"Hyung, say sike"
Taehyung said as they walked through the campus, smiling and greeting students on their way. They- as in him and Namjoon. The elder passed a look at him but said nothing. Taehyung poked his elbow, wanting to get attention from the president.
"Tae, I don't know what your peanut brain is planning but whatever it is, it's not gonna happen."
The council members were walking toward the venues of the art fest to check the practices of the music and dance team. Taehyung was forced to tag along with Namjoon, skipping a lecture by Professor Hong about The man in the history of the 1800s. He grabbed Namjoon's biceps, feeling the muscles under his palm, and let out a yelp for which Namjoon chuckled. He knows Taehyung can get anything he wants from him in a blink, but Namjoon really wanted to try not to give in so easily.
"Aren't you the uni heartthrob, the hotshot of this universe and another universe, sexy Namjoon?"
As expected, Namjoon paused on his track, arms crossed around his chest as he looked at a widely grinning Taehyung.
"You're lucky you're cute, Kim Taehyung."
He said with a pat on Taehyung's shoulder and took out his phone as soon as he got a notification. Staring back and forth at the phone screen and Taehyung, the president waited for the other to say his plan. Namjoon was already loaded with work and he wasn't really planning to tolerate a pouty Taehyung because that would be one hell of a job. Besides, no one likes sulky Taehyung. Sassy Taehyung has more fans.
"Now tell me what's it?"
"Yaay! That's my favorite hyung..."
"Taehyung!" -Namjoon called out, patiently waiting for Taehyung to say whatever was on his mind. He found the younger smiling wholeheartedly and Namjoon felt somewhere Taehyung was going to ask something simple. Or modest. Or something less exhausting. Only if he knew what was on his way.
"Make me your model."
What?
"Okay.
No. Wait what?"
With eyes wide and a flabbergasted expression, Namjoon asked, couldn't really realize how his belief had gone wrong. Well, how could he misunderstand Taehyung and his smirking lips?
"Taehyung, I wish I could but I don't want to."
Oh well, that's not good. Especially when Taehyung had his eyes wide like saucers, lips curled into a pout, and fingers fidgeting. Namjoon regretted the right moment when he said those and wished to take back the words as soon as possible. Taehyung looked away from him and started walking. Stunned to do anything, Namjoon followed the younger.
"I mean... My photography project is about phenomenological and poetic narratives hidden in a photograph. But I don't want...
Oh, wait."
That's when Namjoon felt everything falling into its place. With Taehyung side glancing at him with a sheepish grin and he was standing astonished by the information in the middle of the campus, ignoring the eyes boring on them, the council president got it.
"Don't tell me... This is all about the redacted whom you want to impress---"
"No. This is not. This is about me being generous to my hyung by sharing the born artist in me that I saved for years from---"
"Okay, okay. I get it. You're the art here. But... No. I don't want a model at this point."
Namjoon was a photography major and the younger knew someone else who was a photography major too. It was all planned but before he could hear another whine from Taehyung, Namjoon covered his ears and walked fast. People stared at the two being dramatic in the middle of the campus but they could care less about it. Namjoon on the other hand, tried his best to avoid a stubborn Taehyung and his flattering offers. As they stopped in front of the conference hall, where a meeting was fixed after an hour, Taehyung grabbed Namjoon's hand, stopping him on his track.
"Tae... Are you that..."
"Desperate? Yes. Sick? Lovesick. Fool? Only for him."
Namjoon snorted at the words, suppressing big laughter, and replied.
"Whipped? More than the cream.
But still... You know how things are..."
They both knew. Even Taehyung's close friends circle knew but no one tells a word about it. Not because it could hurt the younger but because Taehyung will never back out from being in love, being a fool, and being whipped for Jeon Jungkook. It was better for them to support the male rather than offend him in any way. Namjoon looked softly at Taehyung, knowing that the flood of thought will be already messing with his truce yet he heard Taehyung replying with a mischievous grin.
"You know what, Kim Namjoon. I don't even need your stupid project. You'll see, even Gucci will stand in line to have as their model. You and your project can go and eat some grass.
Now, I'll go find my husbun and we will have ice cream and talk about how shitty you treat me in the council. I'm gonna sue you, president Kim"
Taehyung was breathless, the pout on his lips was adorable that reminded Namjoon of a kid who fought with his mom to buy a new toy. No, not any kid, it made him take a walk back to the younger Taehyung. He stifled the yearning to laugh out loud and smiled looking down.
"Oh, secretary Kim and your melodramatic ass, is this finally the time for me to bring up the epic ''your husbun doesn't even know you exist" line? "
Teasing Taehyung, the elder opened the conference room and led the way inside for them. He scanned around the equipment and seatings while listening to Taehyung whining.
"Hyunggg... Not you too...
I mean, I know he doesn't know me... But still..."
The words trailed off, blending with the wind like a mellow rhythm. Face low, gaze soft, and lips forming into a pout, Taehyung looked outside the glass window, contemplating the words he left unfinished. The hope- Namjoon knows what stopped Taehyung and what made him move on even after the thousands of teasing comments was the little hope inside Taehyung. He wonders what magic can love do to people.
"Down so bad in this, huh?"
"For an eternity."
The council president heard Taehyung. He couldn't help but plaster a little smile on his lips. They both continued their work, cleaning the room, setting up the presentation and lighting, arranging the chairs, and discussing the points to note down in the meeting.
"So, after creating a team of five, we can do some more efficient work for the artfest."
Namjoon said, flipping the pages of the document in front of him. His one hand holding a lollipop Taehyung gave him while the younger listened to him carefully munching on his own candy.
"We can create social media campaigns too. That way, more people will join us for the fest."
While writing down the points, Taehyung commented. His notepad was filled with ideas they discussed and random doodles. Namjoon passed a glance, nodding at the suggestion of the younger. After their little discussion, both leaned back, stretching their hands and legs while sighs left the front of their mouths. With a soft giggle, they both sat like that, opposite each other.
"Hey, Tae..."
"Hmm?"
"Have you ever felt like giving up?"
Taehyung shuffled to sit straight, eyes concentrating on Namjoon's curious dragon orbs. The elder found how Taehyung took a deep inhale before drawing a charming smile on his lips - the kind of smile that most of the uni has never seen.
"Giving up on him? Giving up on my love?
Nope. Never."
There was an essential quietness settled between them, reminding them that heart-to-heart talk was all that we all need sometimes. Pushing the documents aside, Taehyung laid on the table, head resting atop his arms, and whispered.
"Once you fall in love, you'll feel like that's what you were searching for all these times, that that's what is the only right thing for you.
And even if I want, I can never give up on loving him. Because it became my habit. Loving him is what I look forward to every morning when I wake up from sleep and every night before I go to sleep."
A soft smile lingered on his face as he completed the words, knowing that Namjoon had eyes fixed on him. He felt a little relieved at the thought that finally, he got to share the burden in his heart. The view outside of the window was what they see every other day but today, it felt so different. It felt colorless yet beautiful. Maybe it's just in his heart. Taehyung let out a hefty sigh and stood up to leave, collecting his things.
"Don't think too much about it, Namjoon-ah. You'll find your answers once you'll meet the one!"
Taehyung whispered and Namjoon repeated.
"The one!"
Walking out of the room, they bid bye to go to their respective classes, only after thanking each other for how their words and support helped them to find serenity at least for a short time. Taehyung glanced at his wristwatch, showing past three-thirty, his usual timing to pay a visit to the library. With an amusing smile, he sauntered to the library block, humming to a tune stuck in his head since the morning.
A slight red blush spread across his bread cheeks as he stepped inside the world of tales, the warmth of the library and the scent of old books embraced him as soon as he took a deep whiff. He missed this. He missed feeling at home.
He walked slowly, tracing each stack of books, smiling after reading the names of the masterpiece he always admired. Taehyung scanned his usual spot. Opposite the fantasy section, the corner near the window, gloomy and calm to his liking, was the perfect spot to get the perfect glimpse of the table opposite him in the same line. There sat his lover.
Settling on his seat, Taehyung smiled to himself. Ah, it's been a long time. So long since he had seen Jeon Jungkook doodling on his notebook, one hand supporting his chin, while gazing at the neat notebook in front of him, sometimes glancing outside and smiling to himself. He was a boy in his own world, with earphones plugged in and dreamy eyes following every line his pencil led him to draw. Jungkook always mesmerized Taehyung.
Even now, when Taehyung was (creepily) staring at the man, with a grin on his lips, the open book was abandoned in front of him while his hand traveled to hold his chest. With the evening sun lighting through the window in thin lines, they both looked surreal. Too good to be true, too pure to belong to this realm.
Unknowingly his hands traveled to scribble something on the notebook as his eyes were in pleasure after seeing Jungkook doing what he loves. Taehyung watched him solely from afar even though they were just meters apart. It felt like the other side of the earth, out of his reach and too far to walk. Taehyung's hands tightened around the pen as the familiar sting of tears threatened to fall out of his eyes.
Time traveled fast when he was enjoying the scenery in front of him, wishing for Jungkook to notice his existence at least once. Just a smile or even a glance- Taehyung craved it. The silent library vacated one by one, tables emptied and the surroundings became gloomier as the dusk fell apart on campus.
They didn't realize that the other students were leaving until Jungkook's gaze was averted to the window, watching the perfect dusk with a soft curl of his lips. Taehyung was busy admiring his lover when his phone buzzed and he looked at the message notification from his soulmate. He called his best friend.
"Chiminieee..."
"I know, Tae, I know. Jeon Jungkook looks so pretty, he's so beautiful, he looks soft, you want to nom nom him, wondering what he was drawing In his notebook, I know. Please don't scream in my ears."
Smirking at the words of his best friend, Taehyung said in a low voice so that no one could hear him and not even wanting Jungkook to turn at him only to hear his confession to Jimin.
"No wonder you completed my moon, soulmate. But yeah. Jeon Jungkook, oh the man you're, so hot and handsome. In front of me---"
"Babe, just get your ass here in the council or grab some guts to go tell your boy that you've been stalking him for like what... An eternity?"
Jimin retorted for which Taehyung pouted, his eyes already widening as if his best friend was looking at him so he can use the puppy eyes.
"Yah, I'll tell him, one day. For now, just don't interrupt me from falling in love again and again..."
"Honey, I'm just stopping you from being more delusional. You know, it's not good there. But yeah, you never listen..."
Sentiments were filling inside him as he rambled to Jimin through the call for some more good minutes, about how he was going insane watching Jeon Jungkook breathing. Bidding bye to his best friend, telling him to catch up later at the council or their dorm, Taehyung tore his gaze back to Jungkook. But the seat was empty.
Nervousness, fear, perplexity - all this bubbled up inside him as he stared at the empty seat and stood up slowly to search for the man. Taehyung tried to be subtle about it but he was sure that the expression on his face would be saying how desperate he was to see Jungkook again.
When he peeked through the stacks of books, Taehyung couldn't find either Jungkook or any other students. Then again, it was late, past five in the evening, and if he couldn't make it up to see Jungkook again, it would be better if he left the place. Their dorm was a few meters away, and Taehyung was tired of going anywhere else now. He wanted to sleep.
With his head hurting and his heart dropping at the thought of not sighting Jungkook before leaving, Taehyung decided to scurry out of the library. Just when he collected his book, the light went off, and the cool breeze coming from outside through the window hinted at the rain that was about to pour down in a minute.
A smile decorated his lips as his glimpse got glued to the cloudy sky ready to fall on the earth. Soon, the entire lighting of the library went off. Only the thin string of evening hue from the windows was what lit up the whole library, still, it was difficult to spot things and read book names.
Taehyung pulled out his phone and was about to turn on the flashlight. But before he could do anything or even think of something to get out of the library, in a painfully slow motion, he heard the door closing, locking it from outside. He stood in the middle of the dark library, doors closed, lights off, surrounded by fantasies and histories he never heard before, all alone like a grey dot.
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[Spoiler: something is gonna happen with Taehyung and he's totally not ready for it, so are we.]
Hope you're having fun. Share your thoughts...
See you soon...
~AnecdotesOfABroken