Dreaming Alone | taekook ✔️

t h r e e

the story starts
laying in the dark
with someone new

dreaming alone
~ atc

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Silence was your friend as much as it was Jeongguk's.

It caressed his skin and soothed the jagged edges of his soul. It hushed his demons and offered the false reassurance he craved for months.

But it all came to a halt when a voice pierced through the air.

"Hey!"

A figure of a boy jogged towards him and Jeongguk was quick to cover his name tag with a sweater paw.

"Hey."

Jeongguk saw him from the corner of his eye but didn't care enough to acknowledge the brunette.

"Are you Jeongguk, by any chance?" The boy asked, looking down at him. He looked lost when the ravenette gave no response.

Jeongguk groaned internally, not wanting to be disturbed. He must be one of the kids from his supposed "group", as his father mentioned. Instead he rolled to his side, away from the boy and his tag slipped from under the fabric.

Taehyung smiled when he spotted it. "You're Jeongguk." He seemed pretty proud of himself. "Hi. I'm Taehyung. Your father sent me. We're having a barbecue by the beach."

Jeongguk's heart lurched painfully in his chest and he curled himself up into a ball. He didn't really care about the blade of grass pressed against his cheek. God, he hated it here.

There was a moment of quiet, and Jeongguk thought the boy must've gotten the hint and left him alone. But when he turned over again, he was surprised to see him settling down onto the ground.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Taehyung was still smiling as he laid down next to him, forearm under the back of his head. "I always come here to daydream."

Jeongguk didn't answer.

"It's even prettier at night. You don't get to see so many stars back in the city."

Again, no answer.

Taehyung propped himself up on an elbow, brows knitted together as he studied the boy. It was hard to see and the boy had his black hood up, but he swore he saw stars reflecting in those big, doe eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asked, genuinely concerned, "Should I go get the nurse?"

Jeongguk huffed. The last thing he wanted was more people crowding around him. He closed his eyes, trying to recollect himself despite the irritation burning in his chest, and stood up abruptly.

Taehyung scrambled to his feet as well. "I'll take you to our barbecue site." He said. Jeongguk shrugged, following behind him. "You don't talk much, do you?"

"Well, what do you want me to say?" The ravenette shot back, the lack of friendliness apparent in his tone.

It was blunt and the fact that he even spoke caught Taehyung off guard. His smile had drooped down to a frown. Taehyung wasn't used to someone like the ravenette. He eyed his name tag again and saw a cotton cord of a necklace dangling next to it.

"Where're you from?" Taehyung asked, hoping to coax an actual conversation out of him as he led Jeongguk in the direction he came from.

No answer.

His frown deepened.

"Oh that's just how he is." EunKyung told everyone dismissively when they got back. Jeongguk sat at the far side, away from any human interaction, alone with his plate of food. "By the way, I'm only staying for a few days."

Taehyung glanced at the ravenette, then at his brother, who simply shrugged.

"You know I like my personal space too." Seokjin told him, "Don't bother him if he doesn't want to be bothered."

Taehyung found himself nodding, but there it was again— this desire to be liked by everyone. It bothered him that this Jeongguk boy wouldn't even talk to him.

"Jeongguk." Junseo seethed, the heaviness of his tone startling, "Get over here. You're being disrespectful."

Taehyung watched the boy mutter something under his breath before pulling his chair forward and waving uninterestedly at everyone.

Their group now consisted of nine people. Taehyung, his brother Seokjin and his mother. Yoongi and his father (who was one of the camp counselors). Madeline, whose legal guardian of a sister dropped her off for the summer. And now, the three Jeons.

It couldn't get any more awkward than this, was what Taehyung thought until Jeongguk got up to fetch a napkin, accidentally stepping onto Madeline's foot in the process.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, having always been expressive with her words. He didn't even look back. "You're not even gonna say sorry?"

Junseo and EunKyung eyed one another. The man exhaled, rubbing his face for a moment before getting up and approaching Jeongguk.

"You. Me." He said, tapping not-so-gently on his shoulder. "Talk."

Jeongguk didn't oppose, letting his father pull him to the side.

"That wasn't very nice." Madeline remarked, purposely loud enough for the boy to hear. Yoongi shushed her, though he nodded in agreement.

EunKyung apologized on his behalf. "Please forgive him. He's... Jeongguk has been troubled lately." Her smile was sad- hollow, even.

Troubled? Taehyung stared down at his dinner, appetite a little dulled.

"Well, we're all a little troubled, aren't we?" Ahnjong said sweetly, trying to break the tension that lingered with a feeble chuckle. "I hope he'll be alright."

It's funny how we're delivered by angels yet raised by our demons.

__________

my demons are made of all the college applications im drowning in, send help

let me know, what do you think of jeongguk's character so far? -->

i may or may not update tomorrow because i've been feeling a tad overwhelmed lately and i think i need a quick break
i feel guilty though :( but i need to start realizing i deserve to take care of myself first

hope you're all safe and healthy and smiling as you should be!!

- hay