Twenty-Second
:Chapter Twenty-Two:

     With more days passing, Jeongguk was still house-ridden. It had been officially a week without the boy showing his face at school.

Taehyung couldn't lie, it was pretty nice going to practice and being the starting pitcher without any issue. He didn't have to hear Newbie's annoying voice, didn't have to get beyond angry, and just felt happier just in general.

Practices were so smooth now that Jeon couldn't leave the comforts of his home due to his severer concussion and head trauma.

But that didn't change that Hoseok would always rush out of practice just so he could go check on the boy. He didn't take Taehyung with him after the first time they went together since Jeongguk asked Hoseok never to bring Taehyung ever again.

The pitcher was still confused on why Kim even wanted to check on him in the first place. Not like they ever walked up to one another and asked how the other was after a fist-fight so he didn't get why the older would care to ask now.

But today was a different day.

"Taehyung," the aforementioned heard his name, turning around to look at Hoseok who was walking up to him. "Can I ask a favor?"

"You're still here?" Taehyung cocked a brow, tilting his head slightly to the side as the elder approached him. "You should be out of here by now." He mentioned, picking up the bat bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

Hoseok appeared to be hesitant but decided to speak anyways. "Yeah . . . About that." He said, scratching the side of his neck.

"About what?" Taehyung turned his back at Hoseok, helping his teammates and cleaning up. Practice had just finished up. Hoseok stuck to his side, seeming sheepish.

Hoseok sucked in a deep breath. "I need you to head to Jeongguk's and make sure he's okay." He said in one go, watching Taehyung snap his head back.

"No," Taehyung said, shaking his head. "Hell no. Can't you just ask Namjoon or Jimin? Yoongi or Seokjin?" He turned again, not wanting to be asked to go check on the last person he wanted to see.

"They can't, they're all busy with something." Hoseok whined. "C'mon, you literally went with me to go see him, what's wrong with just going there and seeing if he's good? I'm not asking you to rub his feet and make him soup."

"Didn't he tell you to never take me with?" Taehyung argued back, trying to find some way out of this.

"Taehyung, please." Hoseok huffed, stopping in his tracks once Taehyung stopped, turning to look back at him. "I can't today, I just want you to knock on the door and see if he's okay." He said with a prominent frown.

The younger looked at him for a moment with no words being exchanged, trying to spot some sort of lie or tease in his voice but nothing was caught. "You fucking owe me." He narrowed his brows, shaking his head with disbelief.

"Thank you, Taehyung!" Hoseok's frown quickly rose into a wide smile. "I do owe you, don't worry." He said and then hurried off. He had things to do and couldn't check on Jeongguk.

The first basemen couldn't believe he had to deal with seeing the whiny crybaby. It was the last thing he wanted to do but Hoseok was asking him and he guessed it wasn't that bad.

At least he tried to believe it wasn't that bad. Like Hoseok said, he didn't need to give the boy a massage or make him anything to eat, just had to see if he was doing fine.

Taehyung had to walk to Jeongguk's house which was just a ten minute walk. Nothing bad and he actually appreciated a nice walk just to collect himself and what he was about to be greeted with.

He could see the injured player's house as he walked closer and closer until he was directly in front of the boy's house, the tug in his chest making itself well known.

Maybe he could just ditch and pretend he visited Newbie but at the same time, Taehyung guessed Hoseok would be smart enough to ask.

With a final dose of convincing, Taehyung picked up his hand and balled it into a fist, knocking on the door with three solid knocks.

He could hear footsteps, hearing the sound of movement coming close to the door.

Like the first time, the door was unlocked and the footsteps furthering away, Newbie probably thinking it was just Hoseok like usual.

He was wrong.

Taehyung sucked in a deep breath, mentally getting himself ready to allow himself into Jeongguk's house.

He twisted the doorknob and walked on inside, sure to quietly shut the door behind him after getting in.

The captain of the baseball team felt awkward already and wanting to just book it.

Newbie had returned to the couch, head rested back like it was before, and eyes shut. He at least looked a bit better and didn't look as tired as he did last time Taehyung came here.

It was a moment of silence before Newbie began to talk. "Can you hand me the pills?" He lazily pointed to the pill bottle on the TV stand, pills to help with the pain.

The older awkwardly moved to where the pills were, picking them up. It was a pain reliever addressed to Jeongguk to help with the head trauma. He handed over the pills, Newbie keeping his eyes shut.

He was so use to Hoseok handing it over to him and just grabbing some water but when there was no movement, he opened his eyes.

Jeongguk jumped at the sight of Taehyung, eyes going wide. "What the fuck are you doing here?!" He asked, bewildered by Taehyung's figure standing right in front of him. "Where's Hoseok?" He began to look around, looking for the aforementioned who wasn't even there.

"He didn't come with." Taehyung said, shrugging lamely. He didn't want to be here as much as Jeongguk didn't want him here.

"Get out, I don't want you in my house. What don't you understand?" Jeongguk narrowed his brows, staying seated.

"Hoseok sent me to check on your bitch ass because he can't."

"He couldn't send Namjoon? Jimin? Any of them?"

"I asked the same damn thing and they're all busy too." Taehyung admitted. "But trust me, Newbie, I rather not be here around you."

Jeongguk cocked a brow. "Then fucking leave? I don't know why you're still standing here. I don't need you to check on me."

"Fine."

"Fine." Jeongguk said back, shaking his head. This was the last thing he needed. He would've rather sat here in pain than to have Taehyung come to cause him more pain.

The elder rolled his eyes, walking to the door so he could take his leave but he was stopped before he could get any further.

"Wait," Jeongguk called, hanging his head low. Maybe he shouldn't sit in pain after all.

Taehyung debated if he should just leave anyways but he turned, looking pretty annoyed.

"Can you go grab me a bottle of water from the kitchen since you're here?" Newbie asked.

"So you want to ask for favors now?" The captain crossed his arms over his chest, an agitated look covering his features.

Newbie looked over and glared for a moment. "It's a bottle of water, Kim." He mentioned. "That's it, that's all I need."

Taehyung really was just ready to leave the Jeon household but something told him Hoseok wouldn't be too pleased to hear about it. He looked up slumping his shoulders before looking straight and taking himself to the kitchen.

He only knew the basic area because Hoseok went the exact way the first time Taehyung was here when he grabbed Jeongguk some water.

As he walked down the small hallway, seeing the kitchen just right there, his eyes couldn't help but to travel around the interior.

There was pictures of art and pretty photography decorating the walls, all aligned perfectly on the said walls. Nothing seemed to be out of place or odd in any stretch of the imagination, it was all neatly placed.

For a house of three boys, it was almost too pretty and fulfilled to be designed the way it was.

That's when Taehyung's mind flashed back to the portrait of the little family, remembering the pretty lady to the right of Jeongguk. His mother.

He shook away the thoughts and proceeded to make his way into the kitchen, looking around. "Where's the waters at?" He called into the living room. Taehyung would usually fill a glass with tap water but he guessed he could just grab a bottle of water like Prince Jeon so kindly inquired.

"Where else, idiot? Use your brain once in awhile, it could potentially help you here and there." Jeongguk said back. He didn't need to shout it out since the living room and kitchen were only a few steps away but he did need to raise his voice, causing a little more ache to his head.

"Just because you got rocketed by a baseball doesn't mean I won't turn your concussion into a coma." Taehyung threatened, going over to the fridge.

"Try it, Cap, you'll be man handled." Was quipped back, Taehyung not having the time to stand there and mess around with his enemy.

He opened the refrigerator, pulling out a cold bottle of water. He closed the fridge and returned to the living space, tossing it on Jeongguk's lap.

He then walked right past the injured boy, heading to the door because he didn't want to stand here any longer, just wanting to leave.

But like before, he was stopped with a single word.

"Wait," said Jeongguk, causing Taehyung to look back with so much annoyance.

"What the fuck could you possibly want now? You got your water and medication." Taehyung threw his hands up. "I'm not bringing you back food, not rubbing your back for you, not babying you like Seok does so count that out of the question."

"Oh," Newbie frowned, popping the pills into his mouth and chugging down some water with it. He hummed, looking at Cap. "I just wanted to tell you that you're still a little bitch. You're dismissed." Jeongguk waved his hand at him, shooing him away.

"And you're out for the rest of the season." Taehyung smiled while shrugging, watching Newbie's smug look fall into one that was clearly offended and hurt by the statement made by Taehyung. "Don't be a dickhead next time and I won't get your wittle feelings hurt." And with those final words, he took his leave and left Newbie's house.

Now it was time to walk back to his house, not feeling all that bad since he made Newbie speechless which was almost a rarity most of the time. It was usually him who became speechless by Jeon but not this time.

Not this time.

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A/N:

I still love their relationship still! I can't wait to progress it, sorry for the slow turns but I love it!

Story reached 8,000 reads which is so many and I do appreciate it all! Thank you guys!