Ever since that one time, Taehyung would thicken his skin every night to call Jungkook. Jungkook had also suddenly become considerate by never once laughing at him and telling him bedtime stories.
It was Taehyung who was somewhat unaccustomed to this. During the daytime, he asked Jimin, "Why did Jungkook suddenly become so well-behaved?"
"How will I know."
"Is it possible that he's secretly in love with me as well?" After saying this, Taehyung immediately shuddered and shook his head. "No, no, no, the thought of this is too scary."
He felt that he might be reading too much into things. One moment it was Jimin, the next it was Jungkook—without distinction between age and gender, how could it be that the whole world was secretly in love with him? He might be a little too narcissistic...
Taehyung decided to repay Jungkook's kindness by treating him to meals, which he accepted cheerfully. This brat's appetite was huge. Taehyung was thoroughly bankrupted by him by the time it came for him to head home.
He did not even have the money to buy a lunchbox on the high-speed rail. Right before boarding the train, he held a bag of cup noodles. Jungkook counted and there was a total of four cups.
This was the first time Jungkook saw someone took the effort to bring cup noodles home from thousands of miles away. He asked, "What's this?"
"Food for the train ride."
"Four cups?"
"There's also your share." With the responsibility of a zookeeper, Taehyung was still concerned about treating him at a time like this. He also brought a corn-flavored sausage. "You can have a bite later," he told Jungkook.
Jungkook didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He shook his head and said, "I don't want to bite this."
"Then what do you want to bite?"
He turned his head without saying a word. His lips quirked and his gaze landed in the distance. Just like this, he merely smiled in silence.
A tall, handsome youth with a bright and gentle smile planted in the ebbing flow of the ceaseless crowd—this was a striking sight that drew the eyes of everyone who walked past.
Taehyung said, "I know what you want to bite."
"Oh?" Jungkook retracted his gaze and lowered his head to look at Kim.
Taehyung winked at him. "I'll buy you a dog chew toy when we get back."
Jungkook was utterly speechless. He raised his hands and shoved up his sleeves. "You, come here."
Taehyung of course did not go over. He turned and ran around the luggage. Jungkook's movements were faster than theirs and Jeon's legs were longer. With just one stride, he moved to the other side and blocked Kim's path. Not giving him the chance to escape in another direction, he grabbed his shoulder and effortlessly hauled him back.
Jungkook hooked his arm over Taehyung's neck and singlehandedly towed him into his embrace. His laughter was a little sinister. "Go on, why aren't you running anymore?"
"Wait, wait, wait. Don't be like this. We can talk things out." Taehyung was an adaptable person. He tugged on Jeon's arms and tried to break free. The two of them were very close and Kim's shoulders were almost pressing against Jungkook's chest. When he breathed, Taehyung's body could distinctively discern the rise and fall of his chest. This made Taehyung feel an inexplicable sense of awkwardness and shyness.
Jungkook landed a merciless finger flick on Kim's head, causing Taehyung's body to give a light shudder of pain. Feeling the tremble of the teenage boy in his arms, his heart had an odd sensation that was part satisfaction and part faint desire for something more. His dream surfaced in his head. Though it appeared as fragmented scenes, this did not diminish the dream's titillation. His breathing became uneven and the heaving of his chest deepened.
Taehyung was still struggling fiercely when Jungkook suddenly let go and released him.
Taehyung rubbed his head. "Petty."
Jungkook turned without looking at Taehyung and pulled his luggage to the ticket gantry.
Baffled, Taehyung grabbed his luggage and followed him.
......
Taehyung went up to the train first. The luggage racks on the floor were full. He towed his luggage to his seat, intending to put it on the luggage rack above. When he lifted the 26-inch luggage, the surrounding passengers looked at him in admiration.
Taehyung secretly despaired. He had stuffed numerous things in his luggage, to the point that it was nearly bursting. Halfway to the top, the luggage tottered and was on the verge of falling. However, the looks of admiration that everyone sent his way made him too self-conscious to put it down.
A pair of arms suddenly appeared and took firm hold of the luggage.
Taehyung discovered Jungkook standing behind him. His arms circled Kim's two sides to grab the luggage, making it seem like he was hugging him from the back. That was not all. With one hand propping up the bottom of the luggage and the other gripping the luggage's handle, Jungkook's actions mirrored Taehyung's. The handle was small and there was not much space left for him to hold. Thus, half of his hand was resting on Kim's hand.
This was different from earlier. Just now, he was like a captured quail that was flailing his wings mindlessly. Now, they were pressed together so intimately that he could perceive the flow of Jeon's breath. Taehyung extended his neck lightly and his head bumped into Jungkook's jaw.
"Don't move," Jungkook said.
Taehyung immediately stilled, displaying a rare bout of obedience.
Jungkook heaved the luggage up. Taehyung followed his lead and took the effort to do the same but there was no need for him to do so. Taehyung could barely feel the weight of the luggage. Right now, what he most vividly felt was the hand resting on top of his right hand. Jeon's palm was broad and emitted a fiery dry heat as it wrapped around his hand. It was just like a mini stove roasting a frozen Korean white pear in the stove chamber.
When Jungkook successfully put the luggage onto the rack, his arm was raised at an angle. Taehyung was shorter than him by 20 cm. By turning his head slightly, his vision was filled with Jungkook's arm. It gave him the feeling of being enfolded by a human-shaped cage. This was the first time in his life that he acutely felt the difference between a guy and a guy in terms of body and height.
He also finally understood why girls like tall guys.
Jungkook smoothly drew back his hands. He lowered his head and glanced at him. "What are you zoning out for?"
"Nothing." Taehyung quickly sat down on his seat.
Jungkook stored his luggage and sat next to Kim. As he bought his ticket at a later time, his seat was not there. He could only wait for the person sitting there to come and request to change seats with him.
......
After the high-speed rail set off, Taehyung rested his chin on one hand and stared out of the window at the scenery, behaving like a cultured young lady.
Jungkook looked at his soft and shiny black hair. He asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Taehyung turned to look at him. His eyes blinked. "I'm thinking..."
Thinking... if we went to the same middle and high school, how would have things turned out?
Jungkook waited for a moment but Taehyung did not continue his words. Jungkook could not help prompting him, "So what exactly are you thinking about?"
Taehyung did not say anything else. He fished out a mini pillow and an eye mask, adjusted his seat, leaned back, and tried to sleep.
Jungkook quietly watched him from the side.
After a while, Taehyung pulled down the eye mask. "Can't sleep. I'll listen to music." He took his bag and rummaged for a moment before asking Jungkook, "Do you have earphones?"
Watching his restless movements, Jungkook did not get annoyed. He found his earphones and passed them to Kim.
"Thanks." Taehyung plugged the earphones in and stuffed one earphone into his ear. Seeing how Jungkook was gazing at him, he offered the other earphone to him. "Do you want to listen?"
Jungkook took the earphone and put them into his ear.
Taehyung selected a playlist and tried to fall asleep.
The first song was a sweet and upbeat male and a female duet called "Perfect Weather for Falling in Love with You".
Jungkook slowly twined the white wire of the earphones around his finger. He looked out of the window. The sky was overcast today. In the distance, clouds hung heavy against the jagged peaks of the mountain range. Perhaps it might snow.
When in a good mood, the weather—be it clear skies or an endless stretch of dark, stormy clouds—was always perfect.
After watching the scenery for a while, Jungkook's eyelids started feeling a little heavy. He withdrew his gaze and looked at Taehyung who was beside him.
His face was turned to the side and his breathing was even like he had fallen asleep.
Jungkook brushed his fringe but he did not respond.
He poked Taehyung's cheeks but he still did not respond.
Jungkook moved his hand down following the curve of his elbow. Finally, he grasped his hand.
After taking hold of his hand, he began flipping it around in the palm of his hand. He played with it by kneading his palm and pinching his fingers. Slender and beautiful, Taehyung's hand was indeed different. His hand was beyond soft and Jungkook did not dare to use too much force for fear of damaging it.
After playing for a while, Jungkook suddenly lowered his head and drew Taehyung's hand next to his mouth. His lips slightly apart, it captured Kim's index finger and pressed down in a gentle bite.