14. Epiphany

                                    

                                          


                          
It took a whole week for Jeongguk to get well. A whole week of him ignoring Taehyung's existence and of Taehyung begging him to forgive him. 
                          
They postponed his birthday party to the weekend so that he could heal better by then and that just added to his anger. What a wonderful way to celebrate his eighteenth birthday with a spinal brace. 
                          
Dahyun stopped by his dorm twice everyday to check up on him and every time she left, she made sure to throw Taehyung a nasty glare before leaving. 
                          
He was currently in the open space outside their dorm building, chilling in the evening breeze with songs blasting through his headphones. 
                          
He closed his eyes and began to bob his head to the rhythm of the song. He wished his life was just as pleasant as the protagonist of the singer's song. He wished he could sing happily about how happy and peaceful his own life was. 
                          
Unfortunately, he couldn't even think of peace when his best friend was still taking drugs. He knew he had to talk to him and put a proper stop to it, but he was too scared to do that. 
                          
Sure, he had been too mad to talk to him when he had first injured him, but now, he was just scared. Scared that Taehyung would no longer treat him the same after he ignored him for a whole week. 
                          
He just wished to have his best friend back, minus the drugs. Was it too much to ask?
                          
When the song ended, he opened his eyes to look down and replay the song, but a huge ass bucket of ice cream stood suspended right in front of his face, making him freeze to the bone. 
                          
He knew who it was. Taehyung's unique scent was already invading his senses, but he didn't want to acknowledge it. Having to choose between anger and ice cream was a really hard choice and he was already starting to swing slightly towards the side of ice cream. 
                          
Before he could get tempted further by the heavenly smell of ice cream, he swatted the bucket away and stood up. Turning around carefully, he faced a guilt-ridden Taehyung. He wordlessly stared at him, waiting for the latter to start talking. 
                          
"Come back to the room, Jeonggukie. And please talk to me. I am really very sorry" Taehyung apologized again with his head hanging low. 
                          
Jeongguk rolled his eyes and walked away from him, towards the stairs. He slowly made his way up the eight flights of stairs with Taehyung trailing behind him to make sure he wasn't hurting too much. 
                          
Jeongguk entered their room without sparing Taehyung another glance. He took his shirt and the spinal brace off before getting onto his bed and lying down with his back facing Taehyung. 
                          
Taehyung stood facing Jeongguk's back with a guilty pout. He really wanted to talk to his best friend and apologize to him properly and make things right, but he didn't know how to get Jeongguk to stop and listen to him. 
                          
He walked towards the mini refrigerator in their room and placed the bucket of ice cream in it. Once he closed the door, he heaved a heavy sigh and glanced towards Jeongguk's bed once again. 
                          
As he stared at the boy in the bed, a smile suddenly started creeping up his face and the smile slowly turned into a grin. 
                          
By the way Jeongguk scooted over to the corner of his bed, leaving enough space for two more people to squeeze in, Taehyung realized that he wanted him to join him. 
                          
Well, if Jeongguk wanted cuddles, who was he to deny them?
                          
He immediately yanked his jacket and shirt off and got under Jeongguk's covers. He gently wrapped his arm around Jeongguk's waist and pulled his back close to his chest. 
                          
Jeongguk silently moved backwards, snuggling deeper into Taehyung's bare, muscly chest. Taehyung's grin never dropped. He brought his fingers up and began to draw patterns on Jeongguk's bare chest with them. 
                          
He wished they stayed like that forever. Not having to talk or do anything else. Just stay with Jeongguk in his arms. 
                          
Jeongguk silently brought his hand to his chest and intertwined his fingers with the hand that was drawing patterns on it. 
                          
At that, Taehyung's heart suddenly swelled with a unfamiliar emotion. Well, he was familiar with the emotion, but he wasn't used to feeling it with Jeongguk around. 
                          
Love. 
                          
It was like a sudden blow to his mind. A sudden epiphany. An epiphany that left him gasping for air in its wake. 
                          
It was as if the whole thing was staring right at his face the whole time. And he had completely failed to notice it until then. 
                          
How could he be in love with his own best friend? Sure, he did love his best friend. Every one did. But he realized that he was in love with him. And it was completely a sudden, shocking, mind-blowing realization.
                          
He hadn't even known he was bisexual, and he was already thinking about having Jeongguk in his arms forever. What was this?
                          
Just a few days ago, he was pounding into Jihyo's ass and now he realized that he had feelings for his best friend. What was happening?
                          
He realized that he had always liked him. The way he would give in to whatever the younger of the two wanted without any protest. The way he seemed to think of the latter before thinking of anything else in any given situation. 
                          
He was sure that he had always liked him. He just didn't think it had a romantic side to it. And now, he was suddenly completely sure of it. 
                          
He was in love with Jeon Jeongguk, his best friend. 
                          
"I love you, Jeonggukie" he whispered and placed his forehead behind Jeongguk's shoulder, noticing its tremors just then. "Please don't cry, Ggukie" he said, but his own voice broke. 
                          
"I hate you" Jeongguk said in return, his voice sounding wet with the lump in his throat. 
                          
"I'm really sorry" Taehyung said and this time, Jeongguk froze because of the sudden wet feeling on his shoulder. He carefully turned around and wiped the tears off Taehyung's face. 
                          
"Please tell me you will stop doing drugs" he said. "I am not taking drugs, Ggukie. I swear I am not. It is something else. I can't give you details yet, but know one thing. You are gonna experience this as well. In fact, very soon. And then, you will understand what's happening to me very clearly" Taehyung said. 
                          
"Hmm" Jeongguk said and buried his face into Taehyung's chest. 
                          
"Hey, don't fall asleep, okay? We have a birthday party to attend tonight" Taehyung reminded him. "I know, you dork" Jeongguk mumbled. And that was how Taehyung knew that everything was finally back to normal. 
                          
Well, was it? What was he going to do about his newfound feelings? 
                          
He groaned mentally as he tightened his grip around Jeongguk and pulled him closer. He will have to sort them out soon. Jeongguk was straight, after all.