For those of you that still don't know, this book is set in the UK 😭😭👊

;;

jeongguk came to
the conclusion that
he'd never met someone
in his life that made him
happier than the way mr
made him feel.

call him delusional and
blinded by the forbidden
opiate of lust that fogged
his senses and his sense of
morale, but he knew,
was well aware of what
he was getting himself
into.

dangerous waters.

it frightened him that
he didn't care for the
slightest. it frightened him
even more so that he
was putting so much trust
into this man that he was
so foolishly falling for.
but could it be helped?
of course not.

no one with the
right mind would be
stupid enough to
deter themselves from
their drunken, hazy
fantasies of him.
it simply wasn't an
achievable task for the
average soul.
not when there was a
literal god before
your very eyes.

jeongguk was drowning
in his thoughts yet again.

yesterday.

yesterday mr kim had
given him the surprise of
his life.

really, he hadn't thought
the man could become
anymore attractive at all but
somewhere, somehow, he'd
managed to tug at jeongguk's
heartstrings. mind you,
he was wasn't in the most
emotionally stable position
and perhaps that's what
made it even less believable,
but jeongguk seemed to
be head over heels for him
if he was going to
go so far as to euphemise
the situation.

he was in deep trouble.

the small smile that had
crept onto the boy's lips
from the previous
afternoon had never really
left.

even his mother noticed
at the dinner table as he
absently pushed his food
around his plate. the teen
was so sure that he wasn't
making it obvious- or
perhaps it was, he didn't
really know. but one thing
was for certain.

jeongguk was happier
than he'd ever been
in a long time.

for that, he was immensely
thankful.

"i take it he's
told you." his mum
chuckled softly,
eyeing her son
wearily.

jeongguk hummed
in response, not really
being able to comprehend
the situation, not really
needing to because
everything that concerned
mr kim seemed to be
a fantasy, a dream- like
reality.

"if you accepted because you
feel guilty about not spending
enough time with me, i can
assure you that i understand,
mum." he gave her a weak
smile as he stared at his distorted
reflection in the glass beside
his plate.

"oh, ggukie..." she began.
"it's not that. i-
just want you to be happy, love.
you've been going on about
that painting for so long, it was
time that i opened my eyes
to realise how it meant to you.
how much it meant-"

"to grandpa." he muttered,
voice void of emotion.

his mum didn't reply.

"i know you miss him, baby."
she was always so sorrowful,
it only made him even more
upset. he strongly despised
how empathetic he was,
how much he let other
people's thoughts and
opinions and emotions
affect him to much.
"i miss him too."

"it's okay mum." he
sniffed lightly.
"maybe after this, he'll
be closer to my heart than
ever."

and so would taehyung.

_________

"you do know that
you're going to have to
take me with you, jeon."

park jimin's chubby
features came into view
as jeongguk slammed
his locker door shut
and turned to face his
eager acquaintance.

really,
he wasn't in the
mood for any shenanigans,
drained from crying
so much yesterday.
but for once in his rather
underwhelming life, he
couldn't keep a stray
smile off of his face.

"that's not an option,
jimin." jeongguk said,
staring past the short
boy and down the corridor
towards the art classrooms,
he wondered whether
taehyung was inside or
not.

"it certainly isn't
an option it's mandatory,
i demand it so, i'm going
to be a stowaway in
your suitcase whether
you like it or not and you're
going to have to deal with
it because park jimin doesn't
compromise- are
you even listening to me,
gguk?"

he wasn't really.

jeongguk wasn't really
listening, he was far
too distracted, far too
much in a haze from
taehyung's words.
everything that he said
yesterday played in his
head like a siren, repeated
over and over till jeongguk
had overanalyzed every
breath that the man breathed.

he couldn't begin to
explain his shock when
he has told him knowing the
portrait, nevermind meeting
anne lister.

he didn't think the
man could be anymore
attractive, and not just
physically. he was so
beautiful. inside and out.

jeongguk hung onto
his every word like he
was addicted to a drug,
he couldn't get enough
of him, everything he said
managed to have some
sort of impact on him in
ways he couldn't explain.
he was glorious in all his
imperfections.

"we're going to
visit the louvre, right?"

"we're going to
passchendaele, not paris,
jimin."

"exactly, they're pretty
close right?"

"yes. just a whole
other country away."

"you're no fun, gguk."
jimin pouted, fat pink lips
smushing together with
annoyance. "where's
your sense of adventure?!"

"up your arse,
round the corner,
all the way to california."

"i've always wanted
to visit california!" the
stout boy exclaimed.

"don't you have class
to get to?" the younger
of the two sighed.

"you say that like you
don't adore my company."

jeongguk rolled his eyes.

"ugh! to think i was actually
going to help out at arts
and crafts club this week because
i actually felt dreadfully sorry for
your unfortunate arse! unbelievable."

"okay, park."

"goodbye jeongguk,
i hope you choke on a dick."
jimin huffed and turned on
his heel, sashaying down the
corridor.

"i'll bare that in mind."
jeongguk mumbled,
biting down his tongue to
stop a giggle escaping his lips.

park jimin was quite something.

the honest truth, despite how
much he hated it, was that
he was beginning to like
him. the poor sod only
had him and jeongguk only
had park jimin. so he figured
it'd only be fitting to be
tolerant.

he stared down the
hallway, fiddling with
his school tie as
his thoughts yet again
consumed him.

he hadn't the slightest
clue as to how he'd
confront the man.
what would he tell him?
how could he ever be seen
the same way?

jeongguk had a feeling
that he didn't have to
worry about all of that.

"little late," a deep
voice rumbled from
behind him.
"aren't we, ggukie?"

oh fuck.

the boy abruptly turned to
face the towering man, heart
heavy in his chest with fright.

it was none other than
his favourite teacher.

"yes!" why was he
shouting? oh god.
"i mean, yes.
sorry um, sorry mr
kim, i'll b-be off." jeongguk
could have sworn taehyung
was everywhere in sight.

he looked as ethereal as
ever.

jeongguk would never
tire of staring at him,
taking in his every detail.
his lips were a little redder
than yesterday, eyes a little
darker, still utterly attractive.
he looked like he hadn't
slept much but jeongguk
forced himself
to think little of it.

without a second thought
and a further second of
hesitation, tightened the
straps of his backpack and
brushed past the man with
haste, he's ducked low to
conceal his glowing
blush. this wouldn't end
well if he stayed, he could
feel it. he moved around
him to hurry down the
corridor with haste.

a hand gripped his
wrist.

jeongguk halted in his
tracks.

he relished at the
familiar coolness of the
man's fingertips resting
on top of his burning skin,
his hand enveloped it as
though it were nothing,
the teen knew that it
could break in a heartbeat
if taehyung wished it so,
he knew from the sheer
strength in his unyielding
grip. how was it that he
felt so small before him?

"jeongguk." he spoke
his name with an edge that
he hadn't managed to
notice before. it was different
this time. they'd crossed a
boundary yesterday that
he didn't think would
happen in his life.

jeongguk had been in
taehyung's arms.

for the most of it, he'd
managed to shut down
his thoughts of the situation,
far too overwhelmed with
other things on his mind.

so much so that he'd nearly
forgotten the feeling of the
man's warmth, his comfort,
his aura during that time.
he'd soaked him with his
tears and his words that
he didn't deserve, that he
didn't need to know of.
taehyung didn't need to
know about his pain or
everything that raged in
his heart but he'd told him.
jeongguk had told him.

and he'd listened.

he'd seen him in his most
vulnerable state yet he
hadn't judged him at all,
he didn't bat an eyelash.
he'd given him what he
needed in a heartbeat.

a sense of belonging.

jeongguk appreciated that
dearly.

he made him feel strong.

jeongguk hadn't felt that
way in a while.

"are you okay now?"
his voice was nothing
but a mere whisper
that echoed down
the barren corridor.

a tiny smile brushed
jeongguk's thin lips
as he turned to face the
older male. he tried
to think little of the
way his heart fluttered
at his concern, miserably
failing.

"yes, mr kim."
he stared at his
shoes with embarrassment.
"i am."

"are you sure?"

he wasn't sure, but
he said so anyway.

"yes." he sighed
and shifted his
gaze up to meet
taehyung's own.
"th-thank you for
being there for me."

and everything else
in this damn world.

"it was nothing."

the smaller boy
gulped beneath
his dark stare.

"it means a lot."
you mean a lot.

"i'm here for you,"
taehyung gave him a
small smile. he looked
good smiling, as radiant
as the fucking sun.

lord, jeongguk was
so goddamn lucky.

"always."

______________

what do you guys feel about taehyung rn?
isn't he gorgeous?😌👊