When Tae and Jungkook were 9 years old
Tae was walking in the school corridor when he heard some noise from the stairs. Curiosity rose in the kid who held on to the straps of his bag and moved slowly towards the stairs.
He saw Jungkook and a few friends sitting at the top and playing games on the mobile phone.
They all looked so big. Even Jungkook.
Taehyung was extremely scrawny and thin and had been bullied many times by Jungkook and his puppets. It was a wise decision to turn around.
But he was stopped in his tracks when Jungkook called him, "Kim Taehyung. Wait!"
His innocent eyes downcast Tae stopped and waited for Jungkook's command. He cursed himself internally for waiting and watching Jungkook.
"Come upstairs," Jungkook called and saw the boy not lifting his eyes and moving towards Jungkook.
When he reached upstairs Jungkook made him sit beside him, "What were you doing? sneaking up on us?"
Tae looked up finally - his big doe eyes full of fear, "N-no - I wasn't. I promise. I was - just passing by."
Smirking, Jungkook passed Tae his phone and asked, "Do you know how to play this game?"
Nodding his head Tae smiled a little, "Y-yess!"
"Play," Jungkook ordered and watched Tae start the game.
Jungkook was shocked. He was good at playing video games despite being a geek.
"Done!" Tae had a huge grin on his face as he handed Jungkook's expensive phone back to him.
Jungkook looked at the score and showed it to his friends, "Wow! You are really good. High score. I never scored this much."
Thinking he got a compliment Tae smiled, "Thank you Jungkook."
"You should come by my place and maybe we can play games on my PlayStation," Jungkook suggested and saw how Tae's face lit up.
They all got up to leave and Tae felt his bad days were finally done.
Jungkook was his friend.
"Um - Jungkook," Tae bit his lip but still asked with fear, "So - um - are we friends now?"
Jungkook laughed and moved closer to Tae who couldn't stop grinning with happiness.
"You wanna be my friend?" Jungkook asked with a cocky tone.
Nodding his head, Tae held his hand forward, "Yes - can we be friends Jungkook?"
Raising his eyebrow Jungkook glanced at his friends who were giggling and then back at Tae's hand and spoke, "No - you loser!"
Raising his hand, Jungkook touched Tae's chest and pushed him down the stairs.
Tae stumbled down the stairs and hit his head. Touching his forehead he realized he was bleeding.
Crying he looked up and saw Jungkook and his friends laughing at him.
"Look - baby is crying," one of Jungkook's friends laughed and kept mocking Tae.
Tae began to shiver and cry even more.
"Baby - poor - baby."
flashback ends
'Baby.'
Jungkook woke up and realized he was holding Tae's hand.
Tae was still in the hospital sleeping peacefully.
Staring at Tae's long, slender fingers caressed his fingers gently when he heard a knock on the door.
Of course, Jungkook had booked the deluxe room for Tae which had two huge beds and a large TV.
"Yes," he left Tae's hand and saw a small nurse coming inside.
She smiled at Jungkook doing a check-up on Tae, "Um - my name is Jenny. It seems your boyfriend has pneumonia. He had a fever since the last few days and I think it got worse."
Jungkook cleared his throat, feeling a pang in his heart, "He is - not - my boyfriend."
Jenny ignored the comment and asked, "Do you know how it got worse?"
Biting his lip, Jungkook looked down at his shoes and shook his head.
"Well - it's okay," Jenny smiled the wrinkles on her face clearly visible, "He is fine now. You can discharge him by evening. I will tell the counter to keep papers ready."
Jungkook was on his feet, "Okay. Thank you, madam. Erm - I - I will make the payment now. Also, I will pay for the medicines so - he doesn't have to pay for anything."
Jenny had a smile on her face. Her grey hair surely talked about her experience but she hardly ever saw such shy couples in the hospital.
"Please tell your staff to order the medicines and keep them ready. Don't - don't - make him walk around," Jungkook stuttered maybe for the first time in his life, and glanced at the sleeping Tae, "If you want I will pay extra."
Jenny simply nodded her head staring at the awkward boy who was trying so hard not to look at the beautiful boy on the bed.
Writing Hope's number on a piece of newspaper lying around Jungkook handed it to Jenny, "Call him - he is his best friend. He will help him in getting home safely. I - I - won't be here."
Jenny took Hope's number in her hand and realized this was way too complicated.
Jungkook thanked Yoongi for chanting Hope's number every day to such an extent that even Jungkook remembered it.
"If you need any help then - you can call me. My number is on that form," Jungkook informed Jenny who felt bad for both the boys.
Jungkook was staring at Tae wanting to say so much. Perhaps apologise but he couldn't.
"Miss Jenny," Jungkook called her in a polite tone, "Please call Hope immediately. I don't want him to be alone when he wakes up."
Jenny assured him and left the room standing outside calling Hope.
Jungkook's hands shivered as he gently touched Tae's cheek.
So soft.
The boy was sound asleep. No worries in the world. No crying. No begging.
His heart was thudding crazily as he kept staring at Tae's pinkish lips.
Gulping he took a few steps back and started to walk towards the door.
His hand touched the knob of the door but he suddenly turned around and walked back to Tae. Leaning down he gritted his teeth but finally gave in.
Caressing Tae's lips with his thumb, Jungkook pecked Tae's lips for more than 5 seconds and looked at that gorgeous face.
The voices in his head were killing him. And before he could do anything stupid he ran away oblivious that the nurse was watching everything.
Tae woke up after a few minutes and looked everywhere for water. Jenny was arranging Tae's medicine and was happy to see him awake.
"Mr. Kim," Jenny smiled putting the meds down, "So good to see you awake. My - you are breathtaking even in a high fever."
Tae smiled despite the body ache.
"How - who brought me here?" he asked and eyed the water kept on the table and a few bottles of juice.
Jenny helped Tae to sit up and handed him the water.
"Um - your boyfriend - the guy with tattoos on his hand and piercing on his lips," Jenny informed and saw Tae stop his actions.
Tae gave her the water, "He - he - is not my - boyfriend."
"Really?" Jenny teased a little and checked Tae's temperature, "He sat here holding your hand for hours when you were asleep."
Letting out a sad laugh Tae shook his head, "It must be someone else. Who brought me here? Jimin? Hope?"
Jenny shook her head and handed Tae the juice bottle, "His name was Jungkook."
Tae sat there confused when his thoughts were interrupted by a loud screech.
It was Hope and Jimin and Sara.
"Oh my god Tae," Hope ran to Tae and hugged him crying, "Where were you? Your dad called me - I had to lie. He is trying your phone but -"
Hope couldn't stop crying.
Jenny left them alone to give them some privacy.
"Did Jungkook do this Tae?" Jimin asked and they all saw Tae break down.
It must have been around 10 pm when Yoongi heard the bell ring. He was chuckling reading his and Hope's old chats. How annoyed Hope got every time Yoongi flirted.
Putting his phone down, he opened the door since his parents were out of town.
"Jungkook?" Yoongi was shocked to see his cousin outside at this hour.
He was in absolute shock and looked like he was crying for hours.
"Kook? What's wrong?" Yoongi grabbed him inside and closed the door.
Jungkook stood and kept crying and Yoongi understood. He didn't ask anything further and hugged Jungkook.