Hoseok was about to unwrapped his fourth chewing gum when the door was creaking and open slowly. He canceled the intention to chewing on a piece of mint flavored candy that hidden in his right hand and tilt his head only to see a slender boy that slipped out from his room. When dark obsidian collided with a pair of hazel, he vaguely hears a slow grunt on Taehyung’s lips.

 

He saw Taehyung walked past him and shrugs nonchalance before continuing his activities; chewing gum and drowned himself on his cellphone. It’s not a big deal, he always like that since the day when they first met. He always get ignored by Taehyung since forever and he can’t even remember their last conversation but a simple question about Taehyung’s cousin who’s his best buddy from middle school.

 

Hoseok glanced at his watch and sighed. He wasted his precious fifty minutes just to sit in other people’s house like an idiot without doing anything. Before he had a time to cursed his bestfriend, the door of Namjoon’s room open slowly with a deep husky voice that sounded rude.

 

“Come on, Tae. Not again.” said Namjoon that tries to defuse Taehyung’s whining. Like a toddler who throws a tantrum, Taehyung responds his cousin with another complaint that makes Namjoon growl quietly, “But he doesn’t even bother you!”

 

“But still! I don’t like it!” said Taehyung who still refused to budge. He steal glances towards Hoseok which looking back at him and watched his little quarrels in silence. “Just ing tell him to stop chewing that disgusting thing in this place, or I'll find a new apartment!"

 

Before Namjoon had a chance to respond, Taehyung left him and slammed the door of his room with a rude gesture. Namjoon took a deep sigh and shook his head. While on the other hand, Hoseok watched him with a question look on his eyes.

 

“Just give me a second to take a breath.” Namjoon murmured with annoyance voice and Hoseok can’t do nothing but nod his head as an answer.

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“So he hates me just because I always chew gum?!” asked Hoseok who start to drawing conclusion, right after Namjoon gave him a detailed explanation.

 

“He may not really hate you. He just hates chewing gum.” Namjoon said before took a sip of his black coffee. “He always gives the same reaction if he sees other people chew gum in front of him.”

 

“But what’s the matter if I like to chew gum?” Hoseok snorted in disgut and threw his back on the back of his chair before continuing, “Tell your cousin, I’ll stop chewing gum when I visit your apartment, as long as he would stop drinking milk like a kindergantner. I hate the smell of milk.”

 

Instead of replying to his bestfriend, he let out a big laugh. Dozens of visitors in that café turned their head and look at Namjoon who still laughed until he lost his breath and gasped for air. Hoseok snorted softly before laughing at his pal. Honestly, he did not even know why those words could come out of his mouth. But one thing he knows, he always found the smell of the milk which is attached with a sweet and adorable figure of Kim Taehyung.

 

 

 

Wait...

 

 

 

He must be crazy if he called the arrogant boy as a sweet and adorable person. As shudder, Hoseok shook his head and erase that thought from his head.

 

 

“What's wrong with you?” asked Namjoon who immidiately broke Hoseok’s daydream. His laugh had subsided, replaced by an expression full of question marks.

 

“No. Nothing.” Hoseok mumbled. He tried so hard to avoid an eye contact with Namjoon and scratch his nape.

 

Before Namjoon could speak, a vibration beneath his pockets steal his attention. Namjoon took out his phone and after a while, he finally pressed the green button and receive the incoming call.

 

“What up, Tae?”

 

Hoseok turned his head and widened his eyes when Namjoon mention his cousin’s name. He cleared his throat as he throws his gaze in other direction when Namjoon leaned his elbows on the table.

 

“But I can’t! I still have an appointment with your brother this evening. Where is your car, though?” complained Namjoon.

 

There was a pause, Namjoon furrowed his brows and listened to Taehyung carefully. When there is no more sound he could hear, Namjoon glance at Hoseok before said, “Maybe Hoseok can take you there.”

 

"Hey, hey!" cried Hoseok who started to protest Namjoon’s unilateral decision, but he cut his words when the other boy give him a sharp gaze to shut his mouth.

 

“So, Tae, yes or no?”

 

Hoseok bit his lip, hoping that Taehyung would reject his cousin’s stupid idea. But when a big smile back on Namjoon’s face, he swore that he would kill him at that time if he doesn’t remember Namjoon as his best buddy who always there for him. And before he left the cafe, Hoseok steal the opportunity to throw the rest of his fries to Namjoon who laughing back at him.

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“Hurry up!” urged Hoseok when his car stopped right in front of Taehyung who is waiting for him.

 

Snorted rough, he took off his backpack before opening a door in front of him. Without even glancing at Hoseok who sat behind the wheel, Taehyung threw his body in the passenger seat and scream loudly when Hoseok stepped the gears in a hurry before he could wear the seat belt.

 

“Oops, sorry! Is that hurt?” Hoseok showing his little smirk when he sees Taehyung groaned in pain as he rubbed his head that hit the dashboard hard enough.

 

Taehyung just stared back at him with a stern look as he swore quietly. Unfortunately, Hoseok hear it and hit the brakes suddenly.

 

“What the do you want from me?!” Taehyung roared angrily, completely unable to restrain his anger any longer.

 

“Why do you hate me?” asked Hoseok with flat tone, but on the other hand he was so relieved to have said something that settle in his mind for a long time.

 

Taehyung’s arms crossed over his chest before calmly said, “I hate chewing gum.”

 

“But it’s ridiculous!” said Hoseok half laughing, half  in disbelief. “You hate me just because I always chew gum? I never even bother you!”

 

Surprised by Hoseok that suddenly raised his voice, Taehyung cleared his throat and try to look calm.

 

“Chewing gum is the most disgusting thing in the world.” Taehyung said softly. He sighed and stared back at Hoseok who also looking straight into his eyes. “Why do you keep munching something that only gives a sweet taste in the beginning and leaves a bland taste after that?”

 

Hoseok snorted and hold his laugh. “We're talking about gum, right? Why did you suddenly become melancholy like that, huh?”

 

Taehyung remain silent before opendoor with a quick movement. Without responding Hoseok that called his name, Taehyung immediately stepped up and moved away from him without even looking back.

 

He hated people who could not appreciate his opinion. He knows that Hoseok is not typical of a man who is often looking for a problem with people he had never even met before, but it's hard for Taehyung to try to be friends if the chewing gum is still always accompanied him everywhere, anywhere. Taehyung hates chewing gum, even before he could tie up his shoes perfectly.

 

When he was just about to call a taxi, Hoseok pulled his hand firmly.

 

“What’s wrong with you?!” shouted Hoseok with his voice rising, making the crowd of strangers milling around on the sidewalk stopped and looked at them quizzically. Just as Taehyung who could not hide the shock on his face even if only for a few seconds.

 

And Hoseok saw it.

 

Without even giving a chance to Taehyung to just open his mouth or even revolting, Hoseok strengthen his hand and took Taehyung left the crowds. As if hypnotized, Taehyung stared at Hoseok’s hand with a blank look as he followed his steps, before turning into a narrow alley that is not much traversed by many people.

 

Hoseok remove their linked arms, pushing Taehyung to stand face to face with him and cupped his hand on the boy's face.

 

“Ho, hoseok...” muttered Taehyung. He was unable to hide the shock that is printed clearly on his face.

 

“Can you get rid of your ego for a moment?” Hoseok whispered with both eyes looking straight into Taehyung’s eyes. Without even giving a chance to the other person to reply to his words, he continued, "Honestly, I can not understand the way your mind. Why do you hate me in such a way just because a piece of chewing gum, while at the same time you're also still consumes strawberry milk like a kid?”

 

Taehyung shut his mouth tightly and chose to be friends with silence. His head was bowed in, completely unable to look back at Hoseok.

 

“I’m sorry.” Taehyung whispered very softly and he almost couldn’t hear it.

 

“Why are you apologizing?” said Hoseok who tried to force Taehyung to reveal a fact that he was looking for.

 

And seemed to understand, Taehyung then cleared his throat softly before continuing, “I'm not supposed to hate you just because a piece of gum. Namjoon hyung used to tell me that you are a very friendly person, never picking friends and I always hope if we can be friends. But that desire disappear every time I saw you look so busy chewing gum. "

 

Taehyung bit his lip and avoiding Hoseok’s eyes. “I had a bad experience with chewing gum when I was a little.”

 

“Bad experience?” Hoseok whispered slowly and his eyes softened as Taehyung answered him with a simple nod.

 

“When I was four, I stole my brother's gum. He also just like you, always chewing gum whenever and wherever he is. At that moment I thought that my brother looks very cool and I wanted to imitate him, without knowing if chewing gum is very different from other candies.” Taehyung raised his head and showed a bitter smile.

 

"Then what happened?" asked Hoseok quietly.

 

“I choked and accidentally swallow the gum.” Taehyung gulped as he shook his head, trying to get rid of the bitter memory from his mind.

 

After taking a deep breath to calm himself, he continued, “It should not be a serious problem. As we know, the swallowed chewing gum will go wasted along with the dirt. But it would be a different story if that gum just got stuck in your throat and make you out of breathe. And because of that, I ended up trapped in the operating room for four hours.”

 

Hoseok cursing quietly, had no idea if Taehyung had a bad experience like that just because a piece of gum that has always been his favorite. Remorse for having treated him harshly suddenly filled his mind. Without even pulled his hand away from Taehyung’s cheek, he murmured softly, “I'm sorry.”

 

Taehyung shook his head before he answered earnestly, “No, it’s not your fault. I was being childish and always ignore you.”

 

“I will forgive you, but on one condition.”

 

Taehyung Hoseok frowned and stared quizzically. “Condition? What do you mea—”

 

Before Taehyung could finish his words, Hoseok had already bring their lips and kissed it softly. After a few seconds, Hoseok broke the kiss and stared at Taehyung who blinked several times, as if trying to digest what had just happened.

 

"Let's be friends." He muttered as he rubbed the corner of Taehyung’s lip.

 

Taehyung unconsciously his lips before saying, “Do you always kiss your friend?”

 

Small grin spreading across his lips when he heard the sarcastic question that just came out of Taehyung’s lips. Without a word, Hoseok leaned back before reconcile their lips for the second time.

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++_FIN_++