Take on Me

16

¤ Walking Blind
Aidan Hawken ↲

We don't have to know
We don't have it all worked out
We can just keep walking blind

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

The rest of Jungkook's day passed by in a daze, his mind consumed with thoughts of Taehyung.

Taehyung kissed him. Taehyung. Kissed. Him.

They didn't know each other for long at all, but there was some other worldly force pushing them together. Truthfully, it felt like they knew each other for years and not just three weeks. There was something different about the way Jungkook's heart soared when he was with Taehyung. He experienced a happiness and lightness he never knew existed.

But he shouldn't get too ahead of himself. They only kissed after all, which in and of itself wasn't the biggest of deals.

Hell, who was he trying to kid? To him, it was a very big deal.

He didn't know that Taehyung had never been attracted to anyone before. It came as a surprise to Jungkook, but made everything all the more special. Out of everyone in the whole entire world - out of people smarter, more sophisticated, and more beautiful - Taehyung liked him.

And God, did Jungkook like Taehyung, too. The elder wasn't just talented, suave, and beautiful. No, he was so much more than that. Taehyung was insightful and funny, deeply thoughtful and kind. He was the complete opposite of what Jungkook expected him to be; Taehyung was no snooty rich guy.

On his trip home, Jungkook recalled the moment Taehyung first embraced him, when they hugged so tightly there was no space for air between their bodies. And then he replayed their kiss, remembering his shock and hope when the elder started leaning in closer and closer. The tender brushing of their lips; the fingers that gripped his skin; the feel of Taehyung's heart beating against his own.

Just thinking about it made him want to kiss Taehyung again.

But as he pulled up to his house, he tucked away those special memories. The warmth that radiated through his body turned a little cooler, his heart dropped instead of swelling. And his hands turned clammy as he gripped the steering wheel tighter.

He didn't want to go inside and have the sadness overcome him.

With the car turned off and his bag thrown over his shoulder, he put a lock on his emotions. Strength was what he needed right now, resilience to withstand the sullen environment inside that house.

"Jungkook," his mother said as he greeted her in the kitchen. Her face was pale and gaunt, looking like she lost weight over the last couple of days.

He set his belongings down and hugged her. "How's she doing?"

A sniffle sounded against his shoulder. "I think she's sleeping now. But today was better. She acted a bit like her old self."

Jungkook pulled back and took a deep breath, relieved to hear those words. "I'll go check on her."

Each step he took towards Juyeon's room made the events of the last couple of days consume his mind. The call that she was in the hospital, the serious talks with the doctors . . . his throat burned just thinking about it all. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

This wasn't the life Juyeon was supposed to live.

He pushed her door open slightly, eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room. She appeared to be sleeping, her breath even as he approached her bed. Gently, he pushed a lock of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear.