast, highlighting his colored tattoos. With his right hand graciously placed on the steering wheel, Jungkook not only evoked a quiet yet overwhelming presence, but he was simply... Hot.
"Hi." Jungkook smiled at him, getting Taehyung out of his bubble.
Taehyung just had to admit that to himself, with no ulterior motives.
"Hi to you too." Taehyung didn't exactly know how to act. It didn't feel like a simple friendly meeting, but more like a date. However, it was not a date. It was not supposed to feel like a date. He slapped himself internally and tried to reason with the situation. "So, where are we going?"
"Nowhere special, actually, but I wanted to visit a certain place before... you know, leaving." Jungkook confessed. "Sorry I'm dragging you with me, I just... am happy that you accepted."
Taehyung had no idea why his presence was so important to Jungkook.
"I'm glad then." He smiled, not wanting to let the conversation die just yet. "To be honest, I accepted coming because I needed some fresh air. Have been locked up in my house for the past few days." He took his time to inspect the interior of the car, wondering whether it was actually Jungkook's, it didn't seem to have his touch.
"Oh, you like the car? It's my dad's." He chuckled. "He let me borrow it for the past few weeks, I had a lot of places to go to since I had to prepare paperwork."
Taehyung just nodded, praising himself internally for his finesse. "Can we go buy take-out coffee before arriving at the mysterious destination?"
"That was the plan all along." Jungkook winked, letting a comfortable silence settle.
Taehyung felt nice in Jungkook's presence, even though the odds that brought them together were strange, to say the least. It made no sense for them to be in the same place at the same moment, yet, Taehyung felt... great.
They bought two grande cafes from a take-away coffee pub and went back to their parked car. Before getting back in, Jungkook smoked a cigarette and Taehyung just joined him, watching the evening run its own course in the busy, noisy city. Car lights never stopping their movement, blinding the peaceful night.
"Beautiful," Taehyung murmured, getting lost in the scenery of the city.
"What did you say?" Jungkook tilted his head. "The city?"
Taehyung nodded lightly. "Yeah, I like cities. They are ugly, to be honest, you find dirt almost everywhere, too many cars, too loud, too busy, but if you look beneath all of that, thousands of people with their unique stories make it bloom."
Jungkook giggled. "Poetic."
"Been told." Taehyung accepted the compliment gracefully with a wink.
"Um, I wanted to apologize properly for that night a few days ago." Taehyung turned his gaze towards Jungkook just to see embarrassment all over his face. He looked anxious, so, instead of just brushing it off, Taehyung decided to take him seriously and accept his apology properly.
"I mean, it is true that we started off on the wrong foot, but everyone does have a bad day once in a while." He reassured, offering a warm smile.
Lips curling into a happy smile, Jungkook nodded, acknowledging Taehyung's words. He tossed his cigarette, in a trash bin this time, and got back to his car, followed by Taehyung.
"Truth to be told..." Jungkook started speaking with an uneasy tone. 'That night... At the pub... I was pretty excited to meet you all. Yoohyeon told me she was invited and that you and Jimin were there... But I managed to ruin it..." His eyes didn't leave the street ahead, but Taehyung was wondering how it would feel to stare into them.
"Me and Jimin?" Taehyung slightly chuckled. "Why?"
"Oh well, because you are the author of one of my favorite books. I regretted ruining that evening so much. I couldn't sleep properly that night." He giggled awkwardly.
Taehyung didn't even know that people in his school like Jungkook would get their hands on his book, maybe it was published because Seokjin helped, recommending him to a publishing house, but he was far from having success. It wasn't that easy to do so when no one has had the chance to know your name.
But that was something Taehyung intended to change.
"Did something happen... That night?" Taehyung asked, feeling like the subject wasn't over just yet.
"Um..." Jungkook slightly bit his lower lip, searching for his words, looking cool by the way, and replied. "It might sound ridiculous because it's not something... that serious.."
"It's alright, nothing is ridiculous if it is ruining your night." Taehyung reassured him.
Jungkook just nodded and continued, still focused on the road ahead. "Since I am moving, there are a lot of things going on... We had a few passport issues that day... and dad was mad at me for being out instead of being home, solving the issue. Well, I had to keep on chatting with him. So... you could say that my excitement died and it ruined my mood, I know it is not an excuse but... It just happened."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Jungkook. Don't worry, we are past that... since I'm here." Taehyung joked to change the mood a bit and focused on a different subject. "You haven't told me what you are going to Study in Japan."
"Oh, computer science."
"That's cool! As long as you like it, obviously."
"Yeah." Jungkook nodded with enthusiasm. "I'm in love with it actually, and studying in Japan was my childhood dream, so, I don't know, it makes me happy."
Taehyung wanted to see the spark in Jungkook's eyes. He just knew it was there, and it was contagious.
"I wish you the best of luck, Jungkook." Taehyung said honestly.
"Uh, thank you." Jungkook replied with the corners of his mouth curled into a smile.
"Um, I don't want to sound meddlesome, I am simply curious. When did you get all those tattoos and piercings? And how come?"
No matter how much Taehyng admired the ink on Jungkook's skin, the question still ate at the back of his mind. Did he have a rebellious phase? He does look like it. The more seconds he spent with Jungkook, the more questions appeared in Taehyung's head, and he felt eager to find the answers.
Was it a bad sign?
"Oh, the tattoos. I got my first when I was sixteen."Jungkook laughs, embarrassed. "Not really proud of that one but I plan on changing its shape. I've done a few behind my parent's back, and some after I was already eighteen. One of my friend's dad has a parlor so... Let's say I took advantage of that."
Taehyung just nodded in understanding. "I see. They are really cool, though! Never had the courage to get one." He stared at his arms, trying to picture some ink on the skin. "I don't even think it would fit me."
Jungkook narrowed his eyes, inspecting him for a few moments. "Maybe. Maybe something small, delicate would fit your image, but clearly not something remotely close to what I have."
Taehyung felt small under Jungkook's staring gaze.
The feeling was new to him.
-
"We are... Here." Jungkook announced.
"Dragon Hill?" Taehyung peaked on the right side window as Jungkook was parking in a parking lot with a city view. Taehyung has been living in Seoul for the past four years but never had the chance to climb Dragon Hill. It was breathtaking.
Taehyung loved everything about that view. Every building had its own story, their lights flickering, creating shades of colors, blended to make the rusty city shine on a chilly spring night.
*
As the smile fell from your face, I fell with it
Our faces blue
There's a heart stain on the carpet
I left it, I left it with you
*
"I love spending time here.." Jungkook murmured, a shy smile playing on his lips. " I am going to miss it here so much." He turned on the radio, connecting his phone to the system.
Curious, Taehyung waited for Jungkook to play the song that he desired, just to notice that he chose, out of everything, a Troye Sivan song.
A song that Taehyung had always loved, but had the feeling that he had never actually felt its meaning until today.
Something about it was making him glum.
*
So go get running, won't you hurry
While it's light out, while It's early
Before I start to miss, any part of this
And change my mind whatever.
*
"Thanks for dragging me along." He smiled towards Jungkook. "I feel like... we have known each other for a while now even though it's been just a few days." He laughed softly, not even knowing what had gotten into him. He fixed his gaze back on the flickering city lights, resembling fireflies.
"The truth is that... I feel the same." Jungkook replied, a pensive expression on his face.
"Tell me some more about you, Jungkook, I am curious. You look like a metalhead, a mostly secluded personality. I have a feeling you are not like that." Taehyung turned towards Jungkook, waiting expectantly for an answer.
Jungkook started laughing at the mention of the metal-head thingy. "Yeah, I look like one. Actually, I listen to metal sometimes, I have friends that do, I like this style, but I'm also...the opposite sometimes." He confessed bashfully. "I like spending time with my friends, I don't like gloomy people, I like studying and working on school projects, I love listening to music, all types of genres, I love reading books," He turned towards Taehyung, staring into his eyes, showing Taehyung the flickering he was looking forward to. "The one written by you is one of my favorites."
"You are one of the few people who got the chance to read it. Thank you for liking it, it means a lot to me." Taehyung answered with honesty.
"To be honest... I stole this book from Yoongi, and I didn't know you were the writer when I borrowed it, but then... When I found out, I became your admirer. I felt inspired by what you wrote, by the main character, I mean... It is obvious that you worked so hard to create him, he felt so... relatable. Plus, Aiden is so cool, when will I ever?" He laughed, taking a large gulp of what was left of his coffee.
"Well... " Taehyung felt attached to Jungkook inexplicably, his simple presence making his stomach jump. He didn't know why, but he made him feel different. "Aiden is like... awesome, but has a lot of flaws as well, and I do believe that what's so special about him is that he was more human than most of the main characters in books. Also, I created him to my liking, but it doesn't mean you cannot be cool, or even cooler in your own way. I mean, I am really glad that my book inspired you. Let this character's.. hmm... Determination? Yeah, that's the word... Guide you." He shared a boxy smile with Jungkook, hoping that what he said made sense.
Jungkook's face reddened in a split second, eyes searching for everything but Taehyung's. "I was so excited to meet you that night. And I am so glad that you accepted my apology... I don't have enough time to show you that I'm not that bad, but I'll try my best to be myself if we can stay friends," Jungkook declared with a shaky voice.
It was a lot to take in for Taehyung. He didn't know how his book ended up with Jungkook? How did Jungkook end up being invited to the same pub as him? How did Yoongi agree to give him his number? How did he accept to meet him?
He didn't know how or why.
The universe was challenging him.
"Jungkook.." Taheyung spoke in a softer voice than he intended, not thinking too much of his actions. " Thank you." He offered a tender smile while grabbing Jungkook's face between the light touch of his fingers, stroking his frail skin. "I'm glad someone feels this strongly towards my story. I have put a lot of effort into writing it... Creating the main character and his personality gave me a reason to keep going. I wanted to see him grow up into the strong hero everyone admires, but also, into the strong hero that anyone can be."
Talking to Jungkook was easy for Taehyung, he looked captivated whenever Taehyung spoke, and he didn't get to experience having someone that interested in what he did up until now. It was true that his friends, especially Jimin, hyped up his stories, but Jungkook's reaction was the most genuine he had received until now, so he kept on telling him about his writing experiences while Jungkook kept the conversation alive, asking questions and comparing his own dreams to Taehyung's.
All things considered, they weren't that different. They were two determined young men, fighting their own demons in hopes of making their dreams come true.
The topics they discussed slowly went from one to another, the thrill and the excitement of sharing things with Jungkook only raising during the hours they spent together, small butterflies being brought to life in Taehyung's stomach, slowly making him more nervous thinking of the other's departure.
The passing hours proved to them both that they had more in common than they had ever imagined. Jungkook was passionate about gaming, a passion that Taehyung himself shared with him. Maybe he wasn't that dedicated, but living alone, he did spend countless nights playing video games, alone or with his friends.
"I'd love playing a Counter-Strike or Overwatch match with you, one versus one, Taehyung, just to show off my skills, obviously." Jungkook teased, a confident smirk playing on his lips.
Taehyung just rolled his eyes in response, not wanting to give in to Jungkook's competitive side. "Unless I'd beat your ass."
"I highly doubt that..." A mischievous look coated Jungkook's face, "I mean, there's a week left, you can always come over to play a few matches if you want?"
"I mean... If you are so keen on losing, why not?" Taehyung joked, " Alright then, it's settled."
-
It was 2 am when Taehyung decided it was time to head home. He did have a lot of fun with Jungkook, but they couldn't spend the rest of the night in his car.
Jungkook drove him home.
The whole ride had been silent, a bit of tension settling between the two. Taehyung couldn't really place the tension, and why it was there to begin with. They joked around, they discussed a lot of topics, but the air wasn't that dense before.
Most likely, the sole idea that they were close to saying their farewell for the night created certain expectations.
Jungkook played the "Lost Boy" song he showed Taehyung earlier that day, knowing that he enjoyed the song as well. Taehyung did nothing but listen to the lyrics, enjoying a peaceful feeling, not wanting to ruin the mood with words.
The last few minutes passed by in no time, and Jungkook's car was already in front of Taehyung's apartment. Taehyung bid his farewell, and closed the door behind him, smiling to himself.
However, when he was about to reach for the gate, he stopped in his tracks, realizing that the car hadn't left. Jungkook was waiting for him to get inside.
He turned around just to see Jungkook watching him, sheepish smile playing on his lips.
Taehyung shared the smile, and instinctively ran back, bypassing the car until he was close to Jungkook's window.
"Gamer boy, I think I forgot something." He smiled as Jungkook rolled the window down, big, doe, glassy eyes, glistering with curiosity. "Thank you for today."
Jungkook just offered a candid curl of lips in response. "Thank you for coming."
When life tells you not to do something, when life puts everything in your way to block you from taking a certain turn, and when red flags are raised everywhere, one is supposed to listen to it, to the signs.
Taehyung had never been the type to think too much about things, but neither to be spontaneous. He liked to make decisions based on his experience, always taking into consideration circumstances.
That night, Taehyung didn't think, didn't take into consideration the circumstances, and ignored his brain telling him he had a bad idea.
Taehyung ignored the red flags.
While the song was still forgotten on repeat on Jungkook's car, Taehyung felt in the mood of doing something stupid, so he leaned in.
*
Yeah, when you found a beginning
That this wasn't ever ending
Shouldn't stay too long
'Cause we're both too young to give into forever
*
He leaned in, eyes closed, removing what space was left between him and Jungkook, just close enough to give Jungkook the decision whether they should dissipate the last millimeters, giving him the chance to back down.
But Jungkook didn't, and when their lips touched enthusiastically, Taehyung felt an adrenaline rush, spring flowers blooming in his insides.
Kissing Jungkook made Taehyung feel better than he imagined, lighter, as if he was floating in the ocean. The only difference was that the ocean was Jungkook's fragrance.
Taehyung parted after a mere second, giving Jungkook one last wave of hand before heading back to his apartment, face frozen, body paralyzed, thoughts crippled.
He closed the door and didn't even bother to change his clothes. He jumped into his bed, falling asleep with Jungkook's taste on his lips, refusing to let second thoughts resurface.
-
* * *Day Two* * *
Taehyung woke up feeling like he had been sleeping for the past two days, rested, and with a grin clinging to his face.
That was at least until the events of the previous day slowly decided to return, hitting him like a truck.
He quickly found himself in a panic state. His first instinct was to call Jimin, but again, why call Jimin, he would just rush over and interrogate Taehyung.
What would Taehyung say?
What did he do?
He should just pretend nothing happened, right?
Preparing his breakfast and morning coffee, he began to feel a slight emotion of gloominess... slowly engulfing his stomach, unwanted thoughts disturbing his what-was-supposed-to-be peaceful morning.
When trying to put his hands on the emotion he felt, he noticed that it could only intensify the more he thought of Jungkook.
Especially when thinking of him leaving.
Taehyung didn't know what to do with his feelings, it was an awkward sensation for him. A part of him wanted to see Jungkook again, right at that moment, but another part of him wanted to hide inside of his closet, running away from the emotions that were about to unveil.
He tried to convince himself that what happened the previous night was just a spontaneous occurrence, nothing more. Jungkook would leave soon, it would be a beautiful memory for Taehyung and hopefully, they could stay friends.
Taehyung went back to his breakfast, head a bit clearer, refusing to think about Jungkook. He was about to have a nice, relaxing day, maybe he could even have Jimin over without even mentioning Jungkook.
11:43, Jeon:
Morning! Um, I hope you are awake.
Or maybe not.
11:47, Me:
Morning. :)
11:47, Me
Yes, I was having breakfast.
11:48, Jeon:
Oh, enjoy!
11:48, Jeon:
I was wondering, um, do you wanna have dinner this evening? I know a great food place and I'm planning to go.
11:49, Jeon:
If you wanna join...
11:49, Jeon:
I'd be glad. :D
10 seconds later Taehyung dialed Jimin's phone number. He didn't want to bring Jimin into it again, but desperate times require desperate measures.
Taehyung was dependent on Jimin, he just didn't like to admit it out loud.
"Emergency meeting Jimin, I don't care if you are sleeping, I need your help."
-
"You did what?" Jimin asked, astonished from the other side of the phone line.
"It was just a small peck on the lips!" Taehyung excused himself, not actually believing his own words.
"Not only that you went out on a date with Jeon Jungkook without telling me but you had also freaking kissed him, Taehyung? And what? He will leave for Japan in a few days? This is too much to process, even for me!" Jimin exclaimed with honesty, overwhelmed by Taheyung's confession.
"I am sorry I didn't tell you... I didn't consider it a date... I'm only realizing it now and he wants me to join him on a second one. For dinner. I don't know what to do.." Taehyung confessed genuinely, feeling at a loss of ideas.
Jimin sighed from the other side of the phone after asking a few more questions, to make sure he understood the situation properly. "Tae, I would definitely go, but I don't want you to do whatever I suggest, you know how I am... I do things spontaneously, without getting too attached... I did this several times but you... how do I put it... You are not used to one-time stuff only, and I don't want you to get hurt." Jimin confessed wholeheartedly. "And on top of that... I don't know much about this Jeon guy, and I am sure you don't either."
"I... don't think I would get hurt. I am just a bit conflicted, because I don't know what can happen? It wasn't such a big deal I guess... Maybe that kiss was nothing, it was just... It was late, we were both tired." Taehyung explained himself as if Jimin would need his explanation.
"Tae..." Jimin mentioned his friend's name with worry in his tone. "If you really want to do it, then do it. I wouldn't want you to regret it later, but, be careful. Please. And don't hide it from me, I would never tell you to do something I feel you wouldn't want to. I want you to follow your heart."
"I love you, Jimin."
"Please take care, have fun, enjoy what makes you happy."
Taehyung knew what his heart was telling him to do.
He just wanted to see the sparkle in Jungkook's eyes again.
-
"Hey." Taehyung found Jungkook waiting for him, again, this time at the restaurant Jungkook mentioned. It wasn't necessarily a classy place, but it was designed in a traditional Korean style and the decorations were pretty, emitting cordial vibes. Taehyung already liked it.
He took a seat at the table, on the opposite side of Jungkook, smiling at the sight of the other.
Taehyung decided to stop overthinking the moment he was out the door, promising to himself that he would just enjoy Jungkook's company tonight, nothing more.
He didn't know what Jungkook felt in regards to what happened, but to a certain extent, he was too scared to ask. If the other wanted to keep it in the past, Taehyung might just pretend it didn't happen; it happened in the spur of the moment after all.
"I assume you wanted to taste the food of this restaurant for the last time before leaving?" Taehyung started a small conversation after he ordered a portion of Bulgogi, looking forward to the way the restaurant was going to prepare it.
"Actually, yeah, there are some things that I'm going to miss a lot. This restaurant is part of it. One of my mom's favorites." Jungkook smiled nostalgically as if he had already left. When Taehyung's eyes met his, he realized how simple it was for them to communicate. They didn't need actual words. Jungkook's eyes spoke through their silence, confessing his regrets, fears, waiting for a reason or for someone to tell him not to leave.
In contrast, Taehyung grinned, offering his most encouraging expression. Jungkook had an immense opportunity in front of him, and it was only natural to be scared, to feel like backing down, to hang onto something that would keep him here, safe and sound, with the things and people he was so used to.
Yet he knew that Jungkook needed it. Someone had to give him a push forward, not to drag him back. "It's going to be awesome for you, Jungkook. You are going to nail Japan, and I'm convinced your dream will come true. Plus, it is not that far away, you can visit us a lot, I'm sure of it!"
Jungkook nodded, unconvinced somehow. "I used to think that there's nothing special here that I would miss. In reality... I couldn't wait to get away from here, from my parents, this city, everything. But now... when the departure day is so close... I think I'm starting to have regrets... I should have appreciated everything I had more."
"Hmm. Well, I can't contradict you here, because I haven't lived through your eyes, but you can always come back Jungkook. When I left my hometown, I felt the same, but it was just the fear of change. It's just a few years, you can decide whether you come back or not, right? Give yourself a break. Do not look back, chin up, gaze forward. You can do it!" Taehyung encouraged, happy that he could use his own experience to offer a small piece of advice.
Jungkook's lips curled into a hopeful smile, just enough to show his bunny teeth. "I will miss you too, Taehyung. I am sorry I didn't get the chance to get to know you better..."
Rolling his eyes to avoid making the moment too weighty, Taehyung replied with a short laugh. "I will miss you too, but we can keep in touch, you know?"
"Yeah. Let's do that, then. Promise?"
"It's a promise."
-
*
I just want to go wild
I just wanna fuck shit up and just ride
In your car tonight
In your bed tonight
I just want to sing loud
I just want to lose myself in a crowd
In your arms tonight
Burn in his arms tonight
*
After dinner, one of the best he had ever had, Taehyung accepted going on a car ride with Jungkook.
Again.
The younger insisted that he wanted to take in the capital of South Korea before leaving as much as possible. Feeling full, content, and comfortable, Taehyung accepted.
Jungkook didn't ask Taehyung this time if he was okay with his music, he just played a song on repeat, changing the song of the day, making Taehyung's stomach curl with tension. Jungkook didn't mention their previous kiss, but they have discussed some sensitive topics, so it wasn't like they hadn't had the opportunity.
Taehyung wondered whether Jungkook regretted it.
During the ride, they talked about the city, sharing childhood and high school memories. Jungkook even told Taehyung a bit about his friends.
It was the second time Taehyung was seeing Jungkook, but he just loved how comfortable he felt in his presence, a comfort that inexplicably made him want more. They had so much to catch up on, feeling as if time was rushing them through their conversations.
There was not much time left.
Jungkook drove them to a nearby park, suggesting they should take a short break.
Taehyung accepted since the weather wasn't that bad and he wanted to spend a little bit more time with Jungkook. At this point, he didn't even question himself. Following Jimin's advice, he had to do what he felt, followed his instincts.
His whole being told him to stay a little bit longer.
Jungkook pulled his pack of Dunhill cigs out of his jeans and lit a one as soon as they were outside, zipping his black leather jacket. Without ulterior motives, Taehyung observed the way the jacket embraced Jungkook's body tightly, highlighting the curves of his biceps, the seamlessness of his waist, contrasting the masculinity of his arms.
Taehyung was hooked by the image but tried to ignore the tension building in his stomach.
"When did you start smoking?" Taehyung asked matter of factly, with the intent of creating conversation until they found a bench to sit on.
"Hmm, around last year I guess?" Jungkook chuckled. "If the smoke bothers you, lemme know, I won't smoke then."
"Oh, it's not something that bothers me." Taehyung reassured. Deep inside, he found the image of Jungkook smoking quite hot but he kept the comment to himself.
"I started smoking as a joke with my friends but now, I do it because... all of my fun memories have been accompanied by a cigarette." Jungkook explained. "I'm not smoking all the time, but I enjoy associating it with special occasions." He smiled, looking at Taehyung with soft doe eyes, the opposite of the image he displayed.
"Am I a special occasion?" Taehyung joked, snickering.
"Of course you are, Taehyung." He replied to the elder's joke with an unexpected seriousness, making him gulp involuntarily. "I need to ask you something." Jungkook motioned towards the closest bench to him and walked ahead, taking a seat. He waited for Taehyung to follow.
Not knowing what to expect, Taehyung just followed suit and joined Jungkook, body shivering from the coldness of the bench.
"Do you regret last night?" Jungkook asked, fidgeting with his jacket zipper, avoiding looking Taehyung in the eyes.
Happy that it was Jungkook the one who brought the subject up, Taehyung replied with yet another question. "How could I regret it when I initiated it, Jungkook?" He replied with honesty, a bit afraid of Jungkook's reply.
Tilting his head toward Taehyung, Jungkook looked into his eyes, expectantly. "Would you do it again?"
Off guard, Taehyung froze at the question, mouth half-open.
"Y-yes."
It was late at night again, just the two of them in the secluded park, surrounded by the sounds of a few crickets that came to life early in the spring that year.
Jungkook just smiled and approached Taehyung, giving time to let the moment settle within, with silence, wetting his lips, before closing the gap between them.
The cigarette slipped Jungkook's fingers, landing on the ground in silence.
Time slowed down.
Taehyung felt dizzy, everything happened in slow motion.
The breeze was cold, but Taehyung appreciated the chills of the night, because seeing Jungkook being so close to him, smelling his fresh breath, staring into his gleaming eyes made his ears redden, breath shorten and body heathen.
Having Jungkook initiate a kiss, his own lips touched by Jungkook's, made Taehyung's toes curl in his shoes. He touched his lips featherly, just enough to acknowledge the kiss, testing the waters, waiting for Taehyung's reaction.
Taehyung liked to take things slow, to be patient, to take it a step at a time, but with Jungkook it was different.
It felt as if he was turning into a different person. He was impatient, he wanted more, he didn't want to waste any more seconds, he wanted much more of Jungkook than he could have.
Enjoying Jungkook's hands around his waist and his bold touch, Taehyung put his arm around Jungkook's neck, embracing him, pulling closer.
He stuck his lips to his, tasting and feeling, enjoying the sweetness of Jungkook's lips contrasting the sour taste of desperation.
What he had at that moment was about to vanish way too soon.
The taste of cigarettes blended with Jungkook's flavor was about to be gone, and Taehyung won't be able to taste it ever again.
Consequently, he pulled him even closer, curling his fingers in Jungkook's hair strands, biting his lower lip, asking for the other to open his mouth, to give access to his tongue. Jungkook let Taehyung take control over the kiss, reciprocating the rush and burn of Taehyung's movements, meeting his tongue, playing with it, tasting every bit of him.
Taehyung knew that he was short on fresh air and he needed to part for at least a moment, but he refused to let go, to stop the kiss. He needed to keep kissing Jungkook, to lick into his mouth, he couldn't let the melody of their short breaths dissipate, not just yet. It might have been his favorite sound.
Even the sound of the leaves being ruffled by the breeze has been long forgotten, Taehyung being too invested in their desperate moment.
It was the most intense kiss Taehyung had ever had, the truest one, the only kiss that he never wanted to let go of.
The touch of Jungkook's soft, petal-like lips;
His delightful, delicious taste;
The honey-like pain that resulted from their small, wild lip bites.
Taehyung was going to miss all of it, and he had barely even tasted it.
Link of the Spotify Playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7023kgikYESGvIdVi5haCj?si=93a6ebae5ce74a4a