"How did it go?" Jimin asked as soon as the door to the dean's office opened, revealing Taehyung who looked so dejected.

His sad and worried eyes lingered on Taehyung's disappointed face which only confirmed what he had dreaded to hear.

"I didn't make it." Taehyung whispered as he slumped on the bench nearby.

"Oh babe.." Jimin mumbled in empathy. He took the seat next to Taehyung and started to console him.

"Don't worry, okay? I'm here to help in any way I can." He assured as he smiled at the blonde.

Taehyung wasn't able to get the scholarship this time. His grades were average, not enough to land him the scholarship once again.

"Thanks, Chim." He blankly responded, mind fixated on finding ways to earn extra cash for the next semester.

"Cheer up, okay? I have saved some money of my own. You can have it." Jimin smiled which touched Taehyung's heart.

"That's your money, Chim. I can't just take it." Taehyung uttered, grateful to have such a loving best friend.

"Don't worry about me. I still have some savings." He assured as he stood and urged the other to do the same.

"Let's go. I still have to assist Ms. Choi in the library." Taehyung said, forcing a smile.

------

Another day ended as Taehyung made his way out of the University premises.

He's thinking of looking for a part-time job during the holidays so he could save up for the upcoming semester.

His mind was somewhere far away when he felt a hand clasping his own.

Taehyung jumped in surprise, eyes wide when he turned to look and saw Jungkook's smiling face.

"Hi." He greeted, making Taehyung's heart melt.

"Jungkook.. what are you doing here?" He asked, not expecting to see Jungkook that day because he received a text from him earlier that he won't be able to drive him home.

"I finished earlier than expected, so here I am." Jungkook answered as they made their way to his car.

All the problems Taehyung had been thinking were washed away just by Jungkook's presence.

His warm hands calmed the chaos in his mind. Having him during times like this made Taehyung finally give in to the urge of crying as his held back tears cascaded his eyes.

"T-tae.." Jungkook was alarmed, seeing Taehyung's tears and his sobs.

He panicked, immediately opening the passenger's side, settling Taehyung down on the seat as he bent down to level his face.

"Baby, what's wrong?" He asked, not understanding why Taehyung suddenly bursted into tears.

Taehyung couldn't find his voice as he buried his face on Jungkook's shoulders, crying his heart out and finding solace in the ravenette's arms.

They were like that for a long while. Jungkook didn't ask questions anymore, letting Taehyung open up to him on his own.

He was there to console him and made him feel that he's not alone as he listened to his problem.

"I know a place where you can work for part-time." Jungkook said as they sat silently inside the car.

"Really?" Taehyung finally smiled, eyes still puffy from all the crying.

"Yes, babe. I'll recommend you, so don't cry anymore, okay?" Jungkook assured, cupping Taehyung's face.

Taehyung blushed, feeling embarrassed. He doesn't even know why he cried over something so shallow.

Maybe he's just too fed up with all the emotions he's been trying to hide that it became uncontrollable, letting the walls he created to finally collapse and give way to tears he's been holding back.

"Thank you." He whispered, leaning forward to tenderly kiss Jungkook's lips.

"No need to thank me, Tae. You know I'll do anything for you." Jungkook promised, kissing him back in a passion-filled kiss.

--------

The holiday break finally started so is Taehyung's busy schedule.

His part-time jobs were here and there, taking up all of his time. Aside from the one Jungkook recommended, Taehyung had also looked for some other things to do.

He could barely even have time for Jungkook, but the latter was also the same.

Both of them were too busy on their own which led to lesser time to be with each other.

"I'll be hanging up now. Breaktime is over." Taehyung said.

"Okay. Don't push yourself too hard. I love you." Jungkook uttered on the other line.

"I love you too." Taehyung smiled, before finally ending the call.

He headed back to work with Jungkook in his mind.

He'll endure not seeing the ravenette for the time being.

After all, they promised to spend Christmas together, and Taehyung couldn't wait for that day to come.

He terribly misses Jungkook so much.

He just wished Christmas will finally come.

-------

"I'm sorry, Tae."Jungkook's voice sounded so sad and disappointed.

"It's okay. I understand." Taehyung responded, trying to liven up his voice so Jungkook won't feel bad even more.

Taehyung felt like crying as he lay on the bed, gripping the phone in his hand as he listened to Jungkook on the other line.

"I hate myself for not being there with you."

Taehyung felt his heart squeeze at the loneliness in the ravenette's voice.

"It's really okay, Jungkook. Jimin will be here with me for tomorrow." He lied, making up a story just to make Jungkook feel better.

It's going to be Christmas tomorrow, yet Jungkook wouldn't be by his side to spend it with him.

The ravenette was forced by his father to join him on a business trip abroad, right in time for Christmas.

Jungkook told Taehyung that he won't go, but Taehyung forced him to follow his father's command.

Taehyung doesn't want conflict just because he wanted to have Jungkook for Christmas.

"I miss you." Jungkook whispered, tugging Taehyung's heart even more.

"I miss you too." He responded, trying his best not to cry.

He felt so lonely and cold, but there's nothing he could do.

"I'll see you as soon as I return, baby." Jungkook promised to which Taehyung just hummed.

"I love you." Jungkook said in a soft voice that had Taehyung sighing.

"I love you too." He answered, sighing as the call ended.

He stared at the ceiling  with his tears finally cascading in the corner of his eyes.

When his parents died, he had been used to spending holidays alone. He didn't mind it though. As time goes by, it didn't really matter.

But after Jungkook, Taehyung began to feel the loneliness once more of being alone.

--------

It's been days after Christmas and Jungkook hasn't contacted him again.

There must be some important things he needed to attend to, and Taehyung just learned how to be patient.

"Look at this, Taehyung. Isn't it beautiful?" Jimin asked, showing him a brochure of branded shoes.

"That's cute." He commented, leaning forward to look closer.

"I'm going to get that for you." Jimin beamed, making Taehyung frown.

"It's fine, Chim. You can order that for yourself." He rejected which only earned a scowl from the latter.

"That's my gift for your birthday tomorrow." Jimin pouted, grabbing his drink and sipping on it.

"My birthday.." Taehyung frowned, checking the date.

"Don't tell me you forgot your own birthday." Jimin looked aghast as he stared at Taehyung with wide eyes.

Taehyung could only shrug his shoulders in response.

He really did forget about it because there are a lot of things in his mind lately.

"I'm going to buy this for you. You can't talk me out of this." Jimin firmly stated, making Taehyung chuckle.

"Fine. Do whatever you want." He said, dismissing the topic.

The two of them were hanging out in the café where Taehyung is working for a part-time.

There's not much customer and it's still his break so he had time to entertain Jimin who has been a regular of the café just to see him.

"I'm going back to the counter. You can go home if you want." Taehyung uttered upon checking the time.

"I'll wait for you." Jimin responded.

"Okay. Just don't be too loud." Taehyung teased which earned an eye roll from the other.

"You won't even notice I exist." Jimin promised as he went back to browsing the magazines and brochures available in the display rack.

Taehyung could only shake his head as he went back to work.

For the whole afternoon, Taehyung attended to a few customers before calling it a day.

Jimin really did wait for him and treated him to dinner as an early celebration to his birthday according to him.

"Are you sure you don't want us to drive you home?" Jimin asked in concern as they walked out of the restaurant.

His boyfriend, Yoongi, was there to pick him up.

"Yeah. You two should go ahead. I'll be dropping by the bookstore to buy something." Taehyung assured, almost pushing Jimin to where the car is waiting for him.

"Okay. Call me once you get home." Jimin instructed to which Taehyung just nodded his head.

"I'll see you tomorrow, babe." Jimin winked as he opened the door to the passenger side and went in.

"Okay. Drive safely, Yoongi." Taehyung reminded, waving goodbye to the two.

The car slowly went away as Taehyung began walking to the opposite direction.

He doesn't really have anything to buy but had to say that as an excuse because he doesn't want to intervene with Jimin and Yoongi.

A lot of people can be seen on the street even though the evening is cold and snow is falling.

Taehyung smiled, feeling the cold winter night on his skin. He should probably just go home instead of wandering around during a weather like this.

He decided to hail a cab and go back home where no one is waiting for him.

This thought tugged in his heart, but he immediately brushed it off.

On his way, Taehyung couldn't stop himself from checking the last message Jungkook sent him.

Still nothing new.

With a heavy heart, Taehyung kept his phone back in his pocket as he looked outside the window of the car.

He couldn't admire the beauty of the lights on the streets because of everything he has in his mind.

Taehyung deicided to just close his eyes throughout the drive, sleeping all the way to his house.

He had wished to dream, but even before his sleep could go deeper, the voice of the driver stirred him from his nap.

"We're almost there, sir." The driver said.

"Already?" He asked, still half asleep.

Taehyung blinked as he looked outside and halted at the sight.

A car was parked outside his house which made his heart somersault.

"Shit.." He gasped, quickly asking the driver to stop the car.

Taehyung hastily went out of the cab, heart pounding off his chest, seeing Jungkook getting out of the parked car.

His breath hitched upon seeing his face after a long while, heart beating erratically as the ravenette smiled at him.

With quick steps, Taehyung plunged himself to Jungkook's open arms as tears cascaded his eyes.

"Jungkook.." Taehyung sobbed, burying his face in the crevice of the ravenette's neck.

"Babe.." Jungkook whispered, slowly cupping his face as he stared at him.

It took one look for the both of them to see the longing in each other's eyes.

No words were uttered as their lips met in a passionate kiss, full of longing and need of each other's warmth.

Taehyung was a crying mess as they pulled away. He felt the ravenette's strong arms circling around him in a warm embrace that he had missed.

"I hate you.." Taehyung cried, feeling all the emotions he had kept finally wash over him.

"Why didn't you contact me?" He mumbled which made Jungkook's heart melt.

"I'm sorry, baby." Jungkook answered as he peppered him with kisses.

He embraced him so tight, not wanting to let go.

They were in their own world when they heard a honk coming from the cab that was still waiting on the side.

"Excuse me. I would really want to watch your reunion, but I don't have much time. Can I get the payment now?" the driver said.

"Oh shit.." Taehyung gasped, totally forgetting about it. 

"I'm so sorry, mister." Taehyung felt so embarrassed as Jungkook went to pay the fare.

As the cab finally left, Taehyung could only stare at Jungkook until both of them cracked into a series of laughter.

-------------

Taehyung felt contented, sitting on Jungkook's lap as the two of them basked in the calm silence inside his house.

He had learned that Jungkook had his phone confiscated during the entire trip up to now because of some arguments he had with his so called parents.

Taehyung wanted to ask more but decided that it's a family matter that he shouldn't be meddling with.

He nuzzled closer to the ravenette, burying his face on his neck. This gesture made Jungkook sigh in contentment.

"This is nice." Jungkook whispered, hand caressing his back.

Taehyung smiled as he lifted his face and stared at the ravenette. However, his smile slowly faded when he noticed a faint bruise on the ravenette's left cheek, near the side of his eye.

"What happened to that?" Taehyung asked, cupping Jungkook's face to have a closer look.

The bright light had made the bruise visible.

Jungkook just shrugged his shoulders.

"It's nothing, Tae." He responded as he tried to pull Taehyung back to his embrace.

"Jungkook.." There's a warning in his voice that made Jungkook sigh.

Taehyung was determined to know which left Jungkook no choice.

"I was hit by my father when I insisted on going home even before the day of our scheduled flight." He confessed, seeing Taehyung's expression changed.

"Why did he have to hit you?" Taehyung felt his heart clench as he touched Jungkook's face.

"It's okay, Tae. It didn't really hurt." Jungkook assured, holding Taehyung's hand.

"It's all worth it because I'm finally here to spend your birthday with you." Jungkook whispered, placing soft kisses on Taehyung's knuckles.

The blonde felt like crying as he stared at those raven eyes. He hasn't seen it coming when Jungkook slipped a bracelet on his hand, settling around his wrist.

"Happy birthday, baby." Jungkook uttered with a loving smile only for him.

His gaze landed on the simple yet beautiful bracelet adorning around his wrist.

"Jungkook.." Taehyung's tears flow down his eyes as he stared at the ravenette in front of him.

"I know it's not really the best gift, but I-" Jungkook wasn't able to finish his sentence when he felt Taehyung's lips on his own.

"I love this." Taehyung said afterwards, smiling as tears continued to flow down his eyes.

He's overwhelmed by all the emotions he's been feeling that he couldn't help but cry his heart out.

"Babe." Jungkook looked at him with soft eyes, slowly caging him in his arms.

He had planned to give Taehyung a grand birthday celebration that's why for the past month, he had been secretly doing some part-time jobs which resulted to some instances that he couldn't be with Taehyung all the time.

Money shouldn't have been a problem for him. However, he doesn't want to ask his parents and beg them for some cash. That's why he decided to earn it on his own.

When his father had forced him to join the business trip, he thought he wouldn't make it home in time.

He had to book a ticket using some of his saved up money just to go home because his father won't reschedule the flight for him.

In the end, he couldn't surprise him with an extravagant celebration. He still has some money left, but it's already intended for something else.

Something more important. 

"I-I'm so happy, Kookie." Taehyung sobbed, burying his face on the ravenette's chest.

"Thank you." He whispered, warming Jungkook's heart.

"I'll keep this with me for as long as I can." He promised, making Jungkook smile.

"Then I'll do the same." Jungkook answered, showing off his own bracelet.

It might not have been a pair ring, but its purpose is the same.

It's a symbol of their promised love for each other.

--------

Love you 💜