The constant blaring of Jimin’s alarm startles Taehyung out of his state of sleep. He blinks, barely registering the fact that it’s still dark outside. Jimin snores softly beside him; how can he still sleep with that annoying ringtone going off, over and over again?

                  He groans, rolling into the wall to block out some noise. “Hey, Park Jimin…” There’s no answer other than the alarm mocking his every attempt to go back to sleep. “Park… Jimin…!” It’s obvious that the other boy isn’t going to rise anytime soon, so out of spite he reaches over Jimin’s body and tries to scavenge in the dark.

                  Taehyung hears a couple things fall off the nightstand before he finds his friend’s phone, gingerly swiping right to shut off the damn alarm. Jimin chooses that exact moment to wake up, squinting confusedly at Taehyung’s overhanging silhouette. “… Huh?”

                  He smacks the phone onto Jimin’s chest and rolls back into the wall. “Why on earth did you set an alarm for midnight…?”

                  Jimin opens his phone and stares at the blinding screen for a couple seconds. “… Why did I… oh yeah.” He taps for the other boy’s nose and squeezes it. “Happy birthday…”

                  Taehyung doesn’t move. “… Thanks…”

                  “What do you want to do in the morning…?”

                  “Nothing much…”

                  “C’mon, it’s your birthday.”

                  A moment passes before Taehyung finally sighs, “let’s go to the beach.”

                  “… What?” Jimin sounds a little taken back.

                  “It’s okay if we can’t,” he murmurs. “It’s just the one north of here.”

                  Jimin pats the side of his . “No, it’s alright. We can take a bus out of town…”

                  “Okay.”

                  “Good night,” he pauses. “I love you.”

                  “I love you too.”

--

                  The two of them greet the morning with a grand breakfast courtesy of Jimin’s parents, seventeen candles shoved into the top of a pancake stack for good measure. After that, it was an assemblage of birthday gifts that ranged from new clothes to a new video game. The look on Taehyung’s face while receiving these new things was one of pure joy, just enough for Jimin to crack a grin as well.

                  There’s nothing more satisfying than making his best friend happy while he was away from home. Even if he died while doing it, Jimin made it a personal goal to keep Taehyung smiling all day today. Even if that meant crawling out of his shell, he was going to make him smile.

                  They end up leaving the house at ten. The morning chill still hung around then, so they shrink into their winter jackets and make a dash for the bus stop. “I CAN’T FEEL MY FACE,” Taehyung screeches while sliding across icy walkways. “IS MY NOSE STILL THERE?!”

                  “YES IT IS, AND SNOT IS LITERALLY POURING FROM YOUR NOSTRILS!”

                  The bus is something like a heaven to them; there are plush seats and a roaring heater inside. It’s almost comfortable enough to nap, but it’s only a couple minutes until they reach the station.

                  “How long is the trip?” Taehyung asks while they’re waiting inside for their second, out-of-town bus. It only comes every once in a while, so they’re seated on a bench while people scramble around them.

                  Jimin checks his phone. “It’s about three hours.”

                  “… What?!” His friend chokes. “Damn, son. If you told me that earlier I would’ve brought something to do.” He hands Jimin a cup of hot coffee from a nearby café.

                  “We live in the city, smartass. How close did you think beaches were?”

                  “True…”

                  Jimin shuffles through his backpack and hands him his game console. “I got you.”

                  The orange-haired boy grins through his scarf. “Thanks!” He pulls out his own phone. “Hey, I got a text from Hoseok.”

                  “I did too,” Jimin replies. “Something about being on vacation in America, right?”

                  “Uh.” Taehyung flips the screen over. “He’s in freakin’ Hawaii.”

                  He stares at the photo of Hoseok perched against a palm tree. In the background, the brilliant sun is shining against a sky of blue, reflecting the tropical weather in that area. “… And here we are, freezing our asses off.”

                  “This guy,” the other boy sighs. “Alright, let’s show him that we can have fun too. Smile!”

                  Jimin warily poses for a photo. “… Do I look okay?”

                  “You sir, are the finest looking creature I’ve ever seen,” Taehyung laughs. “I’m going to send this to Yoongi too, okay?”

                  “Huh? Why?”

                  “Just ‘cause.”

                  He doesn’t like the way Taehyung winks at him, but ignores it when their bus pulls up by the curb. “Let’s go, you nut.”

                 It didn’t really matter whether or not they brought things to do on the ride, because within ten minutes of leaving the station Taehyung falls asleep on Jimin’s shoulder, and Jimin falls asleep on Taehyung’s head. They spend the next several hours in those neck-craning positions, unaware of the other passengers cooing and taking pictures of them.

                 At around one in the afternoon, the bus finally comes to a stop at the last station. It takes the actual driver to wake them up before they’re off stumbling in a barren land far away from what they’re used to.

                 “… Wow, look at that.” Taehyung yawns, pointing out to the horizon.

                 There are a couple buildings around, but far less than the city they live in. It’s beyond freezing; there aren’t very many people outside even though the view is absolutely amazing. Jimin wipes his eyes and squints, registering the white beach that stretches for miles and behind it, the ocean. Sunshine rains down on them from the sky, and it’s a brighter blue than the one they saw with Hoseok.

                 He follows Taehyung to the middle of the street, void of passing cars or traffic. They just stare up for a while, their breaths disappearing with the cold air. If it weren’t for the winter winds, then they would be met with silence. It’s as if they were the only two people in the world.

                 The two friends walk toward the beach, arms around each other to keep warm. When the concrete roads make way for gritty sand, Taehyung takes off with a huge grin. “Holy !” he exclaims, running down a hill. “THIS IS AMAZING!”

                 “Hey, be careful—!” Jimin stares as the guy trips and tumbles the rest of the way, landing with a face full of cold sand. He makes an attempt to stifle his laughter, but instead bursts with giggles while running to help him up. “Y-You alright?”

                  Taehyung gets onto his feet again, brushes himself off, and bellows, “I AM PERFECT!” He runs off again, leaving his mark across the vast shoreline. He spins and does a couple cartwheels before he finally sits his before the water. Jimin feels like he’s babysitting a three-year-old.

                 “I’ve never been to the beach before,” Taehyung says when he’s finally caught up with him. “So this is like, actually pretty ing neat. Thanks for coming with.”

                  “No problem.” Jimin crouches to touch the waving water. “Damn, that’s cold.”

                 “Park Jimin!” Taehyung screeches, ushering him away. “Don’t stand so close to the water, you’re freaking me out.”

                 Jimin looks at him in confusion, but walks over and sits down next to him. “It doesn’t really get deep until you go far out into the ocean.”

                 “I know, but... I’m not about to lose you too, man.”

                 He stares; Taehyung’s hair looks more dazzling under the sun, a brighter orange than what’s humanly possible. He looks almost ethereal, like a god. And yet, the pained look in his friend’s eyes is what brings him down. It reminds him that Taehyung is still human, still capable of being sad sometimes. “… What do you mean?”

                  “… I never told you what happened to my dad, right?”

                 “… No…” Jimin only vaguely remembers Taehyung’s father. Back when they were in elementary, he’d sometimes catch glimpses of the figure whenever he went to his house, or when Taehyung would get picked up from school. He was a big man, Jimin remembers, the kind that laughed a lot for no reason. It’s probably where Taehyung got it from.

                 The orange-headed kid gripes the sand around him as he looks to a distant point in the sky. “… My dad passed away here. Like, here, at this beach. H-He drowned. My mom said he was trying to save someone else in the water. And yeah, I guess that was pretty damn cool of him but… I’ve never been able to be near water ever since. I can’t even stand in water, let alone swim in it. I’m scared of being able to see him when I dive in, so I’ve never been taught how to swim. I don’t really plan to.”

                 Jimin doesn’t really know what to say. It’s not often that he’s let into personal stories like this, and every single time it happens he’s speechless. He wishes he could be of more support to Taehyung, with inspiring speeches or emotionally correct responses. For now, he just wraps an arm around his best friend, letting him know that he’ll always have a shoulder to lean on.

                 “It’s already been seven years,” he continues. “And I still wonder if my mom gets lonely sometimes. It’s just me and her, y’know, and she’s always working while I’m always off somewhere doing random . Every year during winter break, she tells me to stay with you. So she can work more. It’s not like I mind all that much because I like hanging out with you, but I want to go home and stay with her. I want her to work less, even if that means less money in the house. I want her to work less, so I can see her more. I just want her to know that just because dad's gone, she doesn't have to work twice as hard to fill his space."

                 "... Have you tried telling her that?"

                 "I haven't... She's never around long enough for me to have the chance."

                 "Then why don't you support her silently?" Jimin suggests. "If you can't talk it out, then I'm sure she'll notice through your actions."

                 Taehyung looks at him. "What should I do?"

                 "... Um..." Jimin hadn't thought this far. "... Get a job, maybe?"

                 He actually takes it into consideration. "A job...?"

                 "Just part-time. Even if you work a couple days a week on minimum wage, that's enough to cover allowance for a month and I think that'll help out a lot."

                 "... Alright." He nods. "That sounds like a good idea to me."

                 Jimin smiles at being able to help his friend out, even just by a little bit. "Do you miss him?"

                 Taehyung sighs, letting the wind breeze through his bangs. He closes his eyes. "... Yeah."

                 They share a still moment, both boys quiet as the waves rush against the sand, only to crawl back to its ocean. Then Taehyung stands, approaches the water, and spreads his arms wide. "... REST IN PEACE, YOU BIG GOOF!" he screeches at the top of his lungs. "MOM AND I LOVE YOU! MERRY CHRISTMAS!" The guy shouts a bit more before outright screaming into the void, and then he turns towards Jimin, who's been watching him with earnest. "Hey, you should try this."

                 "Huh?"

                 "C'mon, shout with me. Tell the beach your new year's resolution, or maybe a secret confession or something. I won't tell anyone," Taehyung laughs. "C'mon!"

                 Jimin tentatively stands as well. "... Uh, okay." He stares at the horizon, his mind coming up blank. It takes him a minute or two before he flatly declares, "I will try harder!" in a meek voice.

                 "Lame!" His friend says, smacking him on the back. "Go louder, man! There is literally no one else here but you and me. Let loose!"

                 He continues to stare. Then, with a sudden burst of newfound confidence, he bellows, "I'll try my best to be more outgoing!"

                 "Louder!"

                 "I-I'll make more friends!"

                 “LOUDER! SCREAM YOUR TINY LITTLE HEAD OFF!”

                 "I WANT TO AUDITION FOR THE DANCE TEAM FOR REAL! I DON'T WANT TO BE HELD BACK BY ANYTHING ANYMORE! I DON'T WANT TO HIDE THE FACT THAT I'M A DANCER, THAT I'M PRETTY DAMN GAY, AND THAT I'M SOMEONE WHO JUST WANTS TO BE MYSELF! I'M TIRED OF PRETENDING!" He in another breath, "ALSO, KIM TAEHYUNG IS MY BEST FRIEND AND I WANT ONLY GOOD THINGS TO HAPPEN TO HIM! THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS STANDING BY ME FOR THE PAST—I DON'T EVEN ING KNOW HOW MANY YEARS—AND PUTTING UP WITH MY BULL! YOU'RE THE BEST THING THAT'S EVER HAPPENED TO ME, AND I LOVE YOU!"

                 He gasps for breath while the guy next to him just can't stop laughing. "Oh my god, that was great—!" Taehyung wrings an arm around his shoulders. "Nice job, dude. If you can uphold any of those things, then I'll be more proud than I am right now!" He looks out to the ocean for a second more before turning around. "Alright, let's go home!"

                 Jimin glares at him. "... We've only been here for ten minutes."

                 "I know, but I'm freezing." Taehyung rubs his arms. "What happened to your voice? You sound more quiet than usual."

                 He tries clearing his throat. "I think I tried too hard..." He speaks in tiny, muted words. "I never yelled that loudly before."

                 The orange-headed kid guffaws. "Nice going. Let's go somewhere to eat first, I don't wanna starve on a three-hour ride back. We can probably get you throat tea or something."

                 "Cool..."

new cover photo to commemorate this chapter :^)
though it kind of makes the story look like not a crack fic
also! if you guys want to comment, it might help to censor your comments with a spoiler tag.
just type in [spoiler] your spoiler here [/spoiler]