Sterling

Chapter Thirty-Seven

As soon as Taehyung entered the classroom, he was met with stares and whispers, causing him to feel small and vulnerable with everyone. He held his head down almost the whole time, but what was surprising was when people started approaching him, asking so many questions about if Jungkook was his boyfriend or not, or if they were just simply hooking up, or fuck buddies.

They definitely weren't fuck buddies, nor were they hooking up, but he had no clue what they were. He had only recently found out about an hour ago about the raven-haired boy's crush on him, and that had him feeling different. He's never had anybody come up to him and tell him honestly they had a crush on him. Everyone would run the opposite direction and spread rumors around until they made back his way.

He was even questioned by his friends, but he still didn't know what to tell them. They haven't talked about it, never really had the chance to since they were too busy apologizing to one another. They were too emotional to even think about what they were. They were kissing each other, holding each other's hands, admitting their crushes for one another-more like Jungkook admitted his.

He did have feelings for that certain bunny boy, he would admit that, but he didn't know they were crush-like feelings. He's never had crushes on anyone before, because everyone was too disgusting for his liking, so he thought he was better off single. He didn't want to get in the drama of a relationship either, so he decided to stay put and where he was he thought he would be happier-despite the recent events that have occurred.

He didn't know what to tell anyone, and he wasn't even sure how to bring it up to Jungkook either. He was more than positive the raven-haired boy was getting questioned by everyone in his class, his friends and the other jocks, too. It wouldn't surprise him if he was being asked a thousand and one questions at this very moment, but it also wouldn't be that much of a shocker if he wasn't either.

The teacher then passed out homework, the word 'home' catching his attention. His breath hitched as he looked down at the paper set on his desk in front of him. He bit his bottom lip at the thought of having to go home to that place again, scared his parents would end up coming back and making everything worse for him. He didn't want that, and he didn't want to stay there alone.

He didn't want to stay at a friends house, feeling like he would be a burden to them and their families, so that wasn't an option. The other option was to have a constant anxiety attack and wonder if his parents were coming home that night. He didn't even want to think about that happening, and he really hoped it wasn't anytime soon, if not ever.

His anxiety was already spiking at the thought. He had no idea what to do besides just go home and act like everything's fine. He was so tired of pretending, but he had no other choice but to. He felt like he was on the verge of tears again as everyone started gathering their things before the bell rang.

When the final bell rang, Taehyung had gathered his things and had agreed to meet his friends out in the parking lot after putting some things away in his locker. He zipped up his bag and slung it over his shoulder, making his way out of the classroom after it had died down and the doorway was no longer crowded. He walked out, a small boxy smile plastering his features when he seen Jungkook walking up to him from his locker.

He clutched the strap of his bag due to his nerves being all over the place currently, and he tried his best to mask his fear and anxiety sketched upon his features as Jungkook wrapped his arms around the small brunette boy and placed a kiss to his forehead, smiling down at him when he pulled away, "Hey."

"Hi," he replied back, voice a little strained as he began to worry about being home alone with an empty house and parents he had no idea where they currently were, able to come back at anytime they pleased, and there wasn't or wouldn't be anything Taehyung could do about it. He just had to deal with it, but be sure to tell someone when they arrived back.

"Are you okay?" Jungkook asked, stopping in front of the smaller boy and looking down at him with worried-filled eyes and furrowed brows. Taehyung could only force a smile and nod his head as he stepped around Jungkook and walked to his locker. The raven-haired boy didn't believe anything the younger was telling him, but he didn't want to pry and make him feel uncomfortable and seem too pushy, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Taehyung looked over with that same forced smile and nodded again, "Yeah, never better." He turned back and opened his locker, unzipping his bag and pulling some books out he didn't need to take home with him, while replacing them with ones he needed since he was assigned homework, and not to mention the work he had missed while he was in the hospital.

He had noticeable shaky hands, and Jungkook caught this, his own hands reaching out and taking the younger's, placing them on his muscular and broad chest, causing Taehyung to have no other choice but to look up at him. "You can talk to me, Tae. I promise I'm not gonna judge you," he whispered gently, causing tears to prick the younger's eyes as he looked away from the older's intense gaze. "So, tell me what's wrong."

Taehyung couldn't hold it up any longer. He couldn't pretend, especially not in front of Jungkook, the guy that's done nothing but helped him through his school troubles, although he had ignored him for a couple of weeks or so. He couldn't hide it from him, especially since their relationship was taking a turn he didn't know where it was going.

He let the tears trail down his porcelain cheeks, biting his bottom lip and tugging on it harshly, looking down at the floor. Jungkook placed a finger under Taehyung's chin, making him look up and meet the soft brown eyes he seeks so much comfort in, "What is it, baby?" That nickname was going to be the death of him, especially since he had no idea what they were, if they were anything beyond friends.

He kept quiet for a little bit before opening his mouth to speak, "I-I... m-my parents are gone, and I-I'm scared," he admitted, seeing the other nod his head as a coax for the younger to continue on, "I-what if they come back and I'm there? What if they come back and I'm not able to-to leave? I'm so scared to be alone, especially there. I don't know what to do, and I'm terrified they'll come back and things will get worse, and I'm trying not to panic, bu-"

"Hey, hey, Tae, calm down, okay? You're overwhelming yourself with all of this," Jungkook whispered as he cupped the boy's cheeks and wiped away the tears with his thumbs. The small brunette boy nodded, sniffing a little bit as tears kept falling from his eyes, unable to look down or away due to the hands cupping his cheeks and wiping his tears away, "I'll stay with you, alright? Does that sound better?"

Taehyung shook his head, pulling away from Jungkook as he wiped his eyes, "I can't ask you to do that, Jungkook," he stated weakly, going back to putting things away in his locker and bag, but was soon stopped when fingers laced themselves with the younger's hand, pulling him away from the locker a little and turning him so he was now facing Jungkook again.

"Tae, if I'm going to be honest here, I don't trust you being there by yourself, and it's not because of what happened, but because of your parents," Jungkook said in a gentle tone as he wiped more of the younger's tears away with his thumb. "I don't want you there by yourself. I don't trust them, and I don't like the idea of you scared out of your mind and not being able to sleep because you're terrified, okay? I want you to be able to get some sleep, and I want to be able to get some, too."

"But, what about your parents?"

"They're not even home. They left last night for another business trip in Busan, so they won't be back for a week or two. They haven't told me which one because they don't know yet, so it's okay if I stay with you in the meantime, okay?" Jungkook placed another chaste kiss to his forehead, but Taehyung still wasn't so sure about it. "Look, Tae, I don't want you by yourself. Especially if you're this scared. I want to be there, I want to help you. Can I please do that? We won't even sleep in the same bed like we did last time. I just want to be there to help you."

Taehyung didn't really have the energy to argue, so he just simply nodded his head weakly, earning a smile from the older boy. He placed a finger under the younger's chin and brought their lips together in a soft and tender kiss, their eyes closing as they basked in each other and the moment, savoring everything.

"Thank you," he whispered when they pulled away, earning another smile from the raven-haired boy as a response and a small nod, "I really mean it, Jungkook. Thank you. You've done so much more me, and I'm so grateful." The older boy could only smile a grin that resembled a bunny, and Taehyung found it the most cutest thing he's ever seen before in his whole life, a small giggle emitting from him.

"Anything for you, baby."