Taehyung had met Hoseok in the bite of the cold winter. He remembers wondering what could possibly make someone smile, like a 5 year old who got a new toy, at 8 a.m. on a winter morning. He also remembers walking smack straight into the other and spilling Fanta all over him. Hoseok, all smiles, had said it was alright. And Taehyung saw bright yellows and oranges in that smile. He remembers because everything else had been grey in comparison. 

"You're dripping like a saturated sunshine. You’re spilling like an overflowing sink.”

Taehyung had insisted on paying for the cleaners. And one thing led to another, as it often does with two chatty people. Hoseok was a year senior to Taehyung at the same university. He lived off campus and was majoring in engineering while Taehyung was majoring in Science. He shared his apartment with a highschooler, Jeon Jungkook. Something about 'brother he never had'. They had a mutual friend, Park Jimin: Taehyung's best friend and Hoseok's dance acquaintance. He also happened to have been smiling at 8 a.m. because he wasn't single. He was completely smitten with a Min Yu Joon; same year but different major. Taehyung knew this yet every time he met Hoseok, Hoseok would have a new, bright color on his canvas. And they didn't form a beautiful picture but instead a mixture of hues; they formed Hoseok. And that was beautiful enough. He felt himself pulled to the colors like the opposite ends of two magnets. And maybe colors were meant to be his thing, or maybe they weren't, but he found himself falling for Hoseok's canvas; falling for Hoseok.

It was in fall next year, as the leaves deserted the trees; Hoseok's lover did the same. Taehyung watched, helplessly, as water was poured over Hoseok’s canvas and watched as the colors dripped down. Hoseok had said something along the lines of ' cheating', 'for almost the whole time', 'something about him not being what she wanted’ all in monotone. Taehyung felt something die in him as he saw the emptiness in Hoseok's eyes, heard the pain in his voice and felt it reflected on his canvas. What had once been perfection was now dull and grey, ripped at the edges and fabricated in fake smiles.

"Everything was grey

His smoke

His dreams

And now he's so devoid of color he don't know what it means.”               

Taehyung wasn't a painter but the things he could be for Hoseok were limitless; so he decided he would repaint Hoseok's canvas. He would refill it with colors and hues; of love, warmth, all that had been and all that would be. And he would make Hoseok help. Taehyung handed Hoseok a bucket of water and told him to hold it up high. Taehyung dipped his brush in the water and dabbed it in his own canvas. He took colors of himself and started painting. A splash of yellow for the first smile, a of orange for a laugh, pink for the emotions, red for the fun, hues of purples and blues for friendship and a minty green for the returning life. Maybe a dab of white for moving on and just a touch of lilac for love.

"You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece.”

The picture was coming back to life. Hoseok was recovering and Taehyung saw the canvas he was painting thrive with his own colors. And Taehyung decided colors were for him. And in that instant, maybe Hoseok was too.

It was on a summer day that Hoseok had rushed into his and Jimin’s dorm. No words were said as Hoseok lifted Taehyung and swung him around by the waist around the small cramped space. Hoseok’s face threatened to split in two from his smile and his laughter filled the latter’s being. Taehyung saw the colors throng with life and nothing made him happier. Hoseok gave him wings and he was more than happy to be able to fly. He participated in Hoseok’s happiness, without question. Maybe today was the day. Maybe today Hoseok would color him too.

“Taehyunggie! Taehyunggie! Taehyunggie!”

Taehyung giggled: at Hoseok’s excitement, at how he was still being spun, at the nickname and at the butterflies in his stomach.

“What happened hyung? You’re awfully chipper." And he couldn't help the full boxed grin he gave Hoseok, only to be met with a heart shaped one. Taehyung couldn’t help but to think back to their first meeting. The oranges and the yellows were back and Taehyung fell in love all over again; as he had for every one of Hoseok's smiles.

 “I met this girl and I think I'm in love. And she's amazing! Like'

Taehyung couldn’t hear the rest: didn’t want to, couldn’t. Hoseok had set him down but his world was still spinning. He realized he never had wings to begin with but he had jumped off a cliff nonetheless. He saw everything go out of focus, saw Hoseok’s hand slip; accidentally and unknowingly. He saw the water pour over his canvas. Taehyung felt the colors drip off his own canvas. And he decided maybe colors weren't for him to begin with. Like Hoseok had never been....and like he never would be.

 “You were red and you liked me because I was blue but you touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky. And you decided purple just wasn’t for you.”