Taehyung looks up from the manga he'd been reading and his face breaks out into a wide grin.
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"Joonie hyung!" he exclaims, tossing the comic aside and sitting up in the hospital bed. The older man chuckles, striding up to Taehyung's side and enveloping him in a massive hug. Taehyung closes his eyes, committing to memory the dark scent of his brother's cologne, mixed with his shampoo and the smell of his Italian suits.
"I thought you were gonna be in Japan for another month," Taehyung says as the man pulls back from his embrace.
"What? Want me gone? I can leave now if you want--"
"No no no!" Taehyung rushes to explain. "I just..." "When Hoseok called me about you fainting I rushed over as fast as I could."
Taehyung's body flushes with guilt, and he frowns down at the blanket spread over his lap. "I didn't mean to bother you, hyung."
Namjoon just cups the younger's face and tilts it up to meet his gaze. "Hey, you know you're more important to me than any stupid business deal, right?" Taehyung just pouts, eyes starting to water, and he throws his arms around Namjoon's neck and holds him tight.
"I missed you hyung," he mumbles into the elder's shoulder.
"I missed you too, TaeTae." Namjoon rubs at Taehyung's back soothingly. It feels like ages before Taehyung releases his iron grip and Namjoon straightens.
"How's my champ doing?" the man chuckles, pulling up a chair and finally settling himself down besides Taehyung's bed.
"Dr. Lee said the medication they gave me last year isn't working," Taehyung scrunches up his face in annoyance. "That's why I fainted at school." He had heard the words 'vasodilator' and 'arrhythmia' thrown around but didn't know what it meant. He just figured Hoseok would take care of it.
"They're gonna put me on a new one soon," Taehyung looks at Namjoon in annoyance. "I don't like the pills, hyung."
Namjoon sighs, taking Taehyung's hands in his own. Taehyung has always loved Namjoon's hands- big and warm, they always remind him that despite everything, there's someone out there in the world who loves him.
"I know you don't, but that's all they can do for now."
"I know," Taehyung mumbles begrudgingly. "You gotta stay strong, Tae. You have my lucky charm right?" Taehyung nods vehemently, raising up the small necklace that had been kept hidden underneath his hospital clothes. "Then everything will be okay," Taehyung smiles softly.
"How's school?" Namjoon asks, changing the subject. "I heard Yoongi got early acceptance into the law school he wanted."
Taehyung nods excitedly. "Yup. I swear he was crying when he read the acceptance letter. When I told him he punched me and said it was allergies, but I know they were just happy tears."
Namjoon lets out a booming laugh. "I knew he was a softy," Taehyung grins, because Yoongi had harbored a crush on Namjoon for years, and he wonders what his best friend would do if he heard the object of his silent affections talking about him like that.
"What about you?" Taehyung just shrugs. "I'm pretty sure I got into the university that i wanted. But we'll see," he says nonchalantly.
Truthfully, Taehyung doesn't care much for college, and he doesn't really need to, but he's going because he knows Namjoon wants him too. It's the least he could do.
"Any cuties in your class?" Namjoon wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, and Taehyung smiles, and he's about to say no, when a certain messy haired boy with bunny rabbit teeth pops into his mind.
"Kind of..." Taehyung starts. "But I think I screwed up." He remembers the fear in Jeongguk's eyes as he slammed the door in Taehyung's face, the way he sprinted out of the auditorium, eyes watering with embarrassment.
"Screwed up how?" Namjoon leans forward, resting his chin on his hands.
Taehyung blushes. "Ah, hyung. You're too busy to listen to my problems."
Namjoon clicks his tongue in dismissal. "No, I want to know. I love juicy gossip."
" Hyung, " Taehyung whines, shoving at Namjoon, and the elder just laughs in amusement.
"No, really Tae. I want to know. Maybe I can help. I'm quite the charmer."
Taehyung sighs in defeat. So he explains his situation with Jeongguk (but leaves out the part about the bet), and once he finishes, Namjoon leans back, letting out a low whistle.
"I hate to tell you this... but you fucked up, kid."
"Hyung."
Namjoon grins, shaking his head, and rests back in his seat. "Have you tried... I don't know... listening to him? Being nice to him?"
Taehyung looks at the elder in confusion.
Namjoon sighs, rolling his eyes. "Maybe apologize Talk to him? You know, what normal human beings do? But you wouldn't know, would you, alien,"
Namjoon flicks Taehyung's forehead, and the younger scrunches his face in annoyance.
"Is that all I have to do? Be nice to him?"
Namjoon just smiles softly. "You'd be surprised how much a little bit of kindness can be worth."
