Taehyung’s eyes have long dried from the tears but his eyes hurt and so does his head but he does not mind much because Hoseok is holding him in his arms and that somehow makes everything so much better.

A stray tear or two does trickle down from Taehyung’s cheek but Hoseok’s eyes never miss it as he quickly swipes them off with his thumb gently.

“It’s okay,” he says. “It’s all going to be okay”

Its pathetic Taehyung knows very well to be crying about something that has happened over a decade ago. By now anyone who was normal would have moved on made friends, settled down get married even.

But that is the one thing that Taehyung has never been, normal.

Or else why is he in his room being held and comforted by a robot that he has customized to look just like the dead lover he is crying over?

“I am very sorry,” Hoseok asks.

“Why are you sorry?” Taehyung asks.

“I should...have never questioned you about your love,” Hoseok begins. “It has brought you a lot of distress”

“No...no,” Taehyung says. “You...you did right...I was going to tell you one day eventually”

Hoseok only nods.

“I wish I could help,” Hoseok says.

“You are,” Taehyung says touching Hoseok’s cheek. “You just being here...you have no idea how much it comforts me”

Hoseok nods his grip getting tighter around Taehyung.

“I am happy that I can be of some use,” he says.

Taehyung wishes he could explain that Hoseok was more than just of some use. He is the little string of hope that Taehyung lives for. Many times he has thought that he would be better off dead but now that Hoseok is here with him, life is suddenly worth-living,

Hoseok is the reason Taehyung wants to live.

Teenage boys around Taehyung had only one thing in mind: Girls

That included Hoseok too who was 16 now and was already on his fifth girlfriend.

Taehyung felt quite left out when Hoseok talked about girls which was a lot these days.

“You know Sungyeon,” Hoseok asked tossing a stone in the lake and it created perfect ripples.

“No,” Taehyung answered as he stood up picking up a stone and throwing it in the lake. The stone sunk into the water.

“You seriously don’t know her?”

Taehyung shook his head no.

“She is a senior,” Hoseok said as he threw a stone again creating perfect ripples. “She is quite popular”

Taehyung only shrugged.

“She is the leader of the cheerleading squad,” Hoseok continued. “Every guy in school is practically in love with her and her big s”

Taehyung shuddered making Hoseok laugh.

“What?” he asked. “You don’t like s?”

“Ugh gross,” Taehyung groaned as he threw a stone. It created a lone ripple.

“Don’t you like girls Tae?” Hoseok asked.

“I...uh I don’t know I mean yeah I like them,”

Taehyung knew Hoseok was asking him if he liked girls in a romantic/ual way but he didn’t want to answer because he simply didn’t know the answer himself yet.

It was like he missed the memo of being attracted to girls and he was pretty sure he was the only boy in the entire class who hadn’t been in a relationship with a girl let alone kiss one. But then again Taehyung missed a lot of memos of other adolescent boys.

Hoseok only chuckled as he threw a stone and it created perfect ripples again.

“How do you do it?” Taehyung asked.

“Do what?”

“You know the ripples,”

“It’s easy, just watch me” Hoseok grinned throwing a stone and it bounced quite a few times.

Taehyung did the same but the stone sunk in and he sighed.

“I’ll show you,” Hoseok said as he crept up behind Taehyung taking his hand the other around Taehyung’s waist and Taehyung could feel shivers running down his spine.

He helped Taehyung throw the stone and Taehyung watched it bounce in the water.

“See it’s...,”

“Hoseok,” a voice interrupted.

Taehyung looked to see Ahreum walking down towards them.

Hoseok immediately let go of Taehyung walking towards her.

“Hey,” he said.

She smiled at Hoseok and they kissed each other before Hoseok slowly backed her away to the tree and they started making out which was really nothing out of the ordinary. They had the compulsive need to make out with each other each time they saw each other.

Taehyung picked up a stone ignoring the sloppy sounds coming from them and threw it in the water, unsurprisingly the stone sunk right into the water.

Hoseok and Ahreum finally stopped making out.

“Hey Taehyung,” Ahreum waved at him with a smile.

“Hey,”

Out of all girlfriends Hoseok had, Ahreum was definitely the most likable. Sure, she could be annoying at times like most girls her age usually were. She was quite nice most times and surprisingly nice to Taehyung. They made casual small talk here and there. And Taehyung got plenty of time to spend with Hoseok because she didn’t have the compulsive need to have Hoseok by her side every second of the day.

All in all, Ahreum was tolerable, to say the least.

“Yura is throwing a party today,” she said more to Hoseok eyeing Taehyung a little. Even though in the past year Taehyung had built his reputation enough to not be bullied mostly because of Hoseok being his best friend it was no secret that he was still the token weird guy of not only his class but the entire school and no person in their right mind would invite him to their party or even want him there at all. Maybe, Ahreum was scared that Taehyung would want to join in or something and Taehyung could only laugh that.

“Oh, do you wanna go?” Hoseok asked.

“Only, if you are coming,” she looked to Hoseok batting her eyelashes.

It was a Saturday which was reserved for sleepovers at Taehyung’s house the nights filled with them playing video games or watching some movie or maybe just talking and it was one of the few times Hoseok would talk about something else other than girls. And Taehyung would feel like they were back to being kids when Hoseok would speculate about whether ghosts are real or not and if the tooth fairy was just running some kind of teeth mafia and giving the kids only pennies in the form of profit.

“But, think about it Tae Tae,” Hoseok would say. “What if she is selling our teeth and making money from it and she gives us a quarter to keep us happy”

Taehyung didn’t know if that was the truth or not but to him then Hoseok sounded the smartest person ever.

Hoseok was still somewhat same with his ludicrous conspiracy theories about aliens or the government and Taehyung didn’t know how much of it was true but he was always so content watching Hoseok’s lips move it didn’t even matter what Hoseok was talking about.

Hoseok looked at Taehyung for a second gnawing at his lip as Ahreum looked at him as well almost pleading at Taehyung to let him go.

“Hoseok, you should go to Yura’s party,” Taehyung smiled. “I heard her parties are always the best”

“Hoseokie,” Taehyung says.

It’s the next day and Taehyung has just returned home from work to find Hoseok sat on his bed poring over a book.

“Are you reading something?” Taehyung asks.

Hoseok stands immediately bowing.

“Welcome,” he says.

“Sit down,” Taehyung says.

Hoseok obeys him sitting down back on the bed. Taehyung reaches over to see what he is reading.

“Pride and Prejudice huh,” Taehyung says. “Interesting”

“I have heard that it is a very famous book,” Hoseok says. “Since I was bored I decided I could read it because you must like it too”

“Do you get bored too?” Taehyung asks.

“Yes,” Hoseok says. “Boredom is not limited to just humans. Anyone who is supposed to be engaged in motion is sitting still might suffer from boredom”

“Oh,” Taehyung says. “So, do you like the book?”

“It is a good read so far,” Hoseok says. “I don’t like Mr. Darcy, however”

“Why is that?”

“He does not seem to be a good person, at all,” Hoseok says. “He does not respect Elizabeth’s feelings...he is very proud and I think he needs to have a little more humility”

Taehyung can’t help but smile at Hoseok’s little rant. Nothing has ever made him seem more human to him as he explains his disappointment with Mr. Darcy’s character.

“You know he is my favorite character in the book,” Taehyung says with a little smile.

Hoseok’s eyes widen.

“I’m very sorry...I had no knowledge of this...I did not mean to offend you,” Hoseok says.

“Don’t say that,” Taehyung frowns taking Hoseok’s hand into his sad that he has once again managed to make Hoseok scared about offending him. “I like to hear you talk like that....a lot....you can never offend me Hoseokie...okay”

Hoseok nods as Taehyung gently kisses his palm.

“I would like to hear you talk more about things...like you know Mr. Darcy or any other character you read about,” Hoseok says. “It makes me very happy”

“Okay,” Hoseok smiles.

Taehyung smiles back before he gets up from the bed and changes into a T-shirt and shorts before he goes down to have dinner and of course Hoseok follows him and sits across the dining table watching Taehyung down to piles of fried rice made from organic Non-GMO brown rice that one of the cooks made for him.

“Hoseokie,” Taehyung says. “I forgot to tell you”

“Forgot to tell me about what?” Hoseok asks.

“I’m leaving for Italy tomorrow,” Taehyung says. “For some business work”

“Oh, should I pack the bag for you?” Hoseok asks. “Check the weather for the flight...”

“No,” Taehyung answers. “I would...like...you to come with me...I have your passport and visa ready...if you...agree”

“Of course,” Hoseok says with a smile. “I’ll accompany you on your journey...It will be a pleasure to visit a new country and I’d be very bored without you here”

Taehyung can barely wipe the smile off his face.

Once Taehyung finishes dinner they head upstairs to pack. Hoseok insists on helping and Taehyung lets him. They finish packing soon enough and Taehyung is exhausted.

“We have an early start tomorrow,” Hoseok says. “You should sleep”

Taehyung nods lying on the bed. Hoseok gets in but not before switching off the light. Taehyung feels him wrap his arms around him and he falls asleep almost immediately.

He wakes up to the shrill sound of the alarm. It’s 6 am and Hoseok’s eyes are closed.

“Hoseokie...,” Taehyung says touching his cheek.

“Taehyung,”

“Your eyes were closed,” Taehyung says.

“Yes, I think you said you freak out if my eyes are open,” Hoseok said with a little smile.

“Uh, yeah,” Taehyung says sitting up.

“Our flight is in five hours, right?”

“Yes,”

“You should do your routine,” Hoseok says. “And I’ll have your breakfast prepared”

“Hoseok...,”

“Your cook will not be here for another hour and I don’t think you should not have breakfast,” Hoseok says. “I can perform this simple task if you allow me too”

Taehyung sighs giving in.

“All right,”

Hoseok smiles to himself pleased as he heads downstairs.

Taehyung takes a hot shower. He changes into a simple pair of shirt and black trousers before pairing it with a floral tie. He heads downstairs to see Hoseok cooking.

“Hello, Taehyung,” Hoseok says. “Your breakfast is prepared”

“Thank you so much Hoseok,” Taehyung says as Hoseok serves him a plate of creamy scrambled eggs and toast with a side of fruit and a cup of coffee.

“I hope you like it,”

Taehyung takes a bite and of course, it is absolutely delicious.

“I love it,”

Hoseok smiles as he sits down in front of Taehyung looking pleased as Taehyung finishes his breakfast. He stands up to get the dish but Taehyung stops him.

“I’ll do it,” he says.

Hoseok nods and he just reads Pride and Prejudice on the breakfast counter before Taehyung finishes doing the dishes.

Once he is done Taehyung goes upstairs and brings their suitcase. It’s light because they will be staying only for 3 days. Even though the work for him is only for a day Taehyung has managed to extend his trip for 2 more days so that he could spend it with Hoseok who is still reading Pride and Prejudice.

“Hoseokie,” Taehyung calls out.

Hoseok looks up closing the book before he walks to him.

“We should leave,” Taehyung says.

Hoseok nods as he immediately starts walking.

“Shoes?”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Hoseok says as he picks up his shoes and wears them in a matter of few seconds.

Taehyung locks the door and the gate as they head out to parking.

“I’ll be driving for your safety,” Hoseok announces and Taehyung doesn’t protest as he keeps the luggage in the back before slipping in the front seat. Hoseok drives at a fast pace and so smoothly and he looks like he is barely making any effort at all.

When they reach the airport Hoseok seems to be in awe and Taehyung keeps a hand on his arm just to be safe.

Taehyung realizes that this is only the second time Hoseok has seen the outside world. The first being in a mostly empty luxury store but the airport is crawling with humans and Hoseok can barely look away as they sit in the airport lounge.

“You okay?” Taehyung asks.

“Yes, very much,” Hoseok says. “I was observing human life around me”

“Oh,” Taehyung says. “What do you think?”

“Chaotic,” Hoseok answers. “Everyone seems to be in a hurry and I feel like I am in the midst of it all watching them worry about things humans seem to worry about”

“Ah,”

“It fascinates me,” Hoseok says. “I wonder what it is like to worry about things”

“Do you?”

“Yes, I do not know what it feels like to worry or to be sad or happy,” Hoseok says.

“Don’t you?”

“I replicate the human emotions that I register for each appropriate situation but I can never truly...feel them,” Hoseok answers. “They are very much a mystery to me as much as the vast expanse of the universe is to a human being”

“I...think...I think...you are plenty human Hoseok,” Taehyung says.

Hoseok smiles at him.

“Well, I am glad you feel that way because that is what I try to be”

Taehyung doesn’t say anything after that and only watches as Hoseok pulls out his book again reading like any normal human would poring over each page his eyes darting from word to word his slender hands turning each page but o