9-years-old:

 

 

Yoongi hates the feeling of buttoning his shirt right to the top, he always had; the way it chokes him so slightly makes him want to rip off his whole shirt. His father would disapprove of that - Yoongi knew he would. 

 

In fact, the only reason he buttons up right to the top is because his father would give him a disapproving look if he didn’t. 

 

“Why so glum?” a voice from his door makes him jump but he relaxes again upon realising that it isn’t his father. 

 

Yoongi shakes his head and pouts. 

 

“Little sir? I asked a question?” his assistant smiles warmly - like he normally would. 

 

Yoongi sits on his bed with a huff of grief, “Junmyeon, I still don’t know how to do them up,” he raises his two feet in the air, the shoes on them unlaced. 

 

Junmyeon walks gentle steps towards him with the demeanour of a mother - a warm smile, gentle looking hands and his womanly stride, “Listen to me little sir, you are 9-years-old, things like this-” he lifts Yoongi’s foot carefully, “-shouldn’t be worrying you. At all.”

 

Junmyeon starts doing them up, Yoongi watches the loops, rabbit ears and he nods to himself, hoping he remembers the next time he tries doing it. 

 

“I have to know how to do it, papa wouldn’t like it if I don’t become a man like him,” Yoongi looks down to his knee length shorts, water wells up in his eyes but he doesn’t tear. Instead, he wipes them away before Junmyeon can tell him not to cry. 

 

“But little sir, you are just a boy.” 

 

Yoongi looks at Junmyeon, this time with his eyebrows knitted together and his hands clutching at his off-white blanket, “that’s what I’m afraid of.” 

 

 

+

 

 

The newspaper is bland, well, that is for Yoongi because he could never understand it if he tried. The comic section had been taken out obviously by his father because he once caught Yoongi reading it, laughing to himself. That day, Yoongi found out that his father hates laughter and hates the comic section in the newspaper even more, referring to it as ‘the end of brains for today’s society’.

 

Junmyeon places a massive plate of toast right at the centre of the table, with spreads differing from savoury to sweet. Junmyeon then fills the two empty glasses with orange juice. Yoongi stares at his father’s empty seat. 

 

“Junmyeon? Where is papa?”

 

Before Junmyeon can respond a thick voice from behind him makes his heart flip, “How many times have I said? No talking while eating, unless you are spoken to.”

 

Yoongi gulps and turns around to see his father with a big luggage bag next to him. Before Yoongi can ask, Junmyeon cuts him off and turns him back towards his food. 

 

“Sir, where are you going?” 

 

This question hangs in the air for about 15 seconds before it gets answered, “I’m going to China for two weeks, make sure Yoongi does his homework and respects Mr. Hong.” 

 

Yoongi does not flinch, he only jumps when he hears the front door being slammed. Junmyeon sits down in front of him and sighs, “I forgot to tell him that Mr. Hong actually can’t make it today.”

 

Yoongi widens his eyes in excitement, “this means I have 9 to 3 off?” 

 

Junmyeon nods with a warm smile, “Don’t do anything dangerous that’s all I’m going to say.”

 

Yoongi looks down at his shirt and s the top button. He feels guilty, as if the angels might tell on him. But he thinks that maybe the angels could just let this one slide.  

 

 

+

 

 

The breeze is light, and the Sun is hiding behind puffy clouds. The sky is blue too and the air smells like bliss. Yoongi smiles, “So this is what a summer stroll feels like. Mr. Hong was right it’s wonderful.” 

 

His hair fluffs about, unable to stay neat. Summer breezes are stronger than Yoongi thought them out to be. 

 

Yoongi abruptly stops though because he could swear he heard- 

 

“OUCH!” Yoongi yelps, holding on to his head with one hand. 

 

Giggling?

 

“Well hello there! What do people call you?” 

 

The voice comes from the trees where - indeed - a boy is sat on one of the bigger branches, “Well, do you speak?”

 

Yoongi can’t help but look behind him to see whether the tree boy was referring to someone else, “Uh? Did you throw a twig at me?” 

 

The tree boy folds his arms over his chest and gives Yoongi a cheeky smile, “I asked a question first!” 

 

Yoongi can’t help but stare at what this boy is wearing, folded up jeans and a really worn out cream coloured shirt. The boy’s fringe looks a little uneven but it isn’t noticeable because it’s all messy anyway, and he looks like he’s been playing around in mud all day.

 

“I don’t talk to strangers.”

 

Yoongi starts walking away but he can literally hear the tree boy climbing down the tree and chasing after him, “WAIT,” the tree boy huffs triumphantly because he’s got one hand on Yoongi’s chest - he basically out ran him. 

 

“My name is Taehyung but the family calls me pork chop because well,” the tree boy - Taehyung - leans in slightly with a crooked smile, “I ate 8 pork chops in one sitting.”

 

Yoongi sighs and flicks Taehyung’s forehead, “That’s odd.”

 

Taehyung only his head to one side, his face isn’t one that is very readable but if Yoongi were to describe it: one of Taehyung’s eyes is squinted and the other wide open almost like a cross between skeptical and curious.

 

“You’re the odd one, folks around here say I’m incredible.”

 

Yoongi slaps a palm to his face in despair, “I’m leaving.”

 

“NO DON’T,” Taehyung manages to always raise his voice every five seconds which makes Yoongi want to peel his face off. So desperately. 

 

“I introduced myself, we aren’t strangers anymore! Now, do you have a name?” Taehyung puts his hands on his hips and only now does Yoongi realise that this kid has missing teeth. Three of them. 

 

“I’m Yoongi.”

 

Taehyung rubs his chin at this, “I don’t like it, do you have, like, a cool name like pork chop that I can call you by?”

 

Yoongi’s mouth drops at this. This is outrageous. How could this tree person insult his name, “I don’t, my friends- I mean friend calls me little sir.” 

 

“Better, but not quite. How about I call you…. jeepers! You have your shirt all tucked in.”

 

Yoongi feels embarrassed by this all the sudden and untucks it as quick as he can. Taehyung smiles, “are your shoes cowhide?” 

 

Yoongi looks down at his laced up shoes, “yes, it is leather.”

 

There is an abrupt confusion on Taehyung’s face, “leather and cowhide are the same? This world is confusing.”

 

It’s Yoongi’s turn to put his hands on his hips, a mundane look taking over his soft features, “Can I leave now?” 

 

Taehyung smiles that crooked smile before taking a step closer, “your new name is twig head. Also, come back here tomorrow, I’m plotting something real fun.”

 

 

+

 

 

The next day comes quite quickly, but Yoongi is still pondering over the invite. Taehyung is odd and I don’t quite like him. But he’s given me a nickname, something no one has ever done. 

 

“Little sir? Is your head up in the clouds again?” Junmyeon’s smile is warm, and so is the omelette right in front of Yoongi. The latter smiles and shakes his head. 

 

“Remember, Mr. Hong is coming today, have you done your homework?”

 

Yoongi nods as he stuffs more food into his mouth. He swallows quickly, making Junmyeon raise an eyebrow. He pours Yoongi a glass of water, just in case if the little boy man chokes.

 

“What’s all the hurry?”

 

Yoongi downs his last bite before looking up at Junmyeon with a shy smile, “Do you think I could go out today after Mr. Hong’s lessons?”

 

Junmyeon knits his eyebrows together in thought, “You can but you have to get back for your piano lessons at 5.”

 

Yoongi’s eyes fill up with joy before he gives Junmyeon a quick hug, skipping all the way to his room after. 

 

 

+

 

 

“So because of that, you take 46 and divide it by- Min Yoongi are you paying attention?”

 

Yoongi drops his pencil because of the sudden shock. Mr. Hong looks like he isn’t playing about so he sighs and bows his head in silent apology. The room is still for about ten seconds before he feels a hand patting his back. 

 

“Don’t worry Yoongi I won’t tell your father. What’s bugging you?” 

 

Yoongi shakes his head almost urgently, “No sir, nothing’s wrong I’m just thinking about someone I met yesterday… he’s odd.”

 

“Well I assume he’s a friend?” 

 

Yoongi has to think about this but he doesn’t get to answer because Mr. Hong took both of his hands in his own, “It’s about time you had company around your age! It’s unfair that you don’t go to school and meet friends you know?”

 

“But papa says that the boys at school will teach me bad things and get me into their ‘ways’?”

 

Mr. Hong sighs and rests his cheek on his palm, “I went to a normal school Yoongi, I turned out fine. I tutor you now you see? No different.” 

 

“But the guy I met yesterday was weird! He calls himself pork chop.”

 

Mr. Hong laughs at this, ruffling Yoongi’s uncomfortably tidy hair, “And I’m sure you will grow to love his company. I’m not giving you homework today and it’s almost three so I’ll call it a day. Why don’t you go have fun with your new friend.”

 

 

+

 

 

The Sun is more confident today, it’s all by it’s self no clouds to hide it’s shimmering beauty. The feeling of the Sun on his pale skin is something he is still quite unsure about, he doesn’t quite like it but he doesn’t entirely hate it either. 

 

“Twig Head! You made it!”

 

Taehyung runs towards him, grabs his hand and yanks it towards the tree before Yoongi can mutter a ‘hello’ or ‘please don’t call me that’. Taehyung sits under the tree, dragging Yoongi down with him. 

 

“Here’s the plan, I’ve got seeds.” Taehyung opens his palms to reveal about ten seeds in his hand before he closes them tightly, “Listen, this mission is confident-al but I need help doing it so are you with me?” 

 

Yoongi rolls his eyes, “First of all it’s confidential, Secondly what is this ‘plan’ exactly?”

 

Now it’s Taehyung’s turn to roll his eyes, “isn’t it obvious! I’ve got seeds - we are making that big plant in jack and the beanstalk,” Taehyung points to his sand castle set propped next to the tree, “see? all prepared.”

 

“Taehyung, I hate to break it to you but those look like apple seeds.” 

 

Taehyung gasps, and opens his grip again, this time though, he fingers through it with the happiest grin Yoongi has ever seen on anyone, “That makes it better! Can you imagine that big plant in jack and the beanstalk but only this time with apples?”

 

“No that’s not- fine, I’ll help you plant this but don’t blame me if it doesn’t grow huge.”

 

Taehyung picks up a shovel but stops in his tracks, “You should call me pork chop instead of my name.”

 

Yoongi his head, “But I like your name?”

 

“Yes but friends give each other nicknames! Yours is twig head and mine is pork chop… It has more star quality.”

 

Yoongi doesn’t know why but what Taehyung just said made his stomach do flips all around. He felt special to someone, important enough to be given a nickname although it is twig head.

 

 

+

 

 

The two weeks went by very quickly. Yoongi would meet Taehyung under the tree, they’d water their bean (apple) stalk and they’d go on a walk. Taehyung would carry around his slingshot and every time they’d get to the front of Yoongi’s house he’d shoot the pigeons away claiming that they will, at all costs, take a dump on Yoongi’s garden.

 

The end of two weeks gives Yoongi the feeling that he is grasping for time he no longer has although he is sure he will see Taehyung again but not as often which makes him really sad. 

 

“But why won’t we be able to walk anymore?” Taehyung looks sad but he keeps a straight face. Yoongi can only sigh, “my dad would never allow it.”

 

“I’ll keep watering our plant, twiggy! You can count on me.”

 

Yoongi feels sad even about the plant but he knows he’ll get over it, he must. 

 

 

+

 

 

Yoongi never felt more restricted in his life, his buttons were all done up again, his shirt was tucked, his hair was combed through and of course his laces were done up with no further help from Junmyeon. 

 

His father had come back yesterday right after he had met Taehyung which was a pretty close call. So now the house feels tense again and his dad’s thick voice and heavy footsteps will always keep Yoongi on his toes. 

 

He walks down for breakfast only to find that his father has beat him to it, “Son, sit down I need a word.” 

 

Yoongi gulps, cautiously taking a seat, making sure there isn’t a sound coming from the pulling and pushing of his chair, “Yes papa?”

 

“I found this in our mailbox today can you please explain?” His father places a folded purple piece of paper on the table with the words ‘to: my twig’ on the front with multi-coloured magic markers. At this point, sirens go off in his head like a repetitive hum.

 

He takes the note and opens it to find that a small twig drops out of it with a short note saying: ‘Our beanstalk is not growing! please give this paper lots of kisses and put it back in your mailbox so I can deliver them to him. P.S. this is the twig I hit you with.’

 

“Papa I’m sorry.” 

 

His father seems awfully calm as if nothing major just happened, “That’s fine. People make mistakes so, I’ll tell you what you can do. Don’t step foot out of this house until you are told so.”

 

Yoongi can’t stop the tears that pour out of his eyes. He can’t stop his feet from running to his room. He can’t stop himself from slamming the door. 

 

 

+

 

 

It’s been a week since Yoongi has seen Taehyung, which is (although he doesn’t admit to it) driving him insane. He’s just a kid, he’s nothing special. But he always finds himself thinking about Taehyung and that stupid apple tree (that just might become huge).

 

He finds himself holding that stupid twig he got sent in the mailbox and he sometimes questions himself about the worth of this twig, and why he holds it with such high value. He’s thrown it away countless of times but before Junmyeon can take out the trash from his room, he finds himself digging through it - desperately trying to find his twig. 

 

“This is so dumb, I’m better than-”

 

The quick rap from his door turns into the sound of the door opening and closing almost instantly. Taehyung stands there with a pale face and a shaking body.

 

“How did you get in?” Yoongi grabs Taehyung’s hands and pulls him onto the bed with a concerned frown. Taehyung’s breath is heavy as if he had run a marathon. 

 

“Through the door? Where else?”

 

Yoongi huffs impatiently, “yes but my assistant could’ve seen you!” Yoongi can’t help but run his fingers through Taehyung’s messy brown locks. The messiest he’s ever seen. 

 

“Relax, I’ve been in here since morning, I’ve been keeping an eye on him.”

 

This is something else that Yoongi finds surprising. Since morning? It’s already 4:30p.m.? “Where did you even hide? Are you hungry?”

 

Taehyung shrugs as if coming into someone else’s house is the most normal thing to do when you are free, “I moved around. Also,” Taehyung reaches into his pocket with a cat-like grin, “I’m all loaded.” A chocolate bar. He broke in with a chocolate bar. 

 

Taehyung picks at his fingers with a pout on his face - something that he doesn’t do very often so Yoongi stares at him, waiting for him to say anything. And he does, “Our beanstalk misses you.” 

 

What Taehyung does next takes him by surprise. The boy hugs him. It takes Yoongi a few seconds to register this. Taehyung is very warm and he smells like summer air, “I miss you.”

 

Yoongi hugs back with a smile on his face that he cannot hide, “I miss you too.”

 

With this, Taehyung stands up and marches towards the window with a mischievous grin. He then opens up the window and takes a look outside, “Come here twig I’ve got an idea.”

 

Yoongi stands next to Taehyung as he speaks, “Why don’t I climb through here with that tree?” 

 

This makes Yoongi’s blood go cold, it is quite dangerous to do that but it might just work, considering that Taehyung really is one with the trees. 

 

  

“Sounds like a plan.”

 

 

+

 

 

A full month passes. A month full of Taehyung climbing through his window, updating Yoongi about their plant and other nonsense that Taehyung insists that Yoongi has to pay attention to. 

 

But today Taehyung climbs in with a wound on his knee and it almost brings Yoongi to tears.

 

“Tae- Pork chop what happened?” 

 

Taehyung smiles, sitting on the bed, “I slipped while climbing up!”

 

Yoongi can’t help but panic, he paces around looking for something to medicate the wound with but he then realises that the first aid box is down stairs, most probably with Junmyeon. 

 

“We have to dress it, it could get infected!” 

 

Taehyung folds his hands over his chest and stands up, “I’m fine,” he walks three steps and hops back onto the bed, “see?” 

 

Yoongi bites his bottom lip and sighs, “I’m calling Junmyeon.”

 

 

Junmyeon is more than shocked to see Taehyung sitting on the bed with a wound on his knee but he doesn’t say a word and helps him dress the wound. 

 

Taehyung pouts when Junmyeon kneels down in front of his severed knee, “I don’t understand why we need to do this,” he diverts his pout towards Yoongi, who is sitting right next to him. 

 

“It’s dangerous to leave it like that.”

 

Junmyeon hums while rummaging through the first aid box, “Little sir is right, it could get worse. Now you might want to close your eyes, this might sting just a little.”

 

When the dressing is done, Taehyung is holding Yoongi’s hand with his eyes tightly squeezed shut. Yoongi doesn’t know why, but he finds Taehyung very cute like this, not so smug for once. 

 

+

 

 

Junmyeon doesn’t tell anyone about Taehyung’s regular visits through the window, which Yoongi is very grateful about. He even sometimes sends them drinks and food.

 

Summer eventually turned into Fall, and right after Fall it turned into Winter. Taehyung could never be flawed, he visited during the heat, the rain and now the snow. Yoongi never complained, he loved Taehyung’s company for some reason albeit they are literally polar opposites. 

 

He doesn’t like to admit it but Taehyung has really grown on him. 

 

“Are you ready for Santa to come?” 

 

Yoongi smiles at this, no, he doesn’t believe in Santa but he sure does love getting presents from his family, “I can’t wait, really.”

 

Taehyung’s smile fades and he looks down to his coat zipper. Yoongi knows this look, it’s one that is very distinct to him because he does it very rarely, “What’s wrong?”

 

“I won’t be around on Christmas day I have to visit my grandparents. I won’t see you and our tree won’t be watered,” Taehyung says this all while looking at his zipper, his fingers fidgeting with the end of his coat. 

 

Yoongi gives Taehyung a brief hug and a smile, “It’s okay, we’ll see each other after that. Our tree is strong too so I bet it’s fine without a day of water.”

 

Taehyung smiles at this. He reaches into his coat pocket and takes out two pink beaded, polly pocket bracelets, “Merry Christmas. This was my sisters but now it can be our best friend thing.”

 

Yoongi isn’t sure about the colour but he slips it on anyway, making Taehyung smile with over enlarged eyes. 

 

 

+

 

 

13-years-old:

 

Yoongi paces around his room. Taehyung is late. Yoongi doesn’t think much about it at first but the more he thinks about it, Taehyung has never been late. Ever. 

 

What if he is in trouble? What if he’s being held hostage? What if he got stung by a bee?

 

The possibilities are endless. Just as he’s about to climb down the window himself, the tree shakes and he instantly starts breathing again. 

 

Taehyung, surprisingly, grew. Much taller. His teeth, too, have no more holes and now - Yoongi hates admitting this - Taehyung is really attractive for an 11-year-old.

 

  

“Hey, sorry I was late. I got us some food.” Taehyung smiles sheepishly before he sets the plastic bags on Yoongi’s study table. 

 

Yoongi smiles in relief, everyone is fine, my precious pork chop is fine, “That’s alright, thank you for the food.” Yoongi looks through the food containers when suddenly he’s being hugged (roughly) by a very tall, excited, Taehyung.

 

“What’s this for?” Yoongi knows Taehyung too well to know that he’d be doing this for no reason. Taehyung grins. Yoongi makes a mental note: His teeth look so nice now.

 

 

“I signed up for my school’s talent show, it’s in about 3 weeks and I need to ask a huge favour.”

 

Yoongi raises his eyebrows, “You have a talent?” 

 

Taehyung opens his mouth in hesitation and slowly closes it, “I do. I can sing but I need your help with the piano?”  Yoongi’s mouth drops at this, he wants me to play the piano for him. In front of his real friends.

 

“I can, but I need to be very careful about sneaking out. I think my father would castrate me if he found me outside without his pass.” 

 

Taehyung hugs him again, this time both of their cheeks press against each others. Taehyung smells exactly like he used to when Yoongi first met him: summer air. 

 

 

+

 

 

Yoongi drags Taehyung next to his piano and puts the musical score of ‘Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off’ into place. Taehyung looks slightly nervous - which to Yoongi is a very rare sight because Taehyung is never anything but over-confident and ambitious.

 

“Hey, why are you nervous?” 

 

Taehyung jumps at this question and sends Yoongi a shy grin, “I’ve never really sang in front of anyone before,” Taehyung looks down and starts picking at his nails. 

 

“I won’t judge you Taehyung, you know I’m better than that. Also, just a heads up my sight-reading is quite shaky so I might make a few mistakes.” 

 

Yoongi doesn’t know why but when Taehyung starts singing he gets goosebumps all over. On the same day he realises that he wants to listen to that voice for the rest of his life.

 

 

+

 

 

After a few weeks of practicing, Yoongi figures that he’s ready enough. He also knows that Taehyung definitely does not need any more practice because he was already perfect on their first day anyway.  

 

Yoongi puts on his most normal looking teenage boy clothes, he just waits for Taehyung’s signal. He looks out the window to see that the Sun is already setting so Taehyung should be here any minut-

 

The pebble’s that hit the window are soft enough not to break them but loud enough for Yoongi to realise. He’s still not very good at climbing down this tree because he’s definitely sneaked out before, but he’s still not used to it. Mostly because it’s usually Taehyung who visits him and also his hand-foot placing is way off. 

 

When Yoongi gets down, Taehyung straightens out his shirt and smiles, “You won’t exactly fit in but it’s good enough.”

 

They walk to Taehyung’s school which is only about 20 minutes away so they take their time and talk, just to calm themselves down in hopes they won’t be too jittery. 

 

When Yoongi walks into the school everything overwhelms him. He’s passed by the outside of it, but never has he stepped foot inside. It makes him tremble just a little bit. The way everything looks is appealing for some reason and he wonders why Taehyung hates school so much. 

 

When they walk into the auditorium, Yoongi’s heart sinks: this is what I’ve been missing out of all my life. 

 

Backstage is filled with people. Some of them warming up their voice, some stretching and a very few practicing their magic tricks. Yoongi takes this all in, something very foreign to him yet something he would be eager to learn about. 

 

“Hey why are you all wide eyed?” Taehyung pokes Yoongi’s cheek and the latter pokes his waist in an attempt of retaliation, “This is all really new to me.”

 

Taehyung laughs, that sound is something that hasn’t really changed about him.

 

While waiting for Taehyung’s name to be called, Yoongi learns that government school teachers have weird hair, the people at Taehyung’s school are talented (but not as talented as Taehyung), and that girls do love doing each others hair. 

 

“Hey we’re up,” Taehyung shoots Yoongi a nervous smile before bringing him into a tight embrace, “for luck-”

 

Taehyung pecks Yoongi’s cheek and makes a run for the stage with a red smiling face. Yoongi, on the other hand, can still feel the lips on his cheek, even when he starts to play the piano. 

 

Taehyung won first place that night. Maybe the kiss really did have luck.

 

 

+

 

 

“Hey Yoongi? Thanks for playing the piano.” 

 

Yoongi raises an eyebrow, “That was a few weeks ago, are you alright?” 

 

Taehyung grins at this. Yoongi isn’t quite sure whether he likes that grin or despises it, either way it makes his heart do flips - very cliche, he knows - but he can’t seem to place a finger on whether he likes it or not. He definitely isn’t used to the feeling of fuzziness and warmth, which is insane because he feels it every time Taehyung comes around.

 

“I just wanted to say thank you, again,” Taehyung stops for a moment and reaches for his backpack, “I got a trophy for it and I want to share it with you.”

 

Taehyung takes out a poorly done plastic trophy and places it between them, “How exactly are we gonna share that?” 

 

Taehyung shrugs, taking the trophy in his hands and breaking it in half. Yoongi’s jaw drops and it makes Taehyung laugh (he hates loves that laugh) “relax it’s just a trophy.”

 

Yoongi never knew he could cherish half a trophy so much. 

 

 

+

 

 

17-years-old:

 

Yoongi absolutely knows that he likes Taehyung more than a friend. 

 

In his defence, Taehyung has become very mature and much taller and much smoother than he was before. Yoongi hates this because he can’t stop thinking about Taehyung, the way he laughs or the way he has so much control over situations. 

 

And that is the exact reason he cannot sleep. He groans and shakes his head furiously in an attempt to take Taehyung’s eye-blinding smile out of his head.

 

 

+

 

 

19-years-old:

 

It’s times like these when Yoongi really wants to lean in and kiss Taehyung on the lips. Taehyung has become a little bit of a flirt now. Yoongi knows that Taehyung purposely does it for him to get flustered as well, because the bastard knows that Yoongi cannot handle compliments. 

 

“Come on Yoongi say it with me: Yoongi’s smile is the cutest in the world!”

 

Yoongi buries his face in his hands, Taehyung has been trying to make him say this for a solid 20 minutes. Yoongi curses under his breath and sighs, he knows Taehyung won’t give up so he presses his face even harder into his palms and mumbles: “Yoongi’s smile is the cutest in the world.”

 

Yoongi waits for Taehyung to say anything but instead he feels hands grabbing at his own, pulling them away from his tomato red face, “I’m sorry did you say something?”

 

Dammit Taehyung why do you always have to be such an idiot?

 

“Yoongi’s smile is the cutest in the world,” Yoongi realises that this comes out more sarcastic then he meant it to be but it seems to satisfy Taehyung anyway. 

 

“You should believe it too. How’s the hot chocolate?”

 

Yoongi doesn’t look at his drink, instead he looks around the empty shop. It’s late and almost closing time but this is the only part of the day where Yoongi can actually climb out his window and no one will suspect a thing. 

 

“It’s wonderful, I like going out with you.”

 

Taehyung leans in closer to Yoongi with a mischievous grin, “Sorry, would you repeat that?”

 

Yes, he is always a ing idiot.

 

“The hot chocolate. is. wonderful,” Yoongi scowls and Taehyung leans in closer, putting a hand on Yoongi’s knee. 

 

“That’s not exactly what I heard,” Taehyung bats his eyelashes like the ing diva he is which causes Yoongi to sigh in frustration, “That’s exactly what you heard. Now,” Yoongi flicks Taehyung’s forehead, a habit he’s picked up whenever Taehyung leans in like this. 

 

“Stop pestering me.”

 

Yoongi diverts his attention to one of the drawings on the wall before he feels an arm wrap around his shoulders, “You know,” Taehyung says and leans into Yoongi’s ear, whispering: “I like going out with you too.”

 

 

+  

 

Yoongi cries into his palms, he never thought that he would leave this place for university. 

 

He hates it, he knows he sounds stupid but he is really going to miss Taehyung climbing through his window everyday to hang out with him. Taehyung means so much to him now and he can’t seem to get his 7-year-old, toothless face out of his mind. 

 

He buries his face under his blanket to drown out all the sounds except for his sobs and heavy heaving that he doesn’t even realise Taehyung has climbed in. 

 

“Hey, why are you crying?” Taehyung’s weight makes the bed sink which sort of reminds Yoongi of his heart. His father didn’t raise him like this, he knows this - but he can’t help it.

 

Yoongi sits up and Taehyung takes his shaking body in his embrace, “Hey what’s wrong don’t cry, hey.”

 

Yoongi buries his head in Taehyung’s shoulder before he says a muffled, “I’m leaving for uni I - w-won’t see you for so loooong,” his whole body is shaking furiously while Taehyung rubs his back. 

 

“Hey, that’s okay? We knew this was going to happen. Don’t worry your pretty head about anything,” Taehyung caresses Yoongi’s wet face in his steady hands, “We’ll still meet each other, okay?”

 

Yoongi closes his eyes because the tears that well up in them start to make them burn. It’s only then that Taehyung says something that makes him shiver, “you look very cute like this, but you look cuter when you don’t cry.”

 

Yoongi knows that they usually do this, harmless flirting and all but this seemed different; just the way Taehyung said it makes Yoongi feel light-headed. 

 

“Open your eyes please I want to tell you something important,” Taehyung’s tone is serious and Yoongi immediately opens his eyes to see that Taehyung’s face looks panicked. 

 

“Do you want to know why I threw that twig at you?”

 

Yoongi knits his eyebrows together and shakes his head hesitantly. Taehyung smiles at this, “It’s because I looked at you and you looked like someone I would want to be friends with for a long time- and- look I even bought a cake today because it’s our ten year anniversary.”

 

“The thing is, Yoongi, I don’t want to feel like this anymore this friendship feels so awkward,” Taehyung smiles at Yoongi’s panicked expression while running a hand through his hair. 

 

“Ah, what the heck-” 

 

Taehyung’s lips press against Yoongi’s shocked ones before the latter relaxes and kisses Taehyung back shyly. His chest feels so warm and his stomach feels fuzzy, this is one of the best feelings he’s ever had. 

 

When both of them pull away they start laughing and Yoongi realises that this boy has made him happy for 10 years of his life and he will always be thankful for that. 

 

 

 +

 

 

32-years-old:

 

“Hey twig I never confessed something to you.”

 

Yoongi lifts his eyes from the book he’s reading, “And that is?”

 

Taehyung smiles sheepishly, “do you remember our apple plant?” 

 

Yoongi squints his eyes in suspicion and nods his head slowly, making Taehyung’s smile grow bigger, “I actually forgot the exact spot we planted it so when you stopped following me to water it I never actually watered it.”

 

“Then why the hell did you send me a letter asking for kisses?” He his head to the side with an eyebrow raised. Taehyung blushes which makes Yoongi want to squeeze his cheeks together but he refrains.

 

“I wanted those kisses for myself.”