"Tae?"

Taehyung whipped around from his spot crouched by the suitcase, furrowed brows softening as Jungkook rubbed his tired eyes and flopped back into the bed.

"Morning, angel." He found the pair of socks buried in one of the pockets and quickly slipped them as he headed to the bed, stumbling and nearly slipping. "You okay?"

"It's so fucking cold." Jungkook pulled the covers closer around him and curled his knees to his chest. Taehyung laughed and reached for the extra blanket at the foot of the bed, dragging it up and adding another layer on top of the younger. Jungkook sighed and reached a hand out for his.

"It's the middle of winter, Koo, of course it's a bit cold." He kissed the hand in his and sat on the covers. "Did you sleep okay at least?"

"I slept fine, just feel like Captain America stuck in ice now." He grumbled and Taehyung gave in to the growing temptation to provide the younger more warmth. He tugged on the covers, Jungkook fighting against him until he began sliding into them. "What— Tae, it's okay, you already showered."

"Don't care." He mumbled, his sweater clad arms wrapping around Jungkook and pulling him close. Jungkook's hands were chilled and Taehyung squished them between their chests, tangling his legs with the younger's shivering ones. "Better?"

Jungkook nodded and whispered a small 'thank you' before they let their tangled limbs relax. Taehyung hummed a familiar melody under his breath, combing warm fingers through Jungkook's hair. Jungkook's soft steady breath was splaying on his collarbone, Taehyung waiting until the boy stopped subtly trembling before kissing his head and shifting to look at him.

"We're going out today so you should get ready, Jungkook." He smiled apologetically, the unintentional doe effect of his wide eyes peering up at him sad. "I want to show you around. We've been meeting people the past couple of days so my mom said she'll look after Tannie so we can go out alone."

"I remember." The younger groaned as he rolled onto his back and stretched. Taehyung sat up with him and Jungkook kissed his cheek. "Thanks for the cuddles. I'll go shower."

"Alright, I'll be downstairs."

Taehyung left the guest room and shut the door, leaving Jungkook for some time and skipping down the main steps. The kitchen was already in use, the sound of sizzling pans and clattering dishes clear in his ears.

"Eomma," he greeted, kissing her head as she hugged him good morning. "Are these the leftovers from yesterday? Jungkook and I were going out for food."

"Well, your father and I have to eat." She tutted.

His mother had called over their close family friends, hosted a dinner to invite Taehyung home properly after the unexpected drop in. Taehyung had enjoyed meeting people he'd seen since he was a kid after years. Most of them hadn't changed, not the aunts and uncles at least. There was a girl he remembered to be a toddler when he was in high school who was now a teenager herself. It was astonishing how much time had flown by.

And they treated him like he was a son who'd been abroad, rather than a news regular living luxuriously in the country's capital.

Jungkook, who wasn't as fond of such gatherings, as Taehyung knew, was in and out. People were kind with interacting with him, but it was clear he felt some disconnect being a stranger.

Taehyung wanted to make it up to him and go out for the day with just the two of them. His mother happily agreed to taking care of Yeontan. Of course, Jungkook wouldn't tell him he wanted to spend some alone time with Taehyung, he was too kind for that, but Taehyung knew him well.

"Tannie!" Taehyung scooped the dog up and spun him around, his tail curling and wagging excitedly. "G'morning, you cutie."

"Morning? It's nearly noon, Taehyung." His mom scolded. The model set Yeontan down and leaned against the center island.

"Sorry, it was a slow, cold morning." Taehyung shrugged, feeling the cold floors match his words. "Where's Appa?"

"Today's been weirdly colder than usual. And he should be home anytime now. Stepped out to get me some groceries."

"Okay, can I help?"

"No, no," she looked around the room. "Where's Jungkook?"

"Getting ready." Taehyung cracked his back and took a seat at the low table just a bit away from the kitchen area. The cushion flattened under him and Yeontan was laying on his bed, pampered with extra spare throws to keep him warm, too.

He spent some time on his phone, checking in with people back in Seoul, messaging their friends and sending any pictures he'd accumulated over the past few days.

The back door opened, a rush of freezing wind hitting his back as the bundled elder came hauling in a few bags of produce. Taehyung switched off his phone and helped him with the bags, greeting his father and then sitting with him.

His mother joined after putting the food on a simmer, letting it cook under low heat for a stretched time.

"There's hardly anyone out today." His father slid off the jacket and placed it across his lap. "Too cold out."

The woman beside him frowned. "Will you be fine going about with Jungkook-ah?"

"I'll think we'll be okay. If it's too much, I'll just drive us back home." He assured. "I really want to take him out."

"It's nice of you," his father leaned forward on the table. "He was quiet yesterday. He's usually quiet."

"Not the most social kind until he's very close to you." Taehyung smiled and gazed at some void of space. "I haven't been able to speak with the both of you properly, either."

"Have you been meaning to?"

"Mhm," he looked at them both before shooting his eyes down to the hands in his lap. "I've missed you both a lot."

"We have too, Tae." The motherly touch rubbed his back between the shoulder blades. "You have no idea how happy we are that you're home to visit."

He grimaced, voice dropping as a feeling of guilt hit him. "I'm sorry for never coming home sooner. I don't have a good excuse other than being scared. And unsure of how to face you both after what happened."

"Did you think we would be upset? That we get to see you?" His father asked.

"No, not like that. I thought... I just thought you'd be disappointed, I guess. Because you were right in telling me it wasn't safe. This life, I mean, and I never wanted to prove your warning right."

His mother sighed. "My sweet Tae, the only negative emotion we've felt was when there was nothing we could do to help you through your pain. We've seen you grow beautifully. While it may have been through a screen we asked the younger neighbors to help us navigate... you strived to live the life you wanted."

There was much unsaid. But there was a connection in their family that resonated above the horrors of Taehyung's life. The trust and the priorities. Bogum, his nightmares, had been dealt with, and they knew that, so there were more important things to touch on. They were a sanctuary for Taehyung and it was a safe place he'd been deprived of for too long.

"It may not have been safe, but every life has its own struggles." His father continued. "You didn't deserve what happened, son, but you not only survived them, you owned them. You overcame them wonderfully. You're happy, Taehyung, and that's what we care about now."

"I didn't do it alone." Taehyung's voice cracked. "Everyone helped me. The one who helped me the most? He actually told me you both would say this when he was convincing me to come to Daegu. I'd like to think I would visit without his push, but honestly... it took his help to get me on that plane."

"He's very smart, then. And we're very grateful he's helped you." His father replied.

His mother smiled. "It's Jungkook, isn't it?"

"It's Jungkook, Eomma." Taehyung's words were rushed, rambling like he had to get all the words off his chest, those that he'd been holding onto for seven years. "I, um, I know you both were upset I dropped out of school, but I finished it. I got a degree a few years ago and I've made good friends. You know Yoongi Hyung, and I'm sure you've heard all about Jin and Hobi Hyungs. They treat me so well and the company treats me with respect."

"We're glad you've found a family in Seoul, too."

"Appa," his voiced croaked, tears sharp in his eyes. His hands were weighed down by his father's resting his atop of his. "I'm sorry for leaving without warning."

"Don't apologize to me." He shook his head, smiling. "We both know that if you had told us sooner, you likely wouldn't have left for Seoul in the first place. It's why you left the way you did."

"That's— it's not fair to you both, though. And I just want you to know I never sent money home as an apology. It was never sent with pitiful intentions— my whole push to go to Seoul was to make you proud. In my own way."

"Oh, Tae," his mother pulled him into a hug and soothed a touch on his arms. "You should also know we didn't reject it because we were upset. We simply didn't need it. It could be put to better use in your hands."

"I-I never spent it," Taehyung shook his head, wetting the elder woman's shoulder with his tears. "I have it set aside. It's yours and Appa's and only yours. You both deserve a nice vacation, you could use it however you like for retirement—"

"You being here is better than any of that." His father cut him off. Taehyung lifted his head in disbelief. "Taehyung, it's kind of you, but money is no gift like the one of being in our son's life."

"And it's important to meet new people, but keep us in your life, alright?" The bony, slim fingers brushed his tears aside. "Don't let your family slip away. It keeps you humble."

"You both were always on my mind," Taehyung smiled, eyes closing. "Everyday I wondered how you were doing, but I was held back from just asking. I can't believe I did now that I'm here."

"Don't punish yourself. You're our son as much as you are a prized name in all of the world." He looked up to meet the speaking man's eyes. "Kim Taehyung, you were always present in every one of our days. We see how you're doing over dinner, your mother changes your bedsheets every now and then— you're still a part of this family."

"I know. And I'm proud of it." He nodded. "I also... I also wanted to come in order to bring my two families together."

It was a cryptic way of saying it and Taehyung was far more tentative about revealing it than he had led Jungkook on to believe. It wasn't entirely easy to bring the past and present together, allow them to collide without any prior warning. But if Taehyung wanted his past to be maintained in his present— and future— it was necessary.

"Yeontan is our dog." Taehyung said softly enough that his parents almost missed it. "And Jungkook... Appa, Eomma, I'm his."

There was silence for a few moments and he wondered if it was clear enough. Taehyung wasn't sure how much his parents speculated, but he was sure he couldn't have said anything more obvious over the direct word of dating itself.

"And— and he's the one." Taehyung broke the silence again. "The one I'm going to spend this modeling break with, but also the one I want to spend the rest of my life with— Eomma, Appa, please say something."

"Taehyung-ah," Taehyung stilled, straightening with the cry in his mother's words. "He's wonderful. I've noticed how you both look at each other like you complete the other."

A smile of relief flittered across his lips. "Eomma... I-I can't even describe how much I love— please trust me when I say I'll never be hurt like I was. Not when I'm by his side—"

"We know." His father voiced. "We know because you'd never choose to be with him if he was even remotely similar. Besides, Jungkook is quite the simple type. He doesn't seem to like anything about you more than you yourself."

"Goodness, here I am still trying to get over how handsome you've grown to be in person," the older woman joked, making him choke out a laugh. "You're too much, Taehyung. I've never seen anything of you and Bogum compare with the way Jungkook treats you."

"Is it— it's so obvious?"

"Miles of a difference. And just from what we've seen of Jungkook here." Taehyung broke out into a grateful smile, knowing full well it was true and furthermore ecstatic that his parents trusted Jungkook as much as he hoped.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Eomma, Appa, thank you."

—

"I'm so full, I think I might explode." Jungkook groaned, the mask intended for his face tucked away as they exited the restaurant. There weren't many people around, even in the middle of the day.

But the sky was cloudy and glum, temperatures down, so Taehyung wasn't surprised his father had said there was a lack of people outside.

"I sincerely hope you don't explode," he chuckled, fixing the scarf around his neck as the bitter cold nipped at his skin. "Your guts being everywhere wouldn't be very pleasant."

"Yeah, I would hate myself for ruining this nice coat of yours." Jungkook grinned, running a hand down his sleeve. Taehyung rolled his eyes as they continued to the car. "Tae, come here for a second."

He paused and faced the younger as Jungkook brushed a finger under his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Your eyes are slightly puffy," he pouted. "Were you crying?"

"Was I... crying?" Taehyung's smiled softly as Jungkook drew his hand away. "Oh, I did earlier. My parents and I talked about the emotional things while you were getting ready. Talked about you, too. Just another emotional conversation, not to worry."

"I'm glad you guys spoke about it. And you talked about me?"

"About us. I told them we're together. To be honest, I'm ninety nine percent positive they knew. I mean, it's hard to not realize with our normal behavior, but the emotional part was just telling them how good you are." Taehyung's eyes lit up. "They told me you're amazing. They love you."

"Really?"

"Really, Koo. And you didn't even do anything to impress them. Look at you go."

"Well, I'm sure bringing you here had something to do with it." His cheeks burned red, worrying his lip between his teeth as they approached the small car parked on the side of the street. "But I'm glad. They really are amazing people treating me like their own son."

"I'm glad you're feeling at home. It is always a home for you, Koo." Taehyung sat in the driver's seat, shuddering at the newfound warmth blasting from the vents. "What's mine is yours."

Jungkook buckled in and thought to himself, wordlessly appreciating Taehyung's words. "Let's go to that playground you pointed out on our drive from the airport."

"Sure," Taehyung pulled out onto the street and shifted gears to speed away. Jungkook was putting his pale hands before the powered vents, wiggling his fingers back into action from being stunned by the delving cold. "There's nice benches and chairs over there, too. I doubt the playground fits the two of us."

"Aw, dang." Jungkook snorted, pinching his arm before sitting back in his seat. "You're so cool when you drive."

"Don't say it—"

"Makes you look so hot." The younger laughed more generously when Taehyung scowled. "I should get a picture of you swinging."

"I will do no such thing."

"How about the slide?"

"Koo, that's definitely not—"

"It's a slide, you just sit on it! It'll be cute, Tae, please?" The pleading expression was unforgivably convincing. "How about we just see when we get there?"

"Uh huh, let's do that." The mode quirked a brow and, once they arrived, turned into the small lot by the very park he would spend his younger years playing at. "Wow, they haven't changed it at all."

They climbed out of the car, walking side by side to the playground features, Taehyung passing by the swings and eyeing the slide with a passing that seemed far too narrow. Jungkook nudged him towards it, and the model stood his ground.

"Tae, c'mon—"

"You better give me a nice reward for risking my ass into getting stuck in that thing." Taehyung reasoned. "This coat could get ruined, too."

"Then buy a new one." Jungkook grinned. "What reward would you like?"

"I don't know, you think of something while I get up there." Taehyung groaned as he climbed the ten rung ladder in three steps, ducking under the bars and wincing when his broad shoulders knocked against barriers too often to possibly be safe. "This is a bad idea, I'm going to get stuck."

Jungkook was laughing from the ground already, watching him squish into the small opening and Taehyung winced as his jacket crumpled. The slide seemed to cave under his weight and a pang of nervousness creeped into him.

"Hyung, smile!" The younger called out, phone out and ready to click a picture. Taehyung counted to three before shoving himself down the slope and yelping as his feet caught up under him and he stumbled down the slide like a drunk man.

Jungkook shrieked as Taehyung tripped over his feet at the bottom and rammed into him, sending them both crashing onto the grass.

"Oh my— shit—" Jungkook winced as Taehyung rolled off him and laid in the grass, chest trembling from the small heart attack. "You were supposed to slide down, not run!"

"I didn't mean to!" Taehyung poked Jungkook's side, sitting up and taking Jungkook's outreached hand when the younger stood. "I told you it was a bad idea. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Jungkook laughed, breath foggy from the cold, rubbing his chest. "Just surprised me."

"My knees locked, that hurt." He complained, bending them and making sure he hadn't destroyed his body a week into his break. "I told myself at the showcase that you make me do good crazy things— that was not even close to the good crazy I meant. Did you get the picture you wanted?"

"I took a video. Was gonna use that video hack you brought up from Andong and screenshot a picture from the frames." Jungkook giggled as he turned the screen to show Taehyung. The volume was at its highest and the model leaned down to look at the device.

He chuckled at the embarrassing clip of him nearly falling over the edge with flailing limbs as he ran down the slick surface, but even more than the video, his chest clenched at the audio. Past his panicked protests, was Jungkook's endearing laugh at full capacity, filling his ears and holding his heart.

He smiled at the video, laughing himself as the clip went spinning and down onto the ground as it flew out of Jungkook's hand when he'd run into the photographer.

"I'm never deleting this, jeez—" Jungkook managed to say between his laughs, he was clutching his stomach, doubling over and Taehyung had to help him stand upright. "Can I keep it?"

"Go for it." He smiled, cupping his cold face with colder hands as Jungkook gripped his sides for stability. "I love your laugh."

"My laugh?"

"It's the best sound I've heard in my life." Taehyung kissed the tip of his nose as the sound quieted from shyness, Jungkook burying his face into his chest. "My coat's okay, too, so keep the video."

"Can I send it to the groupchat?"

"Sure, whatever," Taehyung sighed, shaking his head as the younger gasped excitedly. "What's my reward?"

"I haven't thought of it yet." Jungkook took his hand and pocketed his phone, pulling him towards a nearby hill with chairs and bare trees scattered at the top. "Let's go up there, though."

When they reached the top, taking a seat at the chairs with metal that bit into their skin. It wasn't bothersome, Taehyung could hardly even pay attention to it as Jungkook laughed at the groupchat's responses to the video, showing him and jumping in his seat from joy.

He frowned as a small speck of white flittered down onto Jungkook's dark hair. Reaching forward, he went to flick it away only to see it disappeared.

"What the..." he gazed upwards and his heart stuttered in his chest. "Jungkook— Jungkook, Koo—"

"What? What's wro— oh my god. Oh my god, Tae— Tae, it's snowing!" The younger shot up from his chair and Taehyung's chest collapsed in on itself as he gazed around at the one flake growing into a small dispersed amount of snow before countless flurries were falling from the sky.

"I-It's snowing—" he pressed his hand to his mouth, swallowing a cry as he let his other hand reach out and catch a contrast of white on his brown sleeve, breaths ragged.

He hadn't seen snow since the winter before he'd left for Seoul.

"Taehyung, your hair is getting covered in it— it's snowing— no way, no way, no way." Jungkook was walking around, spinning as the falling flakes landed on his body.

Taehyung felt numb. He reached a hand up to feel dampness of melted snowflakes wetting his dark hair, eyes closing to hold back the tears and relish the feeling of a tingle on his nose, a tingle on his bare hands when snow hit the freezing skin.

He eventually pocketed his hands and stood like that, eyes opening to see how the white consumed the space all around.

Snow. Daegu snow.

Jungkook called out his name, Taehyung turning to see him just in time with the lowering of his phone ten feet away. The model watched as Jungkook closed the distance and breathed out a white cloud of air.

"Look," Jungkook showed the picture he'd taken of him and Taehyung blinked at it through blurry eyes. "It's so pretty."

"It is, isn't it?" Taehyung whispered, not realizing one of his tears had slipped down to splatter onto the phone screen until Jungkook was crowding his space.

"Hey, hey, are you okay?" The younger asked, picture forgotten in the midst of concern. Taehyung nodded meekly and let his face be rid of tears for the second time that day. "Happy?"

"Seven years since the last time I saw snow." He reminded. "It's— we talked about it once, but the reason I use those white hearts—"

"—because of Daegu's snow. I remember, Tae." Jungkook hugged him close. "You used those hearts as a reminder of your home."

"How lucky is that," he choked out, forcing his eyes open to drink in every view of the white flakes he could manage. Jungkook's huddling body warmth did wonders to keep his words running and lips from freezing. "It's so beautiful."

They stood quietly, hair soaking in small drops of water from the small specks of snow, shoulders coated in white contrast to dark fabric.

Jungkook pulled away to look at him.

"I think Mother Nature planned the reward for me." He lifted the mood and Taehyung nudged him playfully. "The timing of it... wow, a deserved miracle. Seriously. You know, I told Hobi and Yoongi Hyung that some time ago. That your success, your achievements were a deserved miracle."

"Yeah? Do I deserve it?"

"You worked so damn hard for it, so I would think so." Jungkook declared. "And this snowfall, besides entertaining me with that slide, is deserved too."

"How so?" Taehyung let his breaths cloud, relieving the tension within and relaxing in Jungkook's arms.

"Took a lot for you to come here. Your family was thanking you and this is Daegu reminding you of how dear the town is to your heart."

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The sun set. Yet the only evidence of such a change from day to night was seen in the darkening of the sky from white to deep blue. Flurries continued to fall all evening, the murky veil of clouds shrouding any colors in the atmosphere. Their hair was splattered with white flecks of the snow, latching onto the edges of their lashes, fingers buried in their pockets to withstand the temperature.

But they stayed outside for hours. Wandered the park, down the streets and let their lips numb and thaw with heated cloudy breaths.

Jungkook hadn't seen snow in ages, other than his hiking trips with Jimin and Namjoon during the winter time mixed with altitude. Taehyung, though, he had his special connection to the snow.

Just to give the older a deserved miracle like the miracle he was.

Taehyung was marveling the weather, hand outstretched to catch flakes on his fingers, watching them melt on contact. Snow landed on his sleeves and remained in solid for, some flakes big enough to make out the distinct shapes of.

They walked all over the street. While most people emptied the area for the weather, they let it flutter down around them.

"Can you believe it?" Taehyung laughed with disbelief. "Snow during the one week of winter we're in Daegu."

"Life is great to us." Jungkook stuck his tongue out, giggling when the contrast of some frozen flakes hit the heat of it.

"I used to do that when I was like ten!" Taehyung exclaimed, both of them stopping on the sidewalk to mirror each other with drawn out tongue and goofy laughter. "We should get warm drinks."

"Is anything open?" Jungkook frowned, eyes lighting up when he saw a coffee shop down the road. "Aha! That's open!"

They ordered hot chocolates, popping the plastic lids off to let the steam out and cool it to a drinkable state. Jungkook had gotten whipped cream on his, the dollop of fluff hitting his nose like it had on Christmas and Taehyung refrained from teasing him with kissing it away like he had back then.

Instead he wiped it with his thumb and licked his finger clean. Jungkook still went red and he still got a hearty laugh out of it.

"So unfair." The younger grumbled, poking his arm in disappointment. "So rude of you to tease, you know that?"

"Fans have called me rude plenty of times."

"That's a different type of rude. That's like... the good rude." Jungkook explained pitifully.

"And how do you know that? Are you my fan, Jeon Jungkook?"

The younger grinned. "Only your number one."

Taehyung rolled his eyes and capped his drink again, sipping through the small hole in the lid and staring around at the snow. Jungkook watched him carefully, gaze slipping past at the shop windows behind Taehyung.

"Oh, those are sick." He gasped, brushing past the older and leaning down to look into the window. "Isn't Daegu known for electronic production?"

"I have no fucking clue." Taehyung scoffed, raising curious brows a second later as Jungkook nodded along at the line of mouses and keyboards lined up, some illuminating colors, others painted colorful. "Like something?"

"A lot of things. This is gamer heaven. That one mouse, black with neon green, the sides look ribbed— it's called a Razer Mamba Hyperflux. Shit costs like three hundred and fifty thousand won, but—" Jungkook froze abruptly when Taehyung mentally captured it in his head. "Oh man, I need to shut up around you, Tae. I can't point things out with your elephant memory."

"Elephant what?" The older jolted out of his thoughts. "I have an elephant mole thing on my arm actually."

"What?" Jungkook laughed. "Where did moles come from?"

"Nevermind." The model winced. "But that mouse looks really cool. Why does it cost so much? Can't you get decent ones for a hundred thousand?"

"It's optical sensor is insane and detects the smallest of movement. And the buttons can all be remapped and adjusted to how you like— having one of those makes anyone a lot better and a lot more accurate."

"That... sounded like full on gibberish, Koo." Taehyung admired his passion for it all the same. "We can come take a look tomorrow when they're open. Seeing as they've closed for the night."

"No, I refuse. You'll be annoying and lie just to buy it for me. You did that with the Balenciaga stuff. M'not letting it happen again."

"At least take a look. Most of them let you test it, I'm sure." Taehyung huffed in annoyance. "You should test it out and then maybe save up for it. I know you like being a humble independent spoiled sport—"

"Spoiled—? Yes, I get spoiled because of you!" Jungkook retaliated.

"Koo, I love giving to people I care about. It's just... it's just what I like doing. You're stubborn, though, and it just makes me want to spoil you more."

"What kind of logic—"

"Shush, angel," Taehyung tapped his cup as a reminder to drink it and enjoy the warmth of his fill his chest. "This is a silly thing to argue over, but I'll let you buy your own things. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, but don't just blow your money like that." Jeongguk's lip jutted out, pouting and the older melted like a snowflake on his hand.

"You don't have to prove a point, Jungkook." Taehyung could see through him. "I know you don't love me for my black card, no one assumes that, okay? I'll be happy if it's used towards you, though, because I genuinely would make worse purchases if you don't use it."

"Yeah, you'd probably buy Yeontan a castle if he whined." Jungkook murmured and Taehyung flicked his chin. "I guess it's just gonna take some getting used to."

"I would not buy him a castle, that's too big of a place for a dog." He heard the older object.

Jungkook drank more of his hot chocolate and leaned against the wall of the tech store beside the window. "And if his tail wagged when he saw his favorite castle?"

"He doesn't even have a favorite castle, Jungkook."

"Hypothetically!"

"No," Taehyung stressed. "Unless we all picked up and moved to a palace."

"Like the prince you are."

"Hypothetically." The older snorted, amused by the conversation. "We'll come here tomorrow, alright?"

"M'kay, but if you buy me anything I'm packing my bags and going home early." Jungkook warned, seeing Taehyung's face soften and body shift closer. His thick scarf was wrapped around his neck, coat buttoned up on top of it. "You're not cold, are you?"

"I should be asking you that." Taehyung threw his drink cup out in the nearby trashcan and gestured to Jungkook's thinner jacket. "Need me to warm you up?"

"There you go, being a rude tease again." Jungkook scoffed, pushing off the wall and into Taehyung's open arms anyway.

The snow was slowing, flakes not as thick and clumpy as before, like sparkles falling from the sky instead. Jungkook had his backpack on, camera inside where he'd taken plenty of the pictures he wanted of Taehyung.

"One more picture!" Jungkook was exclaiming past the complaints of Taehyung having to let him go so Jungkook could take his camera out of his bag. "Ow, my fingers."

"Angel, they look blue." Taehyung worried as Jungkook let his bag sit under the protection of the store awning, taking off the camera lens cover and walking back towards him. "Let me see."

"It's okay— oh, fine." The camera dangled around his neck as Taehyung pressed his hands in between his, rubbing quickly to spark some frictional heat for the younger. "Let me take the picture quick."

"How about you take a landscape one and I keep you warm." Taehyung beamed, hinting at a small incident between them. "You know, like how I showed you in the car when you came to my place for the first time?"

"That—" Jungkook shrugged with the red in his cheeks deepening, scanning the street for a good angle as he did end up liking the small layer of snow that had settled with the lingering snowfall hazing the air. He checked through the lens, finding himself moving onto the empty street and stopping along the yellow lines in the center.

"Let's just be basic with a center focus." He mumbled, manually adjusting some settings to adapt to low natural light and bright street lamps.

Taehyung was standing close behind him, brushing his lower back. "Is it a good shot?"

"Yeah, Daegu's pretty. This small strip mall place is really nice." Jungkook leaned back to bonk his head against Taehyung's, laughing as the model cursed.

"Now look who's being rude," the older grumbled, hands coming up to rest on his shoulders. "You remember what I did?"

"Don't be cheeky, I swear to god, Hyung." Taehyung laughed onto the back of his head and Jungkook scoffed. "Yeah, I do. You came up close behind me, arms over mine, hands on top of mine, both pairs wrapped around the camera."

He didn't include how he remembered the rush of warmth and giddiness that struck him when Taehyung's breath hit his skin, hair tickling his neck, the words close to his ear and Jungkook falling into his arms without a care in the world.

But it was like Taehyung heard his thoughts.

"And you know what you did? Fell into my arms, laughing so sweetly it sounded like honey. You let me hold you and stroke your hair, Koo. It was amazing to hold someone like that." Taehyung kissed the skin below his ear. "It's amazing to hold you like that everyday now."

"If you keep this up my hands are gonna be frozen." Jungkook squeaked as Taehyung pressed closer into his back, brushing his hair out of the way in order to press their faces side by side. His hands were consumed by Taehyung's larger ones, the model careful and gentle with his wrapping of fingers on the camera casing.

He felt warm all over. Even his fingers endured with Taehyung's taking on the direct exposure of cold.

The shutter sounded as Taehyung pressed down on their pointed finger and activated the focus and click of the picture.

"Tae! I wasn't ready!" He hissed pulling the camera down and looking at the picture pop up on the digital screen. "Oh, it's actually not bad."

"Maybe I'm a natural." The model snickered, pulling the camera up again and letting Jungkook take it the way he wanted to. The younger could hardly keep steady, though, as Taehyung kept whispering jokes in his ear and making him laugh with the breath tickling his cold skin.

"Go away," Jungkook rolled his eyes, grinning as Taehyung kissed his cheek and stepped back. They walked back to the window where Jungkook pulled the neck strap over his head and turned the camera off, putting the lens cover on and tucking it away in his backpack. "You know, now that you're on break, you should dye your hair some ridiculous color."

"Would you do it with me? I haven't seen you in any color other than black." Taehyung chuckled, suddenly reaching his hands up to unwrap the scarf around his neck. "C'mere, Koo."

He let Taehyung put the scarf around him, the log toned arms moving in a circle to cover Jungkook's neck with the fabric. The scarf was warm and smelled like Taehyung, making his heart melt into some sappy goo. The photographer's nose scrunched as he caught sight of the mismatch in the cashmere and his jacket's waterproof material.

"Your fashion taste really approves of this?" Jungkook rolled his eyes as Taehyung smiled thoughtfully. "And I've never dyed my hair, but sure. What color?"

"Virgin hair? Oh, baby, no wonder it's so nice to touch." Taehyung gushed, pressing it down and dramatically touching it. "Let's do something crazy. Then, we can dye it dark again by May."

"Crazy? You should dye your hair some electric blue then. You pulled off pink." Jungkook slung his backpack back over his shoulders and they walked down the street in the direction of Taehyung's parents car that they had borrowed for the day. "What if I did blonde?"

"Your virgin hair would cry for its life." Taehyung took Jungkook's and his intertwined hand and buried it in his pocket. A common thing he did that brought them closer physically and kept their hands warm. "And blue sounds fun. What if we did it ourselves?"

"Both our scalps would hate us for life." He laughed. "Seriously, I don't know shit about dyeing hair. Or beauty things in general."

"Right. You don't even use skincare." Taehyung sighed in awe. "Yet you've got some nice skin. So unfair."

"That's not true. It doesn't glow like yours!"

"My skin glows?"

"Yes, Taehyung. Your natural skin look so dewy and fresh— it's so pretty. Have you looked in a mirror?" The younger's breath hitched as the words left his mouth, feet stopping and Taehyung simply smiled at him. "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"I know you didn't. Actually, it's been getting a lot better— the mirror thing." Taehyung hummed, their hands falling apart and the model looked over his shoulder where they'd stopped in front of a store's dark window.

The street light made the reflection vividly clear on the glass, just like a mirror, and Jungkook met his gaze in it.

"It has? We haven't talked about it in some time." The younger hoped his apologies for not checking in were given in his tone, and of course Taehyung shook his head at the sweetness of Jungkook's intentions.

"Things have been busy this past month with work and the show. And it's not an obligation for you to check in with me on it, okay? I'm very capable of judging my own progress too, angel."

"I know, I know. But I like knowing how you're doing as well, Tae." Jungkook turned to face the glass and huffed. "This scarf doesn't match at all."

"I don't think it matters." Taehyung put an arm around his shoulders, side against side. "And just know that no news is usually a good thing. I'm grateful you look out for me so much, Jungkook."

"I'm glad you're looking out for yourself now, too. That's how I know you've come far." The younger leaned his head on the broad shoulder beside him. "Hey, I got a question."

"Hit me with it."

"What was your first impression of me?"

"What?" Taehyung laughed, quieting at the goofy look on Jungkook's face. "Why are you curious?"

"Well, I dunno, maybe because you somehow wanted to be friends with a faceless photographer from Busan without a real valid reason. I'll probably never understand why, but you should tell me anyway."

"I did have a reason." The older looked at the real him, not the reflection, both their heads turning to meet the other's eyes. "I mean, sure, I messaged you to compliment your photography, but it was more than just that."

Jungkook's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "What?"

"Jungkook, you were a breath of fresh air for me. I looked forward to my breaks because of your messages. I want to literally cringe when I look back at them now, but at the time— I needed it."

"Breath of fresh air...?" He repeated. "You really thought that from the start?"

"Yeah." Taehyung took his hand again, both numb but tingling with the newfound warmth. "You started as a breath of fresh air and you ended as the reason I breathe, angel."

Jungkook frowned, lashes wet from the snow wetter by the tears that threatened to freeze his skin. "That's beautiful. I love you."

"Love you, too."

He smiled down at his feet, holding onto every bit of warmth reigned inside that overruled the cold fighting on his skin. It was one of those moments where Jungkook couldn't believe his life was real. Where the world shrunk to consist of the source of happiness in his life and himself, while still allowing the wonders of the world to look forward to.

Jungkook lifted his head up to look at their reflection again. He stilled in surprise, hand slackening in Taehyung's hold. It almost slipped away, but Taehyung subconsciously held onto it.

Jungkook watched in amazement as Taehyung wasn't looking at him, but rather himself. Passed his eyes over every inch of his own reflection and met his own gaze with all the respect and care he'd ever felt from the older's heart.

Taehyung stared into his own eyes, the gates to his soul, and smiled. Something soft and delicate, loving and appreciative for all his body had done for him, for all it had endured.

For how strong he was and how dutifully his body let the wounds be reopened in order to heal the right way. To weld permanently instead of a temporary stitch.

Taehyung's soul had become barren lands, dying in the draught of his own abandonment. But there he stood, finally healing it with the rain showers of self love.

And from that, Jungkook knew they'd made it.

To the end of the tunnel, walking hand in hand. To the second shore, sailing side by side.

Because Taehyung and him both believed themselves to be anything but worthless.

They believed they were beautiful.

[fin.]

next: epilogue and ending notes
(pls entertain me and read the notes lols)