(I Won't Sleep) 'Till You're Safe Inside

6

Taehyung woke up the grey sky of an early dawn. He remembered Jungkook falling asleep next to him and turned over, expecting to see him.
No one was there.
Tae stood up to see a note on the bedside table.
"Call if you need anything. I left early because of school, and we need to take things slower. Jungkook."
Taehyung put the note down, wondering if it meant that Jungkook didn't want to see him. Tae got up, reliving the event that ruined his otherwise perfect day. He didn't turn on any lights, or open any curtains. It was a rainy day, and he had no desire to go outside anyway. He treaded downstairs after turning the heat in the house up, as he was freezing. It did nothing to thaw the numbness in his brain nor his heart, though. He made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and sat on the couch, tears in his eyes. He knew he wasn't only crying because of what happened. He understood that Jungkook was the reason. The thing eating at him when he was lonely. And now the thing causing his tears.
But how could he ever admit that to Jungkook, if not to himself?
Why couldn't he just block things from his mind?
Why could nobody answer his questions?

Jungkook had noticed over the next few days that Taehyung did not smile without looking forced or pained. But he wouldn't ask because he was certain he knew what he would say. He would say he was fine.
So Jungkook gave no sign that he cared.

The next few days, the weather report called for snow. Tae knew he would usually be happy about an event like this, but it just worsened his mood. Nonetheless, he walked to work every day.
"Jin-Hyung, I'm here!" Tae said, bursting into the bookstore.
"Thank God, we're super backed up today, get to the register quick as possible, please and thank you!" He heard Jin shout.
Tae proceeded to speed-walk over to the register and put his bag down. He grabbed the book he had been reading called 'A Gentleman In Moscow'.
He began reading until a line of customers started to form. He looked up and smiled at the person waiting in front of him and took the book. He looked down at it to see that it was a math book. By... Kim Namjoon and co-written by Park Jimin?
Taehyung snapped out of his trance and scanned the book. He looked behind the boy he was checking out to see many people around his age holding the book.
"I heard Namjoon was smart, and I knew Jimin was studying some math thing I can't remember, but I didn't think they would publish a book!" Taehyung muttered. Once the initial shock was over, though, he continued checking out books.
When the day was over, Tae rushed home, taking busy sidewalks to avoid risk. He burst in the door.
"You wrote a freaking BOOK and didn't tell me?!" Taehyung immediately interrogated Jimin.
"Correction. I co-wrote a book."
"Whatever, I'm your best friend, you tell me these things."

"Ugh. Jin-Hyung introduced me to Namjoon and told me that he was pretty smart, so I started talking to him and we made a book together."
Suddenly, Jungkook yelled from the kitchen, "HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE! I HEAR YOU'VE BEEN SLIDING INTO YOONGI-HYUNG'S DM's!"
Jimin blushed furiously and hid his face in his hands.
"STOP STEALING FOOD, YOU EFFING PIG!!" Jimin shrieked in response.
Jungkook cackled and ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs into his room, where he slammed the door.
Jimin ran up after him, and Tae heard banging on the door. After 5 minutes, the banging stopped, and a defeated-looking Jimin walked down the stairs.
"He locked the door."
"Oh, stop whining, you love him." Taehyung said, grinning.
"Oh, I know. I'm not the only one, though."