Pretty baby | Taekook

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

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The walk towards the café was the most awkward thing Jungkook had ever had to go through. Neither him nor Taehyung were sure how to start off a conversation, which led to them walking in silence for the longest of times, before Jungkook finally came to the conclusion that even the weirdest conversation couldn't end up as awkward as this already was.

"So... how have you been?" Jungkook asked, facing Taehyung, who looked at him with a blank face for a moment before answering.

"Alright, I guess. I'm pretty successful." Jungkook didn't miss the slight undertone indicating that that didn't quite answer what he was actually asking.

"What about being happy?"

Taehyung chuckled amusedly, pushing his bangs out his face, revealing his blue colored irises. "I don't think that's the perfect conversation to start off with."

Jungkook nodded as they entered a small café Jungkook usually visited in his spare time whenever he could. The waitress made her way over to them, greeting Jungkook before leading them to the seat he usually sat at.

"You can choose whatever you want." Jungkook offered, handing Taehyung the menu.

"Thanks." For a short moment the man looked up before fixing his eyes on the card.

A soft sigh left Jungkook's lips. "Look... I really was an asshole last time we met and I really regret it. You can be angry if you want to. Call me anything you want, but please give me another chance to have that conversation we should have had on that reunion. I was really, really looking forward to seeing you and I have no fucking clue why I was being the asshole I was. Actually, I do. In my head I was expecting 16-year-old Tae to show up and got ridiculously angry over the fact that you, in fact, have gotten older. Probably because I was never there to watch you do that. I just got to see the final outcome. I'm babbling and I have no idea what I'm saying. Sorry." Jungkook buried his face in his hands, sighing in frustration, not seeing the way Taehyung's features softened quite a bit.

Hesitantly Taehyung reached out, placing his hand on Jungkook's arm. "It's okay. All of us have our bad days or stupid expectations that end up not being fulfilled making us frustrated. I'm glad you decided to approach me again."

Jungkook looked up, his hair sticking out weirdly. Taehyung chuckled and Jungkook felt weird about it. Taehyung apparently had dropped his walls again. Just like that. It felt to easy.

"You're not angry?"

"I am. A bit. You kind of ruined that evening for me, but I'm not one to hold grudges. Especially if the person being mean, used to be the highlight of my day back in high school." Taehyung stated, his eyes wandering towards the waitress approaching them, ready to take their orders. Jungkook watched as Taehyung ordered hot chocolate, mentioning that they should add as much whipped cream as possible.

It reminded Jungkook of all the times he had invited Taehyung over to his place for playing games and they always ended up making tons of hot chocolate.

He didn't even notice that he was smiling like he was stupid until Taehyung looked at him questioningly. "Just remembered all those times we hung out my place." Jungkook admitted and Taehyung's eyes seemed to light up. "I miss those times a lot. Probably the best years of my life."

"Best years of your life? School and puberty and it was the best years of your life?" Jungkook felt the same, but admitting to that pretty much was the same as confessing. The only reason he felt that way was Taehyung.

"Yeah it was. Everyone was so sweet, treating me like some sort of treasure. Although you carrying me around most of the time was certainly the best about it." Taehyung stated and Jungkook felt warmth spread through his stomach.

"If you want, I can carry you around any time you ask me to. You don't look like you weight a lot more than you used to." Jungkook stated and he could have sworn Taehyung had the slightest bit of blush spreading over his cheeks a he laughed.

"I will make sure to take you up on that offer." There was a short moment of hesitance as Taehyung was fiddling with his sleeves before leaning forward, supporting his chin on both of his sweater paws. "You've aged well. You look almost the same as you used to." He realized that maybe being told that you still looked like in high school may come off as an insult. "In a good way. You've gotten... more manly."

Jungkook couldn't help but laugh out loud at the comment. "Thanks. I shouldn't be the one saying that though. When did that happen? When did you become this much of a girl magnet?" Jungkook pointed at Taehyung and expected a smile or something along the lines but Taehyung seemed bothered by the comment, if anything, but he quickly hid it with a smile.

"Thanks... I guess that's what I have become." His chuckle was a bit too choked up. Jungkook wasn't sure what was bad about that statement. Maybe... "You're gay right? Soyeon told me about it. I bet there's a bunch of guys after you as well." Taehyung formed a thin lipped smile, nodding.

So that wasn't it as well. Instead of continuing to beat around the bush trying to guess what was wrong Jungkook decided to simply ask directly. "What's wrong? What bothered you about that statement?"

Taehyung looked at him like a deer caught in the headlights by the unexpected question. He quickly shook his head. "No, nothing wrong with it. It's just... too real? Maybe I'm oversharing, but you used to be my best friend so..." Taehyung hesitated, licking his lips. "I'm not the happiest about how I look right now. I hate the attention. I hate being tall. I pretty much hate that face of mine. And I know I should love myself for the way I am and all but I just miss how I used to look. Average, small and more feminine, but I always got the attention of the people I wanted to see me and no one else." Taehyung seemed to shrink in his seat.

Jungkook wanted to say something, but at that exact moment the waitress brought their drinks and Taehyung gave her a short smile before grabbing his hot chocolate with both of his hands, taking small sips of the drink. Jungkook waited the short moment until the waitress left before finally saying something. "You know... it's quite hard, but the way you look doesn't define you as a person. Fuck people who think it does. Just because you look hot and like you could make anyone go crazy over you doesn't mean you can't be cute. You know how I used to look in high school. When you mentioned that I look like I beat the shit out of people for fun. Fuck you, by the way. After that first time you saw me, did you ever have that thought again?" Jungkook asked, raising an eyebrow and Taehyung couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"I guess I didn't. Your more like a huge as teddy bear. To my defense... when you're concentrated you do that thing where you tongue your cheek and you really do look like you're ready to beat some ass. But you're right. Everybody in our class loved you even with those scary muscles of yours." Taehyung bit his lip, averting his eyes and quickly sipping on his drink again as if he had said more than he had planned. When he put the drink back on the table, he looked back at Jungkook, once again playing with his sleeves. "I'm glad to see you again. I really missed you. The thought that you no longer like me because of how I look was pretty painful. Thinking about the time we spent pretty much is the only thing that gets me back to my feet whenever I feel down. I was really scared that would be taken from me as well."

Jungkook swallowed, feeling guilty. "I'm honestly sorry. I wish I would have reacted better right away."

"It's alright." Taehyung smiled, a bit of blush spreading over his cheeks. "You decided to make up for it and take me out. That's what counts. I'm really happy to see you again."

"Me too. Our class didn't feel the same after you left. You pretty much used to be the glue sticking all of us together. Also, I no longer had anyone I could follow around all day." Jungkook complained and Taehyung smiled fondly. The mood had shifted and Jungkook felt happier than it should have been possible about the fact that Taehyung seemed to be back to his bubbly happy self.