Chapter 3

Fifteen Years

“Yah Kim Taehyung!” a loud voiced boy called from one corner of the class. But Kim Taehyung had already vanished out the class door.

A loud sigh could be heard. “He escaped again huh?” Namjoon commented and scratched his head. He held a broom in his hands making him look like an old samurai with a weird mohawk. Hoseok only sighed like an old man once again. “It’s like he has a girlfriend that he’s whipped to,” he replied and walked to the board to clean it.

Hoseok continued to complain, “He hasn’t joined any club, has he?”

Namjoon began to sweep the classroom. “I hear he’s trying out for basketball or something. But isn’t that kid good in studies as well?”

“Yeah, he always gets the top results. Gosh, what wouldn’t I give to be a genius like him?” Hoseok whined but didn’t mean any bad feelings by it. He looked up to Taehyung for maintaining perfect balance in school. In fact, everyone did. It was either desire to be like Taehyung or be with Taehyung. And either one seemed impossible.

Taehyung’s initial plan to be a sociable kid went out the window as soon as he met Jungkook. Besides school work, only Jungkook’s thoughts filled Taehyung’s young mind which led to him being one of the least sociable kid in the school. Taehyung never joined any cub although different clubs requested him to join. He was even suggested to be a member of the student council by teachers because of his outstanding grades but he simply refused saying that he was preoccupied with something at home. He never really had any close friends in school unless you counted Hoseok and Namjoon who copy off his homework at times and eat lunch together.

But despite his lack of social life in school, Kim Taehyung was not dissatisfied. Why? Well, the reason was simple. Taehyung had Jungkook.

“Do you think he has a girlfriend whom he meets up with everyday?”Hoseok suggested. “I bet she’s pretty hot.”

Namjoon smacked Hoseok’s head. “Get back to work, . So what if he has one?”

Hoseok pouted. “I was just curious.” Namjoon grinned scarily. “Rather than a girlfriend, I think he’s more into guys. Not that I mind.” Hoseok nodded his head in a rather interested way. “True, true. He has rejected every girl that has ever confessed to him. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t reject the few boys who confessed to him.”

Namjoon was tired of Hoseok’s ranting. “Just get back to work, stupid, so we can hurry home.”

If Taehyung had overheard his two friends’ conversation, he would’ve blatantly explained that he did have someone waiting for him at home. A certain someone whom he had grew so fond of the past year. A certain someone whose smiles gave him even the smallest joy, and whose pain he shared even though he was physically fine.

The past year wasn’t easy for Taehyung. He knew that Jungkook was frail and weak and he shouldn’t be attached to him as much as he was now because, well, he didn’t want to complete that sentence. But he couldn’t stop himself to stay away from the said boy. His smiles were so contagious that he could even see them in his dreams. And at first, Taehyung was disturbed.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Taehyung was supposed to befriend Jungkook to kill his as well as Jungkook’s loneliness. But his plan once again flew out the window that one fateful evening when he realized that he might be in love with the innocent kid. That seemed to happen a lot in Taehyung’s life now; the whole thing about his life not going according to plan.

Flashback

It was one warm autumn evening, right after Jungkook had turned thirteen. Jungkook was still playing with his gifts from the day before when Taehyung managed to drag him out to their place in the garden.

“I have a gift for you,” Taehyung said and made Jungkook sit on the grass. Jungkook just sat there looking lost as usual because Taehyung had already given him his gift the previous day, didn’t he?

“Close your eyes,” Taehyung said softly. Jungkook complied obediently and waited. “Don’t open them until I tell you so,” Taehyung said with a cheeky smile. “No peeking, Kookie-ah.”

Jungkook smiled uncontrollably. He disliked the idea of being startled by a surprise but it was Taehyung. Deep inside, he knew that his beloved hyung would never scare him. So he waited.

After about five minutes, Jungkook heard Taehyung say to open his eyes. And upon opening his eyes, Jungkook saw small colorful paper butterflies float around him. Some were gliding around him while some hung on the tree branches and flowers.

“Is it pretty?” Taehyung asked, seeing Jungkook’s reaction. He was just standing there, with his mouth wide open. And were those tears in his eyes? Taehyung almost panicked seeing the tears but he was reassured by Jungkook’s vigorous nodding of the head.

“Do you like it?” Taehyung asked, wanting Jungkook to answer more. He doesn’t have to speak, Taehyung thought, he just had to make small gestures like the nodding of the head or even a smile would suffice.

Satisfied with Jungkook’s crazy uncontrolled laughter, Taehyung whispered, almost to himself, “Happy birthday, Kookie. Hyung loves you.” He felt a warm and tingling sensation in his chest as soon as he said this.

Jungkook continued to play with the paper butterflies even after five minutes had passed and the sun was setting. But Taehyung was not in any rush to bring him back inside. If it got any colder, he would give Jungkook his jacket to keep him warm. He vowed that he would go in if only Jungkook said he wanted to go in.

During this time, Taehyung simply stared at Jungkook and wondered how on earth a person as nice as Jungkook agreed to befriend a boring person like Taehyung. He felt all fuzzy and nice thinking about Jungkook, Jungkook and well, Jungkook. In fact, for the past few months, his mind had only been occupied of the said boy and he was a little scared.

Why was he only thinking of him? Why did he feel the need to protect him everywhere he could? Was it because he felt like an older brother towards the younger? If so, how would he explain the fuzzy feeling he gets in his stomach every time anyone mentioned his name? Was it normal for siblings to feel this way? Taehyung didn’t think so. Nor did he think that it was normal for him to want to kiss the younger every time they met.

Taehyung froze his thoughts. Alright, where the hell did that come from?

“Hyung,” he heard Jungkook call him. “Taetae hyung,” Jungkook called once again. Taehyung turned still looking dazed. “Huh?”

He saw Jungkook starting to shiver. It wasn’t that cold but Jungkook was sensitive to the weather. Quickly realizing that he was cold, Taehyung took off his jacket and put it on Jungkook’s shoulders. “Do you want to go inside, Kookie-ah?” he asked, concern dripping off his face.

Jungkook shook his head. “Not yet.”

Jungkook went back to playing with the butterflies and Taehyung back to debating with his inner self. His eyes constantly shift to the younger’s face, making him more aware of the beautiful round faced angel before him.

What? Did he just describe Jungkook as a ‘beautiful round faced angel’?

I just did, didn’t I? he thought.

Well, . This wasn’t what he expected. At all!

~*~*~*~

Taehyung practically raced back home and immediately went to Jungkook’s room in the orphanage. But once again, his heart almost stopped to see a group of nurses and both his parents gathered in the room, trying to calm down a very scared Jungkook.

No, Taehyung pleaded inwardly, please. Not again.

But this time, Taehung didn’t stay still. He ran inside to Jungkook’s side and struggled to hold Jungkook. He knew how to help him. He knew how to calm him down.

Realizing that Taehyung was trying to help, his parents and the nurses backed off a little to give the boy some space and let Taehyung work his magic.

“Shhh,” Taehyung older whispered in a shaky breath, almost inaudible, into Jungkook’s ear. Was it just him or did Jungkook feel thinner than the last time he held him? When was that? Four days ago?

“Kookie-ah,” he continued to speak softly so that his parents and the others couldn’t hear him. “Kookie-ah. I’m here, Kookie-ah. I’m here. You’re gonna be fine now. I’m here. The monsters can’t get you. I’m here now. I’ll protect you. You’re safe. You’re fine.”

Taehyung couldn’t help but let his tears fall on Jungkook’s shoulders. It hurt him so much to see Jungkook in pain like this. Jungkook was probably so scared and in so much pain because of his past accident and all Taehyung could do was give some stupid words to calm him down for the time being. Taehyung continued to cry silently. Why did Jungkook have to suffer like this?

The ‘stupid words’ seemed to help. Soon, Jungkook’s screams receded to soft whimpers and eventually, his breathing evened out. “Taetae,” he heard Jungkook say. Taehyung quickly wiped his tears and turned to the boy who almost made his heart stop beating.

“I’m here,” he said and gave a pained smile.

Jungkook grinned as if nothing happened. He smiled as if he hadn’t tried to hurt his caretakers a few seconds back. He smiled as if everything was fine and as if he was a perfectly healthy boy.

Taehyung tried hard to blink back the tears that were on the verge of falling. “Taetae hyung,” jungkook repeated. “Sleepy,” he muttered, followed by a yawn. Of course he was tired. Of course he wanted to sleep.

Taehyung’s parents stood there silently and watched their son smile even though they knew his heart was breaking.

“Mom? Dad?” Taehyung called out. “Can I sleep here again tonight?” he continued to hold the frail boy in his arms, as if fearing that he would disappear any moment. They were too frightened to say anything. They were frightened that their only son would not sleep the whole night taking care of Jungkook. They were more scared that they would lose Jungkook any time soon. But they were most petrified to the thought of their son losing his best friend when he wasn’t there.

“Sure, Taehyung,” his father said. “Just call anyone of us if you need help.” Taehyung only nodded. He didn’t trust himself to speak in fear of crying out loud. The others left the two boys alone in the room.

Taehyung once again shed silent tears. He was old enough. He knew that Jungkook was very, very sick. He knew that Jungkook was suffering. And he knew that Jungkook was growing weaker by the day. And it didn’t help him that he overheard his parents talking about Jungkook’s failing heart the other night. And it definitely didn’t help his own heart that he was possibly in love with the very boy who was causing him all the heart ache in the world.

Carefully, Taehyung set Jungkook down to the bed. It was sad that he found this task so easy because of his light weight. Again, being ever so cautious, he took off his shoes and lay beside the boy who made him feel every possible emotion in the world. Fear, happiness, anger, grief and possibly love.

Slowly caressing the younger’s face, Taehyung let his tears flow. “Kookie-ah,” he whispered. “Please be alright. I promise I’ll help you. Just don’t give up yet, okay?”

Taehyung bit his lips and let out a muffled sob. “Don’t take him away yet,” he said. “Please, not yet. Let me help him.”

The sun had already set a few minutes ago. Taehyung watched the boy before him breathe in and out peacefully. Why couldn’t it be like this everytime? Why couldn’t Jungkook live peacefully like this forever?

Letting out a small sad sigh, Taehyung pushed away a lock of hair that covered the younger’s eyes. Once again, his fingers remained on the boy’s face. And it felt good. Nothing awkward, nothing to feel guilty about, nothing to be embarrassed about. It just felt right.

Then Taehyung realized something again which made his heart sink and beat faster in excitement at the same time. He wanted to cry again but he controlled his tears and instead let out a soft chuckle.

Slowly and softly, he gave a peck on Jungkook’s forehead, making it lighter than a butterfly’s weight. “Hey Kookie-ah,” he whispered with a bright smile. He wanted to get this feeling out before it made his heart sink any deeper. He knew admitting it would make him feel all the more sad yet he wanted to get it out. He had to. Or else, he thought, I could very possibly die of the thrill.

“Do you know? I think I’m in love with you.”

And with a relieved and satisfied smile on his face, Taehyung too closed his eyes to fall into the world of dreams, the world where everyone’s wishes came true, and where Jungkook didn’t have to suffer so much.

A/N:

The world simply needs more Taekook...

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