MARLBORO NIGHTS | VKOOK ✓

15

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PART FIFTEEN
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"You were doing pretty good for your first time boxing. I mean...you need to work on your strength and all, but your technique is great. After a few more times it'll be perfect."

Taehyung blinked up at him and let out a whine. "My arms hurt. My legs hurt. Everything hurts! Why are you already talking about the next time?"

A laugh escaped Jungkook at this and he shook his head. "You're exaggerating. It can't be that bad." He put on his leather jacket and nibbled on his lip piercing, closing his locker shut.

"But it is!" The boy protested as he sat on one of the benches inside the changing room, holding an almost empty water bottle in his hands. "You're a champion, so obviously you don't feel like this anymore. But i bet when you started boxing you were crying about feeling like a gummy bear!"

Jungkook snorted. "A gummy bear?"

"Yes! Like...wobble, wobble, wobble."

The older raised a brow at him and laughed loudly. "What are you talking about?" He choked out, making Taehyung huff and cross his arms. "Guess you're too old to know this feeling, grandpa."

Jungkook shook his head, laughing softly at his words. "You know, if you want me to stop calling you buddy, then you should stop calling me grandpa." He grinned and took his hair tie out of his curly hair and ruffled his hand though it.

Before Taehyung could answer, the door to the changing room opened and Yugyeom stepped inside. Jungkook tensed slightly, ignoring the male.

And it was obvious to the 17 year old, that were was some type of tension between the two men.

Yugyeom shortly glanced at Taehyung and nodded at him as a greeting, before he walked over to the sink to wash away the blood running out of his nose. A hiss left him at the pain and Jungkook rolled his eyes.

The silence in the room was uncomfortable.

"Come on. We're leaving." The champion said coldly, opening the door for Taehyung to follow him outside. As soon as they got outside, the boy hesitantly looked at Jungkook. "Who was he?"

"Yugyeom. He's a friend of mine, but recently we've been fighting a lot. It's complicated."

"Oh...have you tried to find the reason for your fights? Try talking to him about it."

Jungkook chuckled sarcastically. "I am the reason. And I don't feel like talking about it, because he doesn't understand me and my reasons for what I'm doing."

Taehyung nodded. "But you shouldn't just throw away your friendship with him.."

"It shouldn't concern you who I'm friends with, Tae." The man muttered a tad annoyed. "Do you want me to drive you home? Or are you going to walk?"

"I..um..I thought we'd spend the night in the park again." The boy said quietly and started to fidget with his fingers, while Jungkook sighed. "Not today."

"Okay...I'll just walk then. Thank you for today though." Taehyung said with a weak smile on his face. He wasn't going to admit it, but his heart ached a bit at the thought of not being able to spend time with his already favorite person. Instead, he had to go home to his abusive parents or stay at the park by himself.

But he didn't have any cigarettes with him and he promised himself to stop smoking, so it wasn't opportunity for him to stay in the park. It would be boring.

Jungkook nibbled on his lip piercing in thought and ran a hand through his hair, as he placed himself onto his motorbike. The memory of Taehyung telling him about his abusive parents coming back into his mind. "You...can you stay at a friend's house tonight?"

"No, but it's okay. Really. They're probably mad anyway, because I was at your house last night and didn't tell them where I was. I can't just stay away again." Taehyung muttered.

The older frowned at his words. "Did you ever tell them about me?"

"No.."

Jungkook hummed. "Then I'll drive you home. Come on." He said and Taehyung widened his eyes. "No, you can't-"

"Why not?"

"Because they'll get so angry at me, they'll...they'll..just please don't." He pleaded, making the ravenette breath out in frustration but also understanding. "Okay. Yeah, okay. You have my number, so if they should try to do anything — text or call me. I'll drive to your house then."

Taehyung smiled faintly and wrapped his arms around the older's neck, leaning his head into the crook of Jungkook's neck. He inhaled his scent with tears of relief leaving him; relief, because someone actually made himself the effort to help him. Someoke cared about him.

"Thank you." He whispered into Jungkook's ear and felt the man's arms pull him a bit closer. "Don't thank me for something like that."

Sniffling quietly, Taehyung tightened his hold on the other. He felt so comfortable in Jungkook's arms, he didn't want to let go ever again.

But he knew he had to, so he slowly pulled away again and wiped his tears away. Jungkook furrowed his brows at the boy's wet cheeks and placed his hand onto Taehyung's chin to make him look at him. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm not."

The older chuckled with a shake of his head. "Sure, buddy."

"Don't call me buddy!" Taehyung whined loudly. Jungkook grinned, tapping the other's chin in amusement. "I'll think about it."