"Absolutely not." Taehyung spat.
"And why is that?"
"I can't live with you! And why're you snooping around? Get lost!"
Taehyung's parents exchanged looks. Reluctantly accepting Jimin's offer, they approached him, taking both his palms and staring into his sympathetic eyes. His mother's voice was hoarse from mucus collecting in her throat from her tears. "Jimin... do you really mean that? If you could, it would be the greatest gift, we'll certainly pay you ba—"
"No! I-I'm not letting him see me like this. I-I'm not l-letting him think low of me—that h-he's so much b-better because he i-isn't struggling!" Taehyung blurted through his tears leaking from his stinging eyes. His impulse for esteem, his desire for social obligation even if he didn't do a thing for others. His heart tore through every muscle in his body that didn't have trust or compassion in its vocabulary. His decision was firm; not until his parents placed a hand on his shoulder to bring his ranting to a halt. "Let go of me. Never will I start living with this—this..." And so suddenly, his regret returned when his gaze met the mochi's eyes. He's just too pretty for Taehyung not to realize. He started searching for his words that escaped his tongue to find nothing.
"Taehyungie, let me help you." Jimin urged.
"Taehyung please, this is our only option. Besides, Jimin needs company. What if he forgets to take medications again? What if he collapses and no one notices?" His mother persuaded Taehyung to finally reconsider. His brows furrowed and his lips drew into a straight line when he leaned closer to Jimin. His parents couldn't help but vibrate with anticipation when ripe minutes flew by them of Jimin and Taehyung's eyes locked on one another.
"Fine."
"Yay!"
Taehyung scoffed. "Don't get too excited. I won't be there forever, punk," He reminded with a frown. His parents shot him a look, expecting him to return the older's gratitude. "Whatever. I'll start packing."
— ♬ —
Jimin skipped into his room that Taehyung couldn't deny he was envious of even if it was full of pastels that made him want to puke. His fist tightened when Jimin placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay? You seem mad. Are you mad at me?" Jimin's doe eyes wandered into Taehyung's potent ones that were glaring right through him. The taller screamed dominance through his sharp glare and were demanding for assistance that he couldn't express with words. Jimin was far off with his guess that his crush needed his hugs when he took the towering boy in his arms and buried his face in his firm chest. The younger winced. "Hug me back, idiot. Why are you always grumpy?" Jimin said.
Taehyung lifted his arms up and looked away. "Get the fuck off me."
"Say I'm your best friend first!"
"You know Jimin, I could easily push you off me."
"Then why aren't you?"
Jimin's words were still muffled, his face still buried in his crush's jersey shirt where he could smell his perfume. Despite hours of basketball practices, sweat never changed his well-known essence. Girls would fan over it and would sacrifice anything just to get a slight smell of him that they would fantasize being next to every night they stared at the empty side of their bed, craving Taehyung to claim that spot. And here Jimin was, stealing that notion every girl had, and Taehyung wasn't even stopping him by force. Instead, he hesitated and laid his heavy hand on Jimin's back to hug him back.
"Hug me, Jimin. I need your hugs. They're the best."
Jimin's cheeks swelled up and hotness shot through his body. Did he hear him right—did he even process the correct understanding for that sentence? Though Jimin could tell it was sarcastic, the words banged his heart and released a swarm of loony butterflies in his stomach. If he could just replay over and over. If only.
Jimin lifted his head up to show his red cheeks. "What did you say?"
Taehyung's stare turned into a death glare. His threatening eyes widened and his cheeks turned red—even brighter and radiant than Jimin's. It appeared like he was ready to commit murder. "Don't ask me to redo what I said and just do it!" Jimin opened his mouth to speak, but Taehyung stopped him and shoved him into his arms. He started to feel tears falling down his still red cheeks. "Are you going to hug me back or not?" Taehyung growled.
Jimin obeyed with his entire body practically shaking. "It's okay to cry, Taehyung. Especially if it's because of your family. All humans cry. You don't have to hide it from anyone." This only provoked Taehyung's anger towards himself. His weakness was entirely visible for the mochi, and no one's ever seen him cry. Shame poured through him—an emotion he was stunned by and didn't recognize. All he recalled feeling was power and authority. Not humiliation, and certainly not pain.
Taehyung grasped tighter onto his best friend. "Thank you, Jimin."
"J-Just lie on your bed and go to sleep." Jimin mumbled while Taehyung did so on his mattress. "Goodnight, Taelien. If you need me, just wake me up, okay?"
"Actually, can you come here?" Taehyung murmured.
Jimin sat next to him. "What's up?"
"I need somebody I can cry with." Taehyung once again snatched Jimin, this time forcing him on his side and wrapping his arm around him. "I haven't told you I need to cuddle something so I could fall asleep, did I?" More tears cascaded down his cheeks, as all Jimin could do in response to his remark was a soft smile.
Both boys wandered through the night concealed in each other's comfort that they never knew they needed.
