red | vkook

one

ーthe stars were immensely bright that night, glowing freckles scattered across the inky blanket of mere darkness. it was different from other nights, a bit like seeing a solar eclipse out of nowhere. it seemed odd yet peaceful, as the smudgy illumination of a lamppost attempted to pierce the blackness of that hour.

the blonde sighed, nuzzling his face further into his cheap winter jacket. the cold was quick to come and the blonde could only sigh once more. a certain brunette quickly noticed the action he did and stopped walking before glancing at the freezing blonde. he grabbed his hand, intertwining it with his, and the other could only blush at the sudden yet warming action.

"are your hands still cold, taehyung?" the brunette asked, showing off a small smile that brightened up the area, despising it being completely dark out - with only illuminated lights to show where the two were going.

"i'm fine, gguk." taehyung smiled back and they continued to back back to their shared dorm, this time with their hands intertwined.

and taehyung had to admit, he was definitely in love with the younger.

from the flirty conversations, excessive cuddling, shy gestures, taehyung was definitely in love. he knew it the day he met the younger when they were in an orphan adoption center. taehyung had been coloring that day. he still remembers it - a small boy entering the place with a blank gaze. nobody bothering to go up to him - taehyung himself dropped the red marker he was previously holding before waddling towards the younger who seemed merely bewildered.

it had stayed that way until both of them were old enough to run away. it was an eventful night - police searching throughout the entire area yet both of them managing to get away with it. with puberty hitting both of them years later, they had become unidentical to their past selves, reaching out to both get a job. it had only seemed like yesterday when they both had enough money to live in a run down hotel, struggling together but remaining happy throughout the gist of it.

before taehyung knew it, both of them had reached their room. the brunette shyly let go of taehyung's hand before trotting himself up the stairs. taehyung held in a whine, finding a cold breeze circulate throughout his body.

"I wish jungkook held my hand longer."

he then followed behind jungkook who was already unlocking their door with a small silver key. as they both walked in, taehyung carefully placed the ramen they both went out to buy. jungkook had said he needed it for studying and taehyung could only nod in agreement. they never went to college - being too broke to afford going there but jungkook had found himself a free tutor online, helping not only jungkook but taehyung too with their academics.

jungkook quickly jumped on the small couch, ignoring the ramen that the other had bought for him. "what about the ramen?" taehyung asked carefully, taking off his coat before placing it on the coat rack. jungkook looked up at taehyung before giving a light smile. "i'll eat it later. thanks for buying it!" jungkook exclaimed gleefully and taehyung felt warmth rushing to his cheeks. "you're welcome." it seemed silent for a minute before taehyung's footsteps paddled towards his room, softly closing the door behind him. he then took out his phone, a cheap yet amazing device the blonde was really fucking grateful to have.

he pressed the phone to his ear after a bit, the ringing soon ending as a soft sigh was heard on the other side. "jin!" taehyung exclaimed gleefully and the person on the other end could be heard laughing. "hi tae. how has it been? do you need anything?" it just silent for a moment before taehyung started to hum. "I could be better." jin could only be heard sighing on the other end. "if you need any money i'm willing to give it to you, you know. i'm your friend so it's best to remain as positive as possible."

taehyung couldn't hold back his smile. "i'll make it through. being with jungkook already gets me through my worst days. anyways, I wanted to tell you that i've been working on my painting. jungkook doesn't want me to paint in the living room so I decided to work in the bathroom. but it works out. I'm almost out of red paint but i'll buy more once I get paid from my job. anyways, how are you and namjoon?"

"joonie? we're planning on getting married next month. I don't know if i've told you already but we'll be going across the world for our honeymoon. it's honestly nerve wracking but i'm excited" jin could be heard laughing after that and taehyung chuckled along with him. "anyways, I have to go. i've been so busy lately I haven't had time to call you." taehyung only hummed at that before jin hung up. taehyung placed his phone on his wooden desk before entering his bathroom, the dim lighting making the blonde squint. he saw his paint supplies all over the floor and taehyung smiled to himself, his pink sweater slowly falling off his shoulder. he sat down in the bathtub before picking up his paintbrush, dipping it in his almost finished red paint bottle before staring blankly at his canvas, a dazed look written on his face.

jungkook entered the bathroom at that same moment, glancing at taehyung before briefly smiling. "tae, i'm going to sleep on the couch now. good luck with your painting," he said quietly. jungkook then left, the paddling of his footsteps slowly becoming more and more distant before silence took over the cheap and rented hotel.

taehyung spent the rest of the night painting with soft music playing in the background, the ringing in taehyung's ears becoming quieter before the only thing to be heard were the soft snores of him dozing off in the bathtub, the red paintbrush alongside him.

the stars were immensely bright that night. something was odd and different - yet everything seemed normal at the same time.

life was full of big surprises.

and doesn't that make life a little bit more exciting?

---
a/n

i'm editing this book for the fourth time im crying real jesus tears.

my writing still highkey sucks though.

i'm actually changing the plot a bit so there might be a different ending if you have already read this before. i haven't decided.

(i just want to write something decent for once gdi)

((I also need to hurry up w these updates since my fat ass has no motivation to write after school started again,,))