Jeongguk was stewing; the three were gone for a rather long time, and his curiosity had skyrocketed.

"Can you just chill?" Sejeong hissed, slapping his thigh to stop him from tapping his foot against the floor.

"What could they possibly be talking about for so damn long?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because! I want to know!"

With the boy's exclamation, a click of a door opening was heard, and the three returned to their seats soon after that.

"Hey, tell me, tell me," Jeongguk whispered to the fluffy-haired boy, who sat next to him again.

He giggled at his loveable behavior and shook his head. "No."

"Oh, come on!"

"You can tell him later, Taehyung. I just didn't want him to be present because he wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut," Seungjo said rather teasingly, educing a snort from his son.

"Not cool, dad. I'm very much capable of keeping my mouth shut, unlike you."

"Well, excuse me for being enthusiastic!"

"More like a babbler," he said under his breath, making Taehyung chortle as he was the only one who heard him.

"What did you say?"

"I said I hope you didn't make him uncomfortable."

"Liar," Taehyung muttered, inciting the boy beside him to poke his side.

"We didn't, don't worry. And you, young man, you better take good care of him," Jisung said in a serious tone, giving a knowing look to his son.

"Wait, you said you aren't dating!" Sejeong cried out in shock, her eyes wide open, just like her mouth.

"Because we're not. Shut up," Jeongguk snarled. "Don't listen to her," he reassured Taehyung as he noticed how he tensed up.

"Oh. You should, you look great together!"

"Sejeong-ah!" Her cousin soured her grin with his glower.

"But if you guys like each other, why not date? Taehyung, you like him, right?"

"You don't have to answer that," Jeongguk said in haste, his heartbeat rising.

"Yeah, he doesn't have to answer because everyone can tell," Sejeong chirped, paying no mind to the scowl she received from her cousin this time.

"Okay, we will go to my room now." Jeongguk grabbed the Taehyung's hand and pulled him to his feet.

"We're rooting for you!" Sejeong exclaimed in a cheerful tone as she held a fist in the air.

And Jeongguk could only groan and quicken his pace as he felt he would die from embarrassment at any moment.

When he shut the door, he turned to Taehyung with an apologetic expression. "I'm really sorry for this."

"Don't apologize," he uttered as he took a step closer, fisting his sweater.

"I should since she made you uncomfortable." Jeongguk slipped his arms around his waist, bodies now in full contact.

"She didn't, I just... I didn't want to admit in front of everyone that I—that I like y-you too since I haven't even said that to you yet."

The smile that crept over Jeongguk's lips was one of his happiest ever, his heart prancing at his words. "You like me too, Taecute?" He strung their foreheads together, bumping his nose playfully.

"I like y-you, Kookie." His stomach tightened the moment he said those words, heat spreading on his cheeks.

"I thought you liked Inhyuk."

"Shut up." Taehyung closed the gap between them, connecting their lips into a gentle but rather eager kiss.

Sweet, quiet hums rippled through the room from both as they started a make-out session that lasted for a while.

Taehyung's knees felt weak; the way Jeongguk's skillful tongue was deep in his mouth, brushing against his at a slow pace, the way his hands traveled on his back, the way he pressed their bodies together, the rapid rhythm of his heart he could feel palpitate against him.

Everything about that kiss was magical, heavenly, just like their first one.

They pulled back with a few more pecks, bodies and foreheads linked, heavy breaths mixing, eyes closed.

"I don't like Inhyuk," Taehyung whispered, feeling the need to come clean about what happened, even though he was embarrassed to admit the truth.

"Then why did you lie?"

The older held his hand and led him to the bed so they could sit. He inhaled a deep breath and released it shakily as he hung his head. "When I came to the changing room, I saw you, um, with—without a, um, shirt on and—and, ugh." He groaned, hiding his face in his hands.

Jeongguk cooed hard at the sight, mellow chuckles emitting from his mouth as he muffled him in his hug. "And?"

"God, it's so embarrassing," Taehyung whined, digging his head into the crook of his neck.

"You're so fucking adorable." He trailed sugary kisses all over his head, still chuckling in between. "Did you get all flustered because you saw me without a shirt on, Taebear?"

The boy squeaked, stomping his feet on repeat. "Jeongguk!"

"What? Isn't that what happened?" He unburied Taehyung's head despite his protest, searching for his gaze, and snorted as he refused to look at him.

"Yes."

"Can you look at me and say it again?"

"Why are you doing this to me?" Taehyung mewled, attempting to hide his face again, but the other didn't let him.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Just tell me 'Jeongguk, I was blown away by your sexy body' and we're good."

Taehyung plastered a fake scowl on his features as he shoved his shoulder. "You're torturing me!" he cried out, ignoring his heady laughter, and scooted over to get away from him.

Or so he tried because Jeongguk tugged him back and pushed him down in the bed, cupping his face with one hand and propping himself on his elbow. "I love teasing you." He dipped down to peck his lips. "So you lied because you didn't want me to know you like me?"

"Yes. And that's why I was so weird yesterday with Sejeong. I like you, and the thought that you had a girlfriend saddened me," he admitted in a quiet tone and pulled him in a short, delicate kiss.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I told you yesterday, Jeongguk. I didn't want to drag you in my messed-up life if you liked me back."

"You thought there was a chance I wouldn't like you back?" His brows went sky high in disbelief.

"Well, yeah."

"Taehyung, I was flirting with you nonstop, I was hugging you almost all the time, I was basically all over you. And you didn't understand anything?"

"Maybe because I thought there was no way you would like me back. Maybe that's why I couldn't see it."

A gloomy smile surfaced on the younger's lips as he caressed his cheek with his thumb. "Well, I like you. For a while now, actually. And I felt awful when you said you like Inhyuk, just so you know. I thought what does he have that I don't?"

"I'm sorry for lying. I didn't want to upset you."

"It's okay, I understand why you did it. And since I get to kiss you and hug you all I want, we can forget about all that." He passed his fingers through his hair and held his nape, his eyes filled with fondness as he gazed into his soft ones. "I can't get over how beautiful you are, and I don't think this will ever happen."

"Stop, I'm blushing." He giggled as he tucked him in his hug, placing a gentle kiss on his neck. "You're way more beautiful."

"Shush, no one can compare with you." He claimed his lips, swallowing whatever Taehyung wanted to say. Their movements were unhurried, brimmed with lust and fervor as if they couldn't get enough.

Jeongguk sucked his bottom lip, earning a tantalizing moan from him that ignited a galaxy of stomach-flipping emotions and left him begging to hear him again.

But even if Taehyung didn't want to moan, he couldn't possibly do that; Jeongguk knew exactly what to do to electrify him without being lewd.

His hand was strictly on his side, sliding over his body, and even though he could feel something poke his thigh, Jeongguk didn't initiate anything.

That boy was stunning, sweet as candy, kind, thoughtful, an amazing kisser, and respectful. What else could Taehyung ask for?

The younger tugged at his lip once more and traced his jawline with sugary kisses, going to his neck. He licked a thick line towards his earlobe and teased it with his tongue, swirling it around and nibbling it.

Quick pants mixed with moans slipped out of Taehyung's lips, his eyes screwed shut in pleasure, his one hand wandering on his back, and the other tugging his hair gently.

A fueling attack on his neck was what left Taehyung a whimpering mess and his pants tightening even more. Without having control over his body anymore, he bucked up his hips, asking for even a faint pressure against his cock.

That was Jeongguk's cue to stop what he was doing before things got out of control. "Sorry, I got a little carried away," he whispered and drew a string of kisses on his lips.

"I liked it. Don't apologize." Taehyung couldn't help but smile at what an angel he was. "I wish we had more time."

"Me too, but it's almost time to go to work." He continued leaving a load of kisses all over his face, eliciting honeyed giggles from him. "How about... you sleep here tonight?" Taehyung's smile vanished rather fast at his words, something that concerned him. "I don't know if you're afraid of your hyung or if I'll do something to you, but I promise I won't do anything. You can even sleep in the guest room. I just want to spend more time with you."

"I know you won't do anything, Kookie, and I want to spend more time with you as well, but I have a lot of things to do tomorrow morning. And if I don't have enough time to do them, Jongwon will get mad, and I don't want him to—to hit me again." His voice sank to a whisper as he lowered his gaze.

"I definitely don't want that either. Did you think about what we said the other day?"

"I did. I just... My parents will return in one or two weeks. I want to wait until they come. I want to tell them everything. I doubt they'll care, but I want to discuss leaving the house with them first. Will you—Will you be there too? Jongwon will be furious when he finds out about this. I know he's capable of anything, and I don't know if my parents will be able to calm him down. I don't want to meddle you, and I really don't want you to get hurt, but... I'm so scared, Kookie. I'm so scared to face him alone."

"Baby," Jeongguk uttered as he caged him in his hug. "Of course I'll be there. I don't care about getting hurt. I'm used to it. If he's even able to touch me, a few punches won't do shit to me. You don't have anything to worry about. I'm here to support you in every choice you make and protect you from anything that wants to hurt you. I don't know what you have done to me or why I have this immense need to keep you safe, but I do. And I will. And I promise you this from the bottom of my heart, and I don't care that you don't like promises."

"Jeongguk... You—You called me... Did you call me b-baby?"

"I just said so many things and that's what stuck to you?" Jeongguk looked at him in complete disbelief but couldn't hold back his fond chuckle.

Jeongguk captured his lips, tongues gliding against each other. He drew back, holding his face in tender palms. "Look, I'm dying to call you my boyfriend, but I respect that you don't want that. I know you're afraid. I know you can't trust easily. I know you don't want to get hurt. And I understand you fully, Taebear. I don't want to rush anything. I want you to feel comfortable with me, to be yourself, to be happy with me, and you can call this whatever you want. I can wait for you, and I will. In the meantime, I'll do my best to make you smile and laugh every day. That's all I want."

"How... How can you be so sweet and nice to me? Why? I don't—I don't get it," Taehyung breathed out in awe, unable to believe he met someone like him. It was too good to be true, and that scared him to the core.

Jeongguk couldn't stop smiling when he was with that boy, and it was something he had never experienced before. Taehyung intrigued him, mesmerized him, made him feel all soft and warm inside, and made him feel a torrent of unexplainable emotions.

Even though he was scared too since it was something so profound and strong, he couldn't wait to call him his.

"There's just something about you. You just... you won me over. You amazed me by who you are. Even though I'm sure there are a ton of things I don't know about you, what you've shown me until now is truly, truly beautiful. You know why? Because it's real. You're real. I love that about you."

Taehyung couldn't find anything to say. His words like every time were heart-melting and sickly sweet, something he loved greatly.

Jeongguk was able to touch his heart in ways no one ever could, and he made him feel special, as if he was worth it, as if he was worthy of having a normal, happy life.

"You know, I only felt lucky in my life once, and that was when I met Jimin because he's the best friend I could ever ask for. This is the second time I feel lucky, and it's all because of you. So thank you, Jeongguk. Thank you for making me feel special and normal at the same time. Thank you for liking me back and for being so incredibly nice to me. I'll always be thankful for everything you have done for me."

Jeongguk washed him over with kisses and joined their lips. He caressed his cheek as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss a tad more. Their tongues danced together at a slow pace, overflowing them with heart-flattering emotions and sending tingles through their limbs.

"You don't have to thank me," Jeongguk uttered, pecking his lips in between. "I want to do everything I can to make you happy. God, I'm so whipped for you." He chuckled, letting his head fall onto his shoulder.

"You're whipped, huh?" Taehyung folded both arms around him, pressing his lips against his head.

"You have no idea, baby."

Taehyung could swear his stomach did a backflip at the pet name, his heart ready to burst by the intense emotions that spread like wildlife through him. "Baby," he drawled almost inaudibly, his eyes fluttering closed as he mouthed that word once more.

Jeongguk laid his gaze on his serene, blissful face and smiled with heart eyes at the sight. "Baby," was the last thing he whispered before he connected their lips, and they drifted away from the real, harsh world, sinking into one where only the two of them existed.

⚜✳⚜

I hope you have a great weekend, angels💖