It started off with a yellow crayon and a empty courtyard behind the childcare facility building, where Taehyung was only 5 at the time when he tugged onto Jungkook’s tiny little fingers to lead them to a plain concrete ground together. Squatting idly side by side, Taehyung excitedly urged Jungkook to watch him. 

And Jungkook remembers glancing around his surroundings, feeling kind of anxious because he knew that the teachers didn’t like it when the kids ran away during tea time to play instead of eating the horrid green veggies that were given to them.

But when Taehyung began to draw little figures and odd shapes that formed pretty flowers and clouds, Jungkook realised that he would rather be here with Taehyung than inside those bleak rooms any day.

The way Taehyung looked so concentrated while holding the bright yellow crayon with his hands that was not that much bigger than Jungkook’s own, made it all the more interesting. Because even though Jungkook was young, he knew then that the drawings and images that Taehyung created was special and unique.

He also knew that he could watch Taehyung draw all day. 

The following years, instead of inside kindergartens and childcare centers, Jungkook and Taehyung were inseparable as they slowly transitioned from toddlers to young teenagers together, still always side by side.

It was the summer of junior high when Jungkook noticed that Taehyung spent most of his time in class, doodling in his textbooks instead of writing down notes for the following exams. And he always carried around a black pen and a little notebook wherever he went. It was as if he couldn’t go anywhere without them.

Jungkook notices a habit that Taehyung had acquired over the years, the latter would frequently open his little black note book to quickly sketch something down whenever they were out and about together. Whether it be walking home from school, or their weekends spent together up in the large tree at the back of Jungkook’s house, staring at the moving clouds, Taehyung was always inspired to draw by his surroundings.

At first Jungkook would ask him what the book was for and would even try to take a peek inside, but Taehyung always made sure to discreetly hide it away from him, saying it was just a sketch book, some drawings - nothing special. 

And of course, Jungkook thought that that was normal. He didn't think much of it at the time. He knew how much Taehyung loved to draw, how much he loved the arts because he looked so enamoured whenever he was starring at his own drawings. Growing up together with Taehyung and being friends with him for so long already, he believed that there was nothing abnormal about Taehyung's love for drawing and creating.  

However Jungkook did notice how the other curious kid in his class would always pester Taehyung, asking him why he was so chill and relaxed when high school entrance exams was just around the corner.

Then Taehyung would always just shrug, asking them back why he had be stressed over such a usesless thing and not so surprisingly, that always earned condescending looks from the other students who took offence. 

Jungkook could tell none of them really took Taehyung seriously, the kid who never paid attention in class and who was barely passing each subject. It was already bad enough that he was put into a class that was made out of high achievers who could never understand why a person like Taehyung existed in the first place.

The economy nowadays was rough, society's demands for success in this day and age was based more and more on intelligence and academic achievement. Which Jungkook had witnessed throughout most of his early teenage life. The idea to conform and to not stray from the norm. 

Jungkook hated to admit it, but it was suffocating for him to live under those constant expectations of society and his own family, where people were always asking for more and more but there was only so much you could give before you broke. 

The only time where Jungkook feel like he could breathe, freely and liberatingly was whenever he was with Taehyung.

Because with Taehyung, Jungkook would feel the weight of the growing world around him lighten. When Taehyung would simply smile and tell him 'it's just an exam, it doesn't determine your worth as a student or a human being, don't stress', it made him feel wholesome and worthy. It made him feel happy.

Because with Taehyung you don't have to give and you don't have to take, you just simply have to be. You just have to be there living and smiling and that made Jungkook feel free.  

He always wanted to tell him how much Taehyung's encouraging words always meant to him because it was something that stuck with him throughout his high school life whenever things got tough or too stressful. 

Sometimes Jungkook even wondered what his teenage life would've been like if Taehyung was never there beside him, through thick and thin.

On the night just before their graduation ceremony, Taehyung is sitting in Jungkook's room, both kind of high and buzzed from the alcohol they sneaked in together as they're flushed and giggling, siting side by side, leaning against each other comfortably as Jungkook relishes in the feeling of Taehyung against him.  

Jungkook finds himself occasionally stealing glances at his friend whom, he admits, they haven't been able to make time for each other recently, especially ever since he said yes to go out with the quiet girl from his literature class.

Jungkook even remembered confiding in Taehyung at the time, saying how he was unsure and honestly hesitant because he had never really thought about dating anyone before. It never crossed his mind despite what all the other boys their age were doing, getting into their first relationships as if it was just a goal to conquer instead of actually being with someone they loved.

However Taehyung just shrugged whenever Jungkook asked for advice, batting his eyes away as he closed the sketchbook he's been carrying around for all these years before he would look into Jungkook's eyes.

He always looked like he wanted to say something back then and Jungkook was never quite sure why he wore such an expression.

But eventually, Taehyung would just laugh while squeezing Jungkook’s shoulder’s lightly as he said,

"She's a pretty girl, smart as well, I don't know why you wouldn't fall in love with her eventually," 

At that, although Jungkook still felt slightly hesitant and oddly half hearted, he went ahead and said yes, thinking what was the worst that could happen anyway?

In fact, nothing happened all.

It’s just that, Jungkook didn’t feel anything, with the girl who claimed to be his girlfriend. His feelings never transitioned into something called ‘love’ and ‘adoration’ even after he said yes to her. Instead, the dynamic of Taehyung and his friendship, slowly but surely changed instead with another person in the picture. Hypocritically, he realised that he was becoming like those same guys he looked down upon so much because he said yes to a relationship he wasn't sure of, to a girl he wasn't in love with. 

At first Jungkook didn't notice it, but when he began to miss Taehyung more than his own girlfriend, who began to give up on him for the lack of attention and effort that he was giving, he realized that he hadn't spent time with Taehyung properly in months and that made him upset. This wasn't how things were supposed to be and Jungkook didn't like to see Taehyung with other people who weren't him. 

Jungkook felt like he had his priorities all messed up.

That's when he knew it wasn't right to continue with a relationship that he didn't care about anymore despite him trying in the first place to make things work. Sometimes, some things just aren't meant to be, no matter how hard you try.

"You guys broke up ?" Taehyung suddenly asks as he moves away from Jungkook slightly to look at him. Jungkook finds himself nodding with pursed lips, almost a bit too nonchalant about the whole ordeal which clearly confused Taehyung for a second. 

"Yeah. Last week I think," 

"You think?" 

Taehyung had his eyebrows furrowed together now as he frowned at Jungkook. Looking at him, almost in disbelief because he sounded so casual about a break up.  

"Why'd you guys break up, if you don't mind me asking," Taehyung went on to ask instead, in which Jungkook just shrugs.

"I don't know….Things just weren't right and it felt like she was demanding something from me that I couldn't give...so we ended things," Jungkook told Taehyung truthfully. He never hid anything from Taehyung when it came to his own problems or feelings.

And Taehyung must've known so too as he reached over to place his warm and gentle hand over Jungkook's thigh, which was oddly soothing and calming. Taehyung's presence never failed to make Jungkook feel at ease and recently, the thought was beginning to overwhelm him in a way that was different to what he had ever felt before.

A fleeting thought would pass Jungkook’s mind and it would make him think, why there wasn't someone like Taehyung out there for him? Someone so carefree and beautiful inside out. Someone who saw the world in more than just the colours given, but in all the dimensions both known and unknown.

Perhaps Jungkook knew then that he was treading along the dangerous thin line of a forbidden realisation but was still too afraid to come to terms with it. Without even knowing, he had dug this those thoughts and feeling deep, hiding them away in the darkest recesses of his heart. 

It's when Taehyung spoke up again did Jungkook realise what he was doing or exactly, how close their faces were now.

Their hot breaths are fanning across each other's faces and Jungkook can almost taste Taehyung's lips on his own. If he was to lean in just a little closer, just who knows what could've happened. 

"Hey can I...draw something on your arm?" Taehyung suddenly asks, softly under his breath as he darts his eyes up till they met with Jungkook's own. Was Taehyung's lashes always this long and delicate under the dim lights? Jungkook wonders. His high nose bridge and the soft depression of his cheekbones, it was perfect. 

Without thinking, Jungkook just nods and then Taehyung was smiling instantly back at him, the same boxy grin before he was nudging for his left arm.

Back then Jungkook probably didn't understand how serious and intimate the act was when he gave up his bare arm for Taehyung to draw on. But like he had stated, he could watch Taehyung draw all day. 

With a black marker in his hand, Taehyung was examining the human canvas presented to him with caution.

They sit there in silence, Jungkook just watching attentively like he always did whenever Taehyung was drawing or doodling in his free time. As if he hadn't been doing so for more than a decade since knowing him.

Jungkook was always fascinated by the artworks that Taehyung drew. His skills and talent honed steadily over the years. 

When the cold wet tip of the marker touched Jungkook's skin, it was a tingling sensation. He couldn't help but sit there in anticipation as his eyes followed the way Taehyung's fingers would spread gently across his bare arm.

Taehyung had his eyebrows knitted together in concentration as the black marker began to form delicate lines and shapes on his skin. It made him realise that it was always one thing to watch Taehyung draw from afar, but it was a completely different feeling to have the picture drawn onto your own skin. Seeing the plain flesh begin to take on another image and life form in itself was mesmerising in a way.

As if your body was a canvas for the painter to plant their creations onto.

And Jungkook liked the idea that Taehyung was the painter who would breathe both colour and art into his life.

"Done," Taehyung chirps, wetting his thumb with his own saliva before using it to rub onto Jungkook's skin to clean the little edges of the drawing on his arm. 

Jungkook groans, rolling his eyes back slightly at the gesture which only made Taehyung laugh. 

"Gross," then then frowns which made Taehyung playfully slap his thigh instead before they’re both bursting into a fit of giggles.

When their little laughter died down, it was then that Jungkook got the chance to carefully admire the intricate artwork drawn onto his pale arm. It wasn't surprising that it was beautiful but it still left him in awe because Taehyung had drawn this so quickly and without any reference at all. It was stemmed from his own mind. 

"Wow this is gorgeous Tae, I've always known you could draw...but this is impressive," Jungkook knows that his mouth was probably wide open in awe as he twisted his arm from side to side to continue to stare at the little drawing on his upper arm.

It indeed was beautiful, but he was slightly confused as to what the artwork actually was. He could make out what the prominent shape was forming, a circle, using a scaled creature that resembled that of a dragon.

However Jungkook knew that there was a deeper meaning to this drawing than what the eye can plainly perceive.

He wants to ask Taehyung what it symbolised, if it even symbolised anything in the first place. But he felt bad if he were to ask Taehyung what the picture meant because he didn't want to offend the latter.

However, Taehyung just chuckles as he reaches over for Jungkook's wrist, holding it gently as he extended his arms. 

"It’s Ouroboros. H e who eats his own tail. A symbol of infinity and eternity. A paradox in which you must give yourself away for the wholeness of something else." Taehyung tells Jungkook while softly tracing his warm fingertips over the drawing. 

"It's a dragon eating it's own tail basically,"

"Oh I see, that’s super deep and cool. You're so talented Tae," Jungkook smiles smally after the compliment. He could definitely see the life and hidden meaning behind the drawing now which made him appreciate the the art so much more.

A faint hue of pink stay dusted across Taehyung’s cheeks as he smiles back timidly, but then not soon after, he was sighing so hard it looked as if his whole body was deflating. He lets go of Jungkook’s arms as his shoulders lightly cower now.

"Hey Kook, I actually have something to tell you," 

Jungkook can see the way Taehyung was gnawing down onto his bottom lip, hesitant and unconfident which wasn’t like his usual self. He had an inkling there was something Taehyung wanted to tell him.

And then Jungkook took another glance down at the drawing made from the black ink of the marker Taehyung used to draw onto his skin, then back up at the latter. Jungkook was suddenly reminded about all the times the latter spent huddled over the classroom desk, scribbling into