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2020. kth - 23. jjk - 18.
As the two buildings of their homes were approaching, Taehyung and Jeongguk were already off of their bikes, pushing them along at their side. It was almost a stalling mechanism, wanting to spend more time with each other despite the sun setting a while ago.
At one point Jeongguk said something stupid and Taehyung gasped in offence before giving the other's shin a light kick. The ravenette overexaggerated the inflicted pain and placed his hand over his heart, bending over while fake-coughing.
Taehyung simply rolled his eyes at the drama-queen, but a small chuckle slipped passed his lips anyway.
"Jeongguk." The voice caused the both of their gazes to turn toward the gate of Jeongguk's house, spotting the figure of the short blond. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you?"
He seems mad.
Taehyung doesn't miss the way Jeongguk has tensed up, his loose and comfortable demeanour automatically hardening.
"I've called you, so many times." Yoonbin continued, his arms uncrossing as he took a few steps towards Jeongguk. Taehyung doesn't miss the way the smaller male threw him a judgemental side-glance. "Where were you?"
"I... Sorry, Yoonbin. Let's go inside." Jeongguk quickly grabbed the blond's arm and started tugging him towards his house, but Yoonbin was quick to shake his hold off of him.
"Don't fucking touch me, I don't want your whore hands on me." He spat. "This all happened because you can't keep your fucking pants on." The male snarled before he starting making his own way towards the entrance of the house. Jeongguk stayed behind, his fists curling up as he remained static in his place.
Taehyung's chest ached, his hand itched towards comforting the other, but he managed to stop himself before he did anything foolish. He wasn't sure if Jeongguk was comfortable with that kind of contact between them.
So, Taehyung just stood there like an idiot. Hand frozen mid-way as he tightened his lips together, his arm falling back at his side. He felt helpless, powerless. He had promised to help Jeongguk, and so far was failing miserably at it. He didn't even know what to say.
It seemed like the younger could sense the older's uneasiness, because when Taehyung found a few words, Jeongguk stopped him from even opening his mouth.
"Don't say anything." His voice was firm, desperate. "Don't... say anything." There wasn't another word he could muster, it was like all the lively energy he carried had been drained within seconds. So he simply walked away and followed Yoonbin into his house.
Taehyung's lips parted, but the words were caught in his throat. He could only watch the retreating figure of the other, still feeling utterly helpless.
⛓️ ⛓️ ⛓️
Jeongguk dragged his hands down his face as he sat himself on the edge of his bed. Yoonbin's blabber was pouring into his ear and out the other, he had lost him in the first two minutes. The first few sentences were enough to have Jeongguk spiralling into a pile of stress.
"Well? Do you have the money?" The blond questions, his posture was demanding with his arms crossed as he stood in front of the ravenette. "You've been slacking with your deals, boss wants you to pay up."
"I don't have the money—" The younger starts, but is quickly cut off by the audible sigh of disappointment and annoyance that passed by Yoonbin's lips. He clenched his jaw, placing his hands on his hips and he looked down at the ground. "—But I can get it, don't worry!" Jeongguk almost adds in a panic, his heart palpitating by the expression of the other.
Yoonbin couldn't leave him. Not him too.
"You better. I'm not sticking around if you've got debt collectors after you." He spat. Then there was silence, but Jeongguk's mind was racing, trying to think of solutions or things to say so that he wouldn't disappoint Yoonbin further.
The smaller wasn't stupid, he could see the distressed state of the other. So he does something to help him relax.
Yoonbin's stance relaxes and he slowly makes his way inbetween Jeongguk's legs. His hand comes up and roughly pushes against the younger's chest, then proceeded to place his knees on the sides of his torso so that he was fully straddling him. "Now, fuck me."
And Jeongguk, being so desperate to have someone close to him, pliantly complies.
⛓️ ⛓️ ⛓️
Dressed in black, Jeongguk shoved his hands in the pocket of his hoodie as he impatiently waits for someone that he regularly supplies to. The guy owed him big money, and Jeongguk kept letting him off the hook. But it was time to pay up.
The young ravenette was leaning against the brick wall of an alleyway which lead the way to a popular nightclub, his figure hidden in the shadows as he continued to smoke his burning joint.
He exhaled the smoke up into the air, leaning his head back against the wall to let his eyes close for a few seconds. He enjoyed every moment of bliss that being stoned provided him, where the familiar darkness always felt so much brighter whenever he was on something. Where he was finally able to let it consume him, instead of always trying to run away from it.
"Hey, J..." A gruff voice was heard, interrupting Jeongguk's thoughts by making him open his eyes. It was the client. "You uhhh... wanted to meet?"
The man looked nervous, scratching the back of his head. Jeongguk hated dealing to the poor, knowing it only drives them further into poverty. But if it wasn't going to be him, then someone else would just do it. And Jeongguk always lets a few fortunate people off the hook for being late with payments.
Unfortunately, right now, he's in a desperate situation.
"Yeah... You got my money?" His voice always gets lower when dealing, more stern, loosing the natural soft tone that his true vocals carried. The man's expression falls, worry already glistening his eyes.
"I-I... Sorry man, I don't got any dough." The man patted himself down, searching for any spare change that he may have. Jeongguk sighed, looking away from the pitiful sight as he felt unwanted emotions wrench in his gut.
"I need the money. You need to serve it, now." The taller continued to be firm, not being a pushover as perhaps the man was hiding a stash of cash somewhere. "I've given you weeks, time to pay up."
The man looked really panicked now, his hand rubbed at his forehead as if he was trying to think of something, anything.
"Look, man—" Jeongguk was going to push a little more, but the silent was quick to cut him off in his distressed state.
"Listen, I've got three kids. I'm a father, I–I don't have any money to spare. There are four mouths to feed, and then every other little penny is going into the future, their college! I-I can't spend that on my crack addiction! Please! Give me more time! I'll make the money, pay off my debt, anything! Just... please." The man begged, desperately clutching onto Jeongguk's hand, looking him straight in the eyes.
After a few seconds, the younger sighed, and nodded.
The man's orbs glew up with gratitude and hope, then he continuously thanked Jeongguk for his kindness before quickly running away after promising to get the money in the next month.
Jeongguk smiled as the man left, glad that he was able to spare the man and his children. But as soon as he disappeared, Jeongguk turned around and the small pathetic smile slowly fell from his lips.
It's okay, Jeongguk. You got this. You got this.
It's so much easier to be delusional than facing the harsh truth.
But sometimes, you simply can't escape the truth. Jeongguk learned that after getting a call from his boss when he fails to bring the money that he owed.
"What about that pretty boy, Kim Taehyung? Wouldn't want anything to happen to him, would you?"
Jeongguk's heart dropped.
"Get me my money, J. You have three days."
And as the call cut off, and Jeongguk's arm slowly fell to his side—with a blank, empty expression, Jeongguk realised that no matter how hard he tried to fool himself, he had already been consumed by the darkness a long time ago. Now he was simply just aimlessly running around in it.
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lmao this is what u get when im goin thru tough times.
like i said, this book is real sad. but everything levels out, right? (;
anyway finished exams and lowkey failed 3 of my classes :ppppp eh its whatever