Last summer - Jihope & Taekook ✅

Chapter 15: Talk

IN SCHOOL

"I am so sorry Tae, for just standing you up like that." Jungkook started.

Tae was silent, looking at Jungkook with his arms still folded.

Jungkook took a deep breath.

He had never before told anyone about how his dad was treating him at home. Rather had he spent a lot of effort on hiding it, on hiding the bruises and the injuries.

He didn't want anyone to know. But he had no choice now.

His only chance to get Tae to trust him was to tell the truth. Or at least part of it. 

"It was my dad, Tae. Uhm... he's... kind of controlling... he stopped me from going. I protested. I tried to tell him that it was important, because trust me Tae, this was the most important date of my whole life. I was stupid, though, trying to talk back to my dad like that and ... Well, he locked me up in my room. I didn't have your phone number so I couldn't text you."

Jungkook sounded embarrassed and looked anywhere but at Tae when he talked. He didn't want to mention the beating, but still hoped to get Tae to understand.

Tae looked at him suspiciously. Jungkook was hiding something, he could feel it.

He gave Jungkook a scrutinising look and realised somewhat shocked that there were bruises on his cheek.

At first he hadn't noticed, since they were quite professionally covered up by some kind of makeup. But now he saw them. And he understood.

"Wait, Jungkook, be honest with me now. Did your dad do something to you? Before locking you in your room. Did he hurt you?" Tae asked, suddenly sounding worried, stretching out a hand to carefully touch Jungkook's cheek.

Jungkook didn't answer, he just looked down, not daring to look Tae in the eyes.

"Jungkook. He did, didn't he." Tae said, more like a statement than a question.

Jungkook nodded and lifted his head up, giving Tae a quick glance.

Tae didn't say anything, he stood up from his chair and went towards Jungkook. He stopped, hesitating a step from him.

"I'm still not sure if you're just messing with me but-"

Jungkook stood up and took a step towards Tae.

"Tae! I am not messing with you! I really like you." Jungkook said loudly.

He reached out his hand and stroked Tae's cheek cautiously.

Tae placed his own hand over Jungkook's and pressed it to his cheek, tilting his head slightly towards it in response.

"I'm sorry Jungkook. I should've listened to you immediately." 

"Tae. It's okay, I'm just glad that you're not mad at me anymore." Jungkook smiled.

"I have class now, we can talk more later. I'm gonna miss you!" Jungkook continued.

He walked towards the classroom door about to walk out.

"Wait Jungkook!" Tae ran to Jungkook.

"I really like you too." Tae said shyly while blushing.

Jungkook smiled warmly.

"I really got to go to class now. But please, can I have your phone number first." Jungkook said, with a slight chuckle.

Tae nodded and gave it to him. Jungkook went to his class and Tae ran to Jimin to tell him what just happened.

_____________________

Jimin wasn't really focusing on what Tae said. He smiled and said "that's great" in all the right places when Tae told him about Jungkook. But Jimin's mind was elsewhere. 

Hoseok had followed him a few blocks on his way home yesterday night, an arm around Jimin's shoulders. Just to keep him warm, as he had said. Then Hoseok had kissed him passionately once more and left with the words:

"I really do like the feeling of your lips against mine."

In the morning they'd had class together. Jimin had spent the whole morning before school fixing his hair and choosing the right outfit so that Hoseok would find him attractive. His stomach had been full of butterflies coming to school and he'd looked forward to seeing Hoseok, to flirt a little, to talk to him about what happened and what would happen next.

When they met, Hoseok had totally ignored Jimin. As if nothing had happened. As if Jimin was nobody. Again. 

Fucking God, I liked it so much. His lips, his hands touching me, his body against mine. And now he pretends he doesn't even know me. 

In a way Jimin understood. They were so different. And maybe Jimin would have felt awkward too, being with Hoseok at school. People would most definitely have raised more than one eyebrow at such a relationship.

Maybe they were a hopeless case. But if Jimin had a crush on Hoseok before yesterday, he was even more into him now.

There was something about Hoseok that fascinated Jimin. He wasn't only the mean guy bullying kids at school. He was someone else, too. That other Hoseok was like a secret only Jimin knew.

And Jimin wanted that other Hoseok so badly. The cute, funny, caring Hoseok who kissed him passionately under a streetlamp with the bad excuse of shielding him from the cold breeze of the sea. Would he ever see him again?

________________

J-Hope tried to erase yesterday from his mind.

It hadn't happened. He hadn't kissed Jimin under a streetlamp. He had definitely not messed up Jimin's orange hair, caressed his bare neck with his fingers nor let his hand stroke Jimin over the back while tasting his sweet lips.

As far as J-Hope was concerned it had never taken place.

Also, he convinced himself, this thing that never happened was only caused by sleep deprivation. He had not been in his right mind when he kissed Jimin, or well, didn't kiss Jimin.

Since it never happened. 

During their joint class J-Hope had sat in the back. As he always did.

He had seen out of the corner of his eye that Jimin had turned around to look at him. But J-Hope resisted the temptation to look back. At least until he knew Jimin wasn't looking anymore.

Then he had shot a quick glance at that orange hair. And his whole body suddenly responded with longing and lust. He almost moaned out loud.

Fuck it, I want him so bad.

Oh hell, this is not happening.

I am not fucking falling in love. With him.

No. I refuse.

He took a deep breath and emptied his mind. Yesterday never happened. Jimin was nobody. There was no such thing as love. And J-Hope was in total control of his feelings.

Or not.

_____________________________