Dreaming Alone | taekook ✔️

s e v e n t e e n

didn't even try to cry out for help
the only thing he ever did was help me destroy myself

sweet surrender
~ atc

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"Everyone please clean up— Ling!"

Jeongguk couldn't help the uncontrollable smile that spread across his face, watching Taehyung trying (and failing) to gather the group of toddlers. One of the boys launched himself onto the brunette's back, sending him a few wobbly steps forward.

"Jason!" Taehyung exclaimed, "There's— oh god— you got paint all over my shirt!"

"You seem to be having a jolly good time." Jeongguk noted, eyes scanning the brown walls with fingerprint artworks hung all over as he leaned against the wooden table.

"You're evil. Come help me!"

"I thought you were good with kids."

"That's the problem. They know I love them so bullying me is a free pass." Taehyung half-yelled, "Jeongguk, c'mon. You used to be intimidating as fu— heck. You can get them in line." Another little girl pulled at his leg, erupting in a fit of giggles.

"Nah." Jeongguk waved him off. "I think I'm good. It's funny seeing you suffer like this."

"Jeongguk." The brunette whined.

The ravenette looked down when he noticed the boy who approached him with tear streaks down his face. His hands were balled into little fists of frustration. "Hwelp me." He gestured to his sleeves.

"That's Marcus." Taehyung called, his hands full, "He doesn't know how to pull his sleeves up."

Jeongguk knelt down and smiled at the boy, tugging at the sleeves until he was satisfied and sending Marcus to the bathroom so he could continue washing his hands. He wasn't aware of Taehyung's eyes on him, admiring the genuine look of happiness on his rounded features, archived after the time they got spent together.

"Okay!" A voice rang out. It was Ahnjong. "Your parents are here to pick you up, darlings. Go get your bags and please leave everything else behind. We already lost two packs of crayons."

Kids scattered almost immediately, their excitement infectious. They were just children, really, blooming with youthfulness. Jeongguk hoped that their childhoods would last forever, unlike his, which he considered cut short.

The ravenette swiped his palms on his jeans. When he turned, he was surprised to see how close Taehyung had gotten.

"Look at you." The brunette spoke softly, inspecting him. "You're practically glowing." Jeongguk pushed him away, prompting chuckles from Taehyung. "Easy, Bambi."

"Nah-uh." Jeongguk shoved at his chest again when the brunette edged even closer. "Stay away. You have paint all over you."

"What're you so afraid of?" Taehyung teased, "You're just wearing that same black hoodie of yours—" The rest of his sentence died when he tripped over one of the board games left on the floor, hands flying up on instinct to grab onto Jeongguk and sending him down as well.

When Ahnjong entered the room again, her eyes widened at the sight of the two boys with their limbs entangled in a heap on the floor. Not just that. It's the way they were staring at each other, the distance between their faces no more than a few inches.

She cleared her throat.

"S-sorry." Taehyung snapped out of it, hauling himself off the ravenette, glancing nervously back at his mom.