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Jeongguk slowly opened his eyes, bothered by the numbness in his limbs and the morning light. He immediately realized why his body was sore. Taehyung was carelessly thrown all over him, legs intertwined with Jeongguk's and head resting against his chest. The younger directed his attention to Taehyung's face and started analyzing his beautiful long eyelashes and his cute pouty lips that were slightly open, small huffs of breath leaving his mouth from time to time. Jeongguk chuckled at the sight in front of him, his chest slightly moving and stirring the other awake. As soon as Taehyung opened his eyes he was met with Jeongguk's admiring gaze, and he went full on boxy grin mode muttering in a raspy deep voice : 'Morning Gukie!'

'Um... Morning(?) Hyung... Um... My body is numb...'

Taehyung finally realised the position they were in and hastily got up seeming a bit flustered.

'U-Um s-sorry... I wasn't supposed to sleep here and...'

'DAMN RIGHT YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO SLEEP HERE YOU IDIOT I TOLD YOU TO GO HOME' yelled a very angry Yoongi coming out of the kitchen.

'Awwhh c'mon hyung i didn't mean tooo~ I'll make up for it!'

Yoongi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

'Yeah whatever I'll deal with you later. Jeongguk?'

The younger's head snapped in Yoongi's direction waiting for him to continue.

'I can't come with you at the hospital today. I have an important paper to turn in and after that I have a test. If you want I could drive you to the hospital now, though, and announce the teacher about your reason for skipping class but I-..'

'I can go with you! I can go with you! I wanna go with you!' yelled Taehyung excitedly.

'You shut the hell up go home now or you won't leave this place alive I swear to God, Kim Taeh-' blurted out Yoongi but was soon stopped by Jeongguk's small voice calling out to him.

'Yoongi hyung?'

The older did a complete 180 and smiled in Jeongguk's direction.'Yeah?'

'Um... actually... I think it would be okay if Taehyung tagged along. I mean I would need help to get mom home so...'

'Yes!' Taehyung fist bumped the air getting up and doing a small victory dance.

Yoongi sighed (af) grabbed the hype boy and yelled at him to stop and get out while Jeongguk was just trying to stop them from killing each other when a loud knock was heard from the door. Yoongi glared one last time at Taehyung and went to see who was the one who had decided to suddenly pay him a visit.

'SURPRISE!' yelled a very cheerful Hoseok throwing his arms around Yoongi. The latter groaned but a small smile found its way on his face.

'What are you doing here, Hoseok?'

'I just decided to stop by... maybe we can go to school together or something...'

Taehyung leaned closer to Jeongguk and wiggled his eyebrows pointing at the two standing in the doorway. Jeongguk just threw a him a very confused look and the older simply dismissed it mumbling something like 'I'll tell you later'. Hoseok came in, soon followed by Yoongi, whose mood seemed to have improved a lot in a matter of seconds.

'Oh hey there kiddos! What are you doing here?'

'Hello Hobi hyung! We stayed over!' answered Taehyung cheerfully.

'Yeah but they were just about to leave and take Jeongguk's mother home, right Taehyung?' said Yoongi in a cold tone.

'Yeah yeah sure thing, hyung!'

The brunette grabbed Jeongguk's hand and started heading towards the kitchen to take the muffins to go when Hoseok suddenly spoke.

'Um if you want I could take you to the hospital...'

'Um yeah that might-'

'Nonononono it's okay we're okay you just go to school do your thing yeah' said Taehyung interrupting Jeongguk. The latter just threw another confused look in his hyung's direction but the brunette simply dismissed him again.

'Um okay then....'

When Taehyung and Jeongguk finally got out from Yoongi's apartment the latter stopped in his tracks and glared at his hyung.

'What was that?'

'Oh my God you're so thick Jeongguk! It's so obvious Hobi hyung likes Yoongi hyung!'

'What?!'

'Oh you really can't see it? The way he is always looking to cheer the other up, how he is always begging the other to give him attention. And Yoongi hyung obviously likes him back, just look at how happy he is when Hobi hyung is around! He just doesn't know how to show it oh my god these dorks!'

Jeongguk simply looked at him baffled and started laughing.

'Oh... oh god oh my... how did you even think of that?'

'But it's true, Gukie!!'

'Yeah sure sure.'

'Yah!! Meanie... you'll see! They will eventually become a couple and then I will be able to yell at you “toldya toldya toldya!!!” for days. Heh just wait for it!'

Jeongguk simply laughed harder at the other's silliness.

'Okay so how are we going to get to the hospital? We walk or..?'

'Oh nonono Gukie it's too far away! Wait a second I gotta make a phone call.'

Taehyung brought his phone to his ear and waited until somebody answered.

'Oh yeah hello? Um could you please pick me up from Yoongi hyung's place? Yeah yeah there uh-um. Kay kay I'll be waiting for you! Goodbye!'

'Who was that?'

'Oh that? My driver. He will take us to the hospital and then to your place. It would be faster and easier.'

Jeongguk's eyes widened in shock.

'You have a driver?'

'Um yeah my parents decided that they couldn't let their precious little son walk around the city by himself. Hence I have a driver. Don't get me wrong I like the man he is amazing and he always helps me when I need him... my parents on the other hand...'

'Oh... '

'I mean it's not like I hate them they are my parents after all. I just... pity them? Yeah you could say that. They are obsessed with work and money and I don't know... it's just sad..'

Jeongguk decided not to push any further. He kind of knew that feeling of loneliness that he could clearly read on Taehyung's face. Since his father's death he's been feeling so lonely it hurts but he just has to live on and try to get over it.

'Oh he's here!' said Taehyung interrupting Jeongguk's thoughts.

As they made their way towards the hospital it was pretty much quiet aside from Taehyung's occasional conversations with the friendly driver. The atmosphere was relaxing and Jeongguk sunk in his warm seat analyzing for the second time in the same day, Taehyung's beautiful features. He seemed so at ease talking, his hands gesticulating from time to time while his expression seemed so cheerful and lively. Jeongguk decided he liked seeing Taehyung happy like this and made a small note in the back of his head that maybe he should try to make the other feel happy more often. However his little bubble of joy didn't last long – his whole body tensed thinking of yesterday's events as the driver slowly parked the car in front of the hospital. A warm hand that gave a small squeeze on his arm and a rectangular reassuring smile made it a little better but he was still reluctant to go in there. He hated seeing his once cheerful and full of will to live mother, as a depressed empty shell that could only feel sadness. One hour later, after he had gotten home and had put his mother to bed, Jeongguk was sighing heavily throwing himself on the couch. He managed to get through it with Taehyung's help, but he still wasn't in the best condition, feeling like he could break down any time now. The older noticed this and simply suggested they go for a walk. The walk was filled with a comfortbale silence, their steps finally leading them to the old bench in the secluded area of the park that was right next to their school - “Taehyung's secret lair” as Jeongguk liked to call it. They sat down, the younger seeming simply tired of everything.

'Gukie... I don't think there's any point in asking if you are okay but... do you need anything? Is there any way I can help? Maybe you could talk to me just tell me everything that bothers you...?'

Jeongguk looked up at him. He barely knew this person but his gut feeling told him that he should trust his hyung. And so he began. He told him about his father's death, about how everything started to change, how his mother lost her job and he had to eventually take up multiple part time jobs in order to buy food and all the things they needed in the house until his mother finally recovered, how he had to deal with each and every suicide attempt of his mother's and how he was afraid one day he might come home and just find her dead, how he couldn't afford proper help for her because of the lack of money, and he just broke down at some point, not even realizing when had Taehyung gotten so close to him. In that very moment he was pretty much in the older's arms, Taehyung occasionally leaning back in order to wipe away some of Jeongguk's tears.

'Gukie...' he said his eyes suddenly becoming determined and serious. 'I can help you... I will help you'

Jeongguk let out a defeated chuckle.

'How could you ever help me with something like that?'

'I have the money for your mother's treatment'

Jeongguk's eyes widened and he slightly pushed the other away moving his head in disaproval.

'Nononono I can't take money for you just for something like this. I will have to find a way on my own – this is my problem after all. I cannot drag you in this.'

'Gukie...' Taehyung leaned in wiping another stray tear from the younger boy's face, his deep brown eyes giving off a warm feeling slightly calming Jeongguk.

'Y-Yeah?' answered the younger starting to feel a bit flustered at how close their faces were.

'You don't always have to do things on your own you know? That's what friends are for. I will help you. End of discussion.'

Jeongguk frowned.

'No. Not the end of discussion.'

'Yes.'

'No.'

'Yes.' said Taehyung pressing a slender finger against Jeongguk's rosy lips in an attempt to silence him, only managing to make him blush even more. However that did not stop the young stubborn boy as he gently pushed the other's hand from his lips only to add one more suggestion.

'How about we make a deal? If you insist on giving me financial support... how about I actually do something for it?'

'Like what?'

'I don't know... anything you and your family would need.'

Taehyung seemed to think about it for a while.

'Okay... how about you keep me company?'

Jeongguk let out a small laugh.

'You can't be serious about that oh my god you don't need my company.'

'Yes I do. But okay maybe I should think of something else... hmm how about you... tutor me?' Taehyung finally said his eyes sparkling with amusement.

Jeongguk sighed.

'Taehyung you don't need tutoring, you are very smart and capable you're not fooling anyone.'

'Oh nonono Gukie I totally need a tutor. I've been looking for a tutor for soooooo looong I can't even tell you how happy I am to have finally found you, Jeon Jeongguk, the great tutor' he said flailing his arms in every direction, small giggles escaping his lips.

'Oh my god you are unbelievable' Jeongguk said between fits of laughter.

'So do we have a deal, Jeongguk the great tutor?'

'Yeah yeah we have a deal'

'Good. Now let's eat those damn chocolate muffins! I've been thinking about them since yesterday!'

'Oh I'm not really hungry, hyung.'

'Don't call me hyung. Call me Tae or TaeTae or Taehyung. I'm like a few months older than you. Oh and you have to eat I'm not going to let you starve.'

'It's not like a muffin is that much of a meal but okay...' Jeongguk said giggling.

'Besides you also have to take your medication and you can't take your pills on an empty stomach!'

Jeongguk looked at Taehyung surprised. He had actually remembered about his medication. He blushed a bit at the thought of the other being so mindful of his condition. They ate their muffins in a comfortable silence and finally decided to go home. Taehyung insisted on accompanying Jeongguk all the way to his apartment.

'Soo we're here... I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school....?' asked the younger shyly.

'Um yeah sure... um.. Gukie? Can we also meet up everyday after school for the tutoring thing?'

'Um yeah I guess that's okay... and after that I can go to where I do my part time job. But … where will we be studying?'

'How about that bench in the park. It's really quiet and it's my favorite place in the entire city. Is that okay for you?'

'Yeah sure' Jeongguk smiled. Even thought it was silly Jeongguk was actually starting to like that place a lot.

'Well um..' the younger unlocked the door, took a step inside and turned around. ' I'll see you tomorrow!'

Taehyung, however, seemed reluctant to leave. They waved at each other and Jeongguk finally closed the door. The first thing he did was check on his mother, telling her that he will soon find someone to help her. Her face remained expressionless and she simply looked up at his son mumbling something that sounded a lot like 'it's useless... without him it's useless'. Jeongguk decided to brush it off and just go into the kitchen to grab something to eat and take his pills. However he stopped in his tracks when he heard a soft knock on his door. He opened it and in front of him was Taehyung, showing off his rectangular smile once again.

'Um... yes? Did you forget anything?'

'Yeah. My goodbye hug!' he said throwing himself at Jeongguk engulfing him in a warm bear hug. The younger boy felt like he was melting enjoying Taehyung's body heat and musky scent. He almost whined at the loss when Taehyung pulled away. Almost. They said their goodbyes again, but this time something was different. This time the thing Jeongguk felt when he entered his apartment wasn't worry or tiredness – it was the memory of those soft warm arms and that addicting scent that will probably be stuck in his head for the next few days, his lips slightly quirking up in a drowsy content smile.

 

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