Five minutes later, Jeongguk stepped out of the cafe and rolled his eyes when he was met with Taehyung’s absence. That dork. He sighed as he got into his car and started the engine.

It only took him a minute to spot the boy walking alongside the road, and this time, he didn’t just stop beside him, but also got out of the car and cut his way.

Halting every movement, Taehyung brought his hands together and held them tautly, looking like an abandoned puppy. “Jeongguk.”

“What is your problem, Taehyung?” His tone was soft, just like his gaze.

“I was—I was an ass, and it didn’t feel right to ask you to drive me to the subway,” Taehyung admitted as he lowered his downcast eyes, a pang of remorse undulating through him again.

“I shouldn’t have pressured you. You didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t avoid me, Taehyung. If you feel sorry about being an ass, apologize, but don’t avoid me. I want to be your friend.”

Doe eyes flitted up and gazed at him, glimmering under the moonlight. “My friend?”

“Yes. You haven’t noticed?” Jeongguk’s lips quirked into a smile as he found himself stepping closer.

“It’s just... People don’t usually want that.” Taehyung noticed the gap between them decreasing an inch, but didn’t comment on it.

“Whoever doesn’t want that is an idiot. You’re a good kid.”

“I’m older than you.”

“By one year, big deal.” Jeongguk shrugged a contemptuous shoulder, feeling soft inside when he saw the small smile on Taehyung’s face. “You truly are... a good kid.” There was a torrent of words he wanted to say about that fluffy-haired boy, but nothing except that lame remark came out.

“That’s... That's kinda cringe, you know. You sound like an old man talking to a kid or something.”

“I’m sorry, I’m not good with words.” Jeongguk snorted at the awkwardness that consumed him in moments like these. He took a deep, fortifying breath and locked eyes with him again. “You’re just... You're kind, and hardworking, and real. And you’re a good company. I would love to be your friend if you let me.”

“Why would you want someone like me as a friend? I’m boring, sulky all the time, definitely not a good company, and like not funny at all.” Taehyung smiled sadly, knowing deep down he was right, no matter what Jeongguk would say.

“Okay, maybe you are sulky most of the time, but that doesn’t make you boring or whatever. What can I say? I like your temper. We can tease each other endlessly, wouldn’t that be fun?” His entire face lit up upon seeing Taehyung give him a bashful smile and hearing his cute giggle. “You’re not boring, Taehyung. Talking to you is like entering another whole world. I’m sure you have a lot of friends, but I want to be one of them.”

He scoffed at his last remark as he shook his head. “I only have one friend, Jeongguk. I told you, people don’t usually want to be friends with me, and I don’t like people, anyway.”

“Why don’t you like people?”

“Because they only brought me pain. Except one.”

Jeongguk felt the bitterness in his tone, and to say it didn’t sadden him would be a lie. “That one, is it your friend Jimin?”

“Yes.”

“What about your parents, though?”

Taehyung glanced away as he got nervous real quick. “I really don’t wanna talk about that.”

“Okay, I get it. So, do you want to be my friend or you just don’t like me?”

He relaxed at his lighthearted tone, a smile tugging at his lips again as he fidgeted in his spot. “No, I like you.” Once he discerned Jeongguk’s brows raising and an amused expression etching on his face, his eyes filled with anxiousness. “I-I mean, as a f-friend, you’re nice and—and it would be nice to be your friend, yeah, you’re just nice.”

“You forgot to say I’m nice,” he shamelessly teased, enjoying the rosy tint that settled over Taehyung’s cheeks.

“Jeongguk~” he whined with a crying grimace and dropped his head, embarrassment taking over him once again.

“I like you too,” was all Jeongguk said with a fond smile, and even though he was supposed to add ‘as a friend’, he just didn’t want to.

Taehyung waited patiently, and then waited some more, but he didn’t say anything else after that. “Friend—I mean, as—as a friend, right?”

Jeongguk took a gulp of air, filling his lungs to the brim, and he slowly exhaled, his fond smile unyielding despite the lie that rolled off his tongue a beat later. “Yes.”

“Good.” A sheepish expression adorned his features as he avoided eye contact.

Jeongguk chuckled almost inaudibly at the rather adorable sight and lowered his head in an attempt to hide it. “Let’s go.” He opened the door for him and waited until he took his seat.

“Thank you,” he uttered, still feeling a pool of heat on each of his cheeks.

Fuck, he’s cute. The cherry-haired boy felt like he was losing his mind by Taehyung’s bashful behavior. “You’re welcome.” He closed the door and walked around the car to get inside as well.

He didn’t start the engine right away, something that baffled the older and prompted him to glance at him to check if he was okay. “Are you alright?”

Jeongguk visibly flinched at his inquiry as if he shook him out of his thoughts. He set his eyes on him then, hands clutching the wheel as his heart sped up its rhythm.

Taehyung couldn’t comprehend what his eyes wanted to tell him, and even though his statement a second later eased his confusion, it rendered him dumbfounded.

“Let me drive you to your house.”

His mouth opened and closed wordlessly as his eyes roamed around in a fog. “Wh—what? Why would you do that? I live far from here.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Jeongguk, it’s late, and I can just take the subway.”

“I-I just—” Words caught in his throat as the need to swallow overcame him. “I just want to spend some time with you.”

“I-I don’t know what to say.” Taehyung’s mouth was still open in shock as he was at a loss for words.

“Just type your address here.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and opened the maps.

“You really don’t have to. I live forty-five minutes away from here give or take,” he said, unsure about letting him drive him home. It was a long ride and late at night. He would only put him through trouble, and it was the last thing he wanted.

“I offered. Obviously I don’t have to, but I told you, I want to.” Jeongguk’s tone became a tad firmer. “Type your address.”

Taehyung hesitated, still not feeling good about it, but he did as he was told in the end.

“Great!” Jeongguk’s smile returned fast enough as he started the engine. “So, what do you want to talk about?”

“Um, I don’t know.” Taehyung wasn’t good at these things; getting to know someone and socializing had a great level of difficulty for him.

“You wanna tell me why you were late today? Only if you want that, of course.”

“Not really.” He sighed, giving a sharp shake of his head.

“You wanna tell me what happened to your left arm? I noticed you can’t move it freely today.”

“Nope.” Another shake of his head, stricter tone.

“You wanna play a game?”

“Oh, God no.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s gonna be that game with the questions or whatever, and I really don’t wanna play that.”

“You don’t want to get to know me?” Jeongguk peeped at him as his brows drew together, a pout painted on his lips.

“I do want that, I-I want to get to know you, but I—“

“You don’t want me to know you.”

The statement was true, one hundred percent true, actually, and Taehyung could only sigh and clamp his teeth in his lower lip. “I’m sorry, I just—“

“What are you saying sorry for?” A chuckle emitted from his mouth, trying to cover his slight disappointment. “I want to know things about you, but if you don’t wanna tell me, it’s totally understandable. Don’t apologize for this.” He offered him a reassuring smile.

“You—you’re really nice.”

“I get that a lot.” He wiggled his brows with his playful reply, evoking an enchanting giggle from Taehyung.

“And you’re funny.”

“Keep going, I like getting praised.” Jeongguk simpered while throwing him another mischievous glance.

“And you’re a dork.” He couldn’t help but chuckle again as his hearty behavior dissipated every fragment of his pain.

“Well, thank you, I get that a lot too.” He stopped at a red light and didn’t waste a second to focus his eyes on him, catching a glimpse of his beautiful smile that suited him perfectly. “Maybe I was wrong about you. You’re not that sulky.”

“Don’t get deceived, this isn't me. You just make me smile.”

“Well then”—he resumed driving, reluctantly whisking his gaze away from him—“you should be around me twenty-four seven.”

“Aren’t you a little bold now, friend?” Taehyung snickered, but deep down, he liked the sound of it.

“You haven’t seen anything yet, friend,” he stressed the last word, probably to mock him just a bit.

“That sounds like a threat. Should I be scared?”

A fond chuckle rippled through the car that blessed Taehyung’s ears as if he just heard the sweet melody of his favorite instrument. “No, Tae. Don’t worry.”

Taehyung twitched at the nickname. Images of his hyung treating him like a punching bag and calling him that started slamming into his head. His face shriveled in distress as his breath quickened. I’m fine, he’s not here, he won’t hurt me now, I’m fine, I’m—

“Taehyung?” His voice filtered in his hazy mind, gradually taking the numbness away and bringing him back. “Are you okay?” He pulled over as he was too worried to continue driving.

“I’m—I’m fine.”

“Please don’t lie. What happened?”

“I don’t know, but I’m really fine now.” He gave him a weak smile, but Jeongguk could tell it was fake. “Why did you pull over?”

“I was worried. You seemed really stressed.”

“Don’t be. But... can you not call me by that nickname? I just don’t like it,” he added quickly, hoping he wouldn't have to hear it again.

“Oh, okay.” Jeongguk was bewildered at his request, but shrugged it off and resumed driving. “So, you just don’t like that nickname or nicknames overall? Because Jimin was calling you Taetae, and we’re friends, so I want to have a nickname for you too.”

“You can call me Taetae if you want.” The previous events disappeared from his head bit by bit as he continued talking with the younger.

“No, I want something special. Something only I will get to call you.”

Taehyung snorted at his rather peculiar remark. “Well, I don’t know what else you could call me.”

“Hmm, how about Taebear?”

“Taebear? That’s kinda... weird?”

“Then what about Taebun?”

“That’s worse!”

A round of soft chuckles filled the car for a few seconds. “I should call you Taeglum.”

“Taeglum?”

“Yeah, since you’re gloomy all the time, and you know, sulky, as you said.”

“That makes sense. But I don’t like it.” He made a grimace in disapproval, making Jeongguk grin at the sight.

“Well, you are adorable though. I should call you Taecute.”

“You—you just—“ Taehyung’s eyes popped at how casually he just complimented him and didn’t seem to regret it at all.

“What, huh? I’m just stating facts!”

“Shut up!” Apparently, Taehyung had to get used to turning beet red when he was with him because yes, it happened once again, and he couldn’t do anything about it. “You always tease me, and we know each other for only three days!”

“I didn’t tease you just now. I meant it, Taecute.”

“You’re not serious.”

“What?”

“You find me cute?”

“The cutest,” Jeongguk sing-songed with a wide smile as he peeked at him.

“I think there’s something seriously wrong with you.”

“Why?”

“Because you can’t find me cute. I’m not cute. I’m like... I’m me. A waste,” he whispered at last, the words slipping out of his mouth thoughtlessly, and to his dismay, Jeongguk heard him loud and clear.

“Who the fuck told you that?”

“Jeongguk?”

“Answer me.”

“Do you think we can ever break out of the pessimistic thoughts we have about ourselves?”

Jeongguk froze at the question, every inch of his body tensing up. It was something he had thought about before, and he was actually trying at that moment in his life to break out of these kinds of thoughts.

“We should,” he said below his breath, the air around them getting heavy. “But honestly, no. I don’t think we can.”

“Why?”

“Because there’s no way.” He couldn’t conceal his embitterment as he spoke.

“I think... if someone believes in us enough, it’s possible. Sometimes, we can’t believe in ourselves, and we need someone else to do it for us. To give us a small push, you know?” He stole a glimpse of him and frowned when he perceived his downhearted look. “Do you have that someone?”

“I have people who believe in me. Why can’t I believe in myself then?”

“Maybe because they’re not the one who can give you that push. Or maybe it’s your fault. Sometimes we put ourselves down because that’s what we’re used to do. But is there really a reason to do that?”

“I don’t know, Taehyung. I have no idea.” He sighed once more as Taehyung’s words left their mark on him.

“It’s okay. I don’t know either. We’re not supposed to know everything, anyway.” He smiled despite the heaviness in his heart.

The rest of the ride was silent, but nothing tense or awkward was between them. Taehyung laid his eyes on him once he stopped outside of his house. “Thank you for the ride and for making me smile. You’re a good kid.”

Jeongguk giggled at his teasing tone towards the end. “Thank you for talking to me and for accepting to be my friend. Here, write your number.” He passed him his phone.

Taehyung complied with his request without protesting. When he returned the phone, Jeongguk called him so he could have his number as well. “Whatever you need, and I mean it when I say whatever, call me or text me, okay?”

“That’s... so sweet?” Taehyung drawled with soft eyes, educing a chuckle from him.

“Go rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Thank you again. I owe you.”

“I offered. You don’t owe me anything, and please don’t say that again.”

“Still... thank you.” A round of a piercing but still fond eye contact began then, both captivated in each other. It was strange, really, how their hearts were throbbing at that moment but neither dared to comment anything about it.

“Goodnight, Taecute.”

Taehyung’s eyes gleamed at the cringe but heart-warming at the same time nickname as he beamed at him. “Goodnight, Kookie.”

And Jeongguk could swear he felt a flicker in his heart as if it skipped a beat at his genuine smile and the sound of his nickname that rolled off his tongue glibly.

⚜✳⚜

 
I hope you have a great week, guys! 💜