-
Despite all of Taehyung's objections, Jeongguk insisted that he walk him home.
Taehyung gave a tiny sigh and let Jeongguk walk him home. He just hoped that his father wouldn't be there.
-
"Are you sure it's okay for you to just leave them like that?" Taehyung asked.
"I told you already, Taehyung. It's fine. If I need a ride when I'm walking home I'll just call them." he told him. "Now come on let's get walking."
Taehyung got up off the bench and the two began walking. Already Jeongguk was walking to fast for him.
"Jeongguk," he called. His voice was still quiet but was a bit louder than usual. Lucky he got the others attention. "I can't walk that fast."
"What's wrong?" Jeongguk walked over to him.
"My legs are sore."
Jeongguk then took off his backpack and crouched down in front of Taehyung, his back facing him. "Get on. I'll carry you so you won't have to put pressure on your legs."
"It's fine I'll just walk. We just can't-"
"Taehyung it's already going to be five in about 30 minutes. Don't you think your parents are going to worry if you're out to late?" he said not moving from his spot. "Now come on."
Taehyung was hesitant but knowing that it going to be five soon meant his father was going to be home as well. He didn't want Jeongguk to know what he's like or what his life at home was like. Even though feeling uncomfortable he got on Jeongguk's back. Just the thought of his father being home before him terrified him.
Jeongguk grabbed then bend of Taehyung's legs. "Woah," he said as he stood up.
Taehyung lightly wrapped his arms around Jeongguk's neck as he stood. Being carried scared him a small bit but he can handle it.
"You're extremely light. How much do you eat?"
Taehyung buried his face in his arms and shrugged his shoulders.
"You should eat more," Jeongguk told him.
The other just replied with a simple okay.
"Hold this, please," Jeongguk said giving Taehyung his backpack to hold as he carried him. "Thanks." he began walking.
-
"Taehyung." Jeongguk lightly called.
Taehyung hummed in reply.
"Where do you go for lunch?"
"Wherever."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"I don't have a specific spot," he told the other. "I wander."
"You don't have friends?"
Taehyung didn't answer with any words. Only with a simple shake of his head.
Jeongguk felt him shake his head and continued to talk. "Why is that?"
"I-" can he tell him how he's seen by everyone at school? Well, it's not like he's gonna do anything. It should be fine, right? "I'm not-" how should he tell him? How do you tell someone that you're not seen as a person by basically the whole school? It's not simple cause it sounds made up. "No one wants to be."
"That doesn't make any sense." Jeongguk sounded a bit unhappy.
Taehyung got a small bit scared of the change in Jeongguk's tone. Maybe he shouldn't have told him anything. Maybe he should've just shrugged it off. That would've been better because now the other was upset. So Taehyung decided that he should remain quiet the rest of the time. It's better that way.
-
Taehyung could see his house getting bigger and bigger as they got closer. No car in the driveway. He felt relief wash over him and he felt his body relax a bit.
"This is my house," Taehyung told Jeongguk and he let him down. "Thank you." he handed Jeongguk his backpack.
"No problem." Jeongguk smiled. "Ah, Taehyung, you should hang out with me at lunch. I can introduce you to my friends."
More people? Would they even accept him? Would they treat him like the rest? Maybe they already did, he just didn't notice them considering there's so many of them but he can't tell him no. He can't tell him he doesn't want to meet his friends. That'll make him sound like a jerk.
"Are you sure? I mean I don't want to be a bother."
"It's fine Taehyung. You wouldn't be bothering anyone. In plus, you could use some more friends than just me."
But you're enough for me. Taehyung said in his head.
"Okay." he nodded.
I don't really need any more friends.
"What class do you have before lunch?"
"E-4"
"I'll meet you there then." Jeongguk smiled again. "See you tomorrow, Tae."
Tae?
Taehyung gave a tiny nod and the two began walking in different directions. Soon enough Taehyung had made it to his front door. As he was entering he heard a car pull up and the sound of the door closing.
His father was home.
Taehyung hadn't even made it up to five steps towards his room before his father entered the house.
His father's eyes instantly landed on Taehyung's backpack.
He got caught.
Minus the fact that his father drank and often was drunk or hung over, he had sharp eyes. Drunk or not, he noticed the smallest things. Nothing could really get past him.
"Are you disobeying my rules?" he said as anger filled his voice.
"I'm sorry." Taehyung quickly said as he looked down at the ground. His body began to shake with fear and breathing lightly began to quicken.
Not again.
"Oh, so you're sorry." he walked over to the shaking boy.
"I-it was-as an a-accid-dent." Taehyung to much out of breath ,managed to say and his chest began to hurt. He gripped his sweater as he felt tears fill his eyes from the knot that formed and tighten in his chest to the point where it began to hurt
No no no. Go away.
"An accident, huh?" he clicked his tongue. "Thank you for your honesty." he backhanded Taehyung across his cheek.
The tears began to fall from the young boy's eyes. From the fear of his father, the pain on his cheek, and........
Taehyung couldn't breathe. He chest hurt so bad and he couldn't stop shaking. His legs felt weak and his head was spinning.
"You stupid piece of shit." his father pushed him onto the floor. "So you accidentally stayed out." he kicked him in his stomach. "You accidentally didn't come home right after school like I've been having you do for years." he gave another kick to a different part of the younger's body. "You accidentally broke my rule." he gave a harsh kick to Taehyung's cheek.
"Break my rules again and it'll be worse." His father said and went into the kitchen.
Despite all the pain in Taehyung's body he pulled himself up and rushed to his room. Right as he closed the door he fell to his knees. Breathing was an even harder task than before. His chest hurt even more. His body felt even weaker.
Go away. Go away. Go away.
He chanted in his head
He felt like he was dying.
It had been awhile since he had one of these moments.
He sat on his knees, hand gripping his sweater and his eyes shut tight. He took big quick breathes of air in out of his mouth.
-
After about fifteen minutes or so, he had finally been able to calm down but he felt drained. He felt extremely exhausted. So exhausted that he couldn't even make his way to his bed. He even had his backpack on him still. He laid by his door as he felt sleep wash over his body.
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