A Way To Your Heart - Chapter 34: Chapter 34

"Sunghoon-ah?"
Taehyung stood up with a smile when he recognized the boy.
"Do you still remember me Hyung? I thought you wouldn't recognize me."
Jungkook was watching the Sunghoon guy walked towards them and Taehyung ruffling the boy's hair with a smile.
"Aigoo. Why wouldn't I recognize you? You've really grown up huh?"
Jungkook just stood behind watching Taehyung speaking to the boy in a sweet tone.
"But why are you here Hyung? Did you come to see my performance?"
The boy asked curiously.
"What performance? I don't know. I didn't see anything. We arrived here just now."
"Oh. Is that so?"
The boy looked a bit disappointed from Taehyung's answer but smiled.
"That's fine. But Hyung, uh... I'm a figure skater now. I performed here just now."
"What? For real? You're really a figure skater now?"
Taehyung gasped to the news and repeated the same, proudness spreading through his eyes.
"Yes hyung. And if you didn't encourage me not to give up that day, I wouldn't be here now. I really wanted to thank you for everything you did for me but you never came back. I heard you've already transferred to another school from one of your classmate."
"Aah, yeah. I did transferred because of my dad's business. But you don't need to thank me. I didn't do anything. You're the reason why you're here. This is what you wanted to be and I'm so proud of you that you really made it. Congratulations Sunghoon-ah."
Taehyung smiled proudly while patting the boy's shoulder.
"Thank you Hyung."
The younger grinned.
"But why did you come here Hyung?"
"Oh? Oh yeah. I came with him."
Taehyung finally turned to Jungkook who was silently standing behind them the whole time.
So now you finally remember my presence?
Jungkook wanted to shout it out loud at him but he kept his cool by breathing in deeply and pulled up a smile when Taehyung asked him to step forward.
"Jungkook. He is Sunghoon. He's a junior from my old highschool."
Taehyung finally introduced the boy to Jungkook and then turned towards the boy.
"Sunghoon-ah, this is Jungkook, my... uh..."
He hesitated and looked at Jungkook who was already staring at him, as if waiting for his next word.
Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows when Taehyung didn't say anything.
What is Taehyung hesitating for? Is saying the word 'husband' that hard? He was already pissed off from all those hair rufflings and sweet tone talks and now this?
He let out a deep sigh as he wrapped his arm around the other's waist, pulling him closer.
"I'm his husband. Nice to meet you, my Tae's former junior."
Taehyung snapped his head towards him with a glare and a mouth agape, not expecting that from him.
But he just smirked at him.
"What? Wasn't my introduction cool?"
He winked at Taehyung before turning towards the boy who was just standing there with eyes wide opened.
"Isn't it, Sunghoon-ssi?"
"Uh. Yes. Nice to meet you too, Jungkook-ssi."
The boy smiled at Jungkook before turning to Taehyung who already wriggled out from Jungkook's arm.
"Hyung. Are you going to skate here? Is your fear already gone? I remember you not being able to take a single step back then."
What? So this boy even knows Taehyung's fear? What is he? Taehyung's life dictionary? And why the hell Taehyung was blushing?
"Don't remind me that day. It was really embarrassing. And I'm still scared. I came because Jungkook wanted to come here. He wants to skate here."
"Oh? Really? Then what are we waiting for? Let's go and skate together Jungkook-ssi."
Jungkook was about to say something but Taehyung blocked him off.
"You said you performed here just now. Aren't you tired? You can go and get some rest."
"No. I'm fine. I can never get tired of skating."
"But--"
"Sunghoonie! There you are. We were waiting for you there and what are you doing here-- uh? Taehyungie Hyung?"
Taehyung gasped in surprise when a familiar face run towards them. And yeah he remembered his name once he stood before him.
"Uh? Heesung-ah?"
And the he saw another behind him.
"Uh? Jungwonnie? Sunooya? Jay? Jake? How come you all are here?"
Taehyung almost jumped when all of his juniors stood before him. Then he saw an unfamiliar face with blonde hair behind them.
"Uh? I don't know him?"
"Ah, he's Niki. He's in the same dance club with me. But he's still in middle school. We got closer so we hang out together."
Jay introduced the blonde to Taehyung with a smile while Niki bowed at him.
"Aww. Nice to meet you Niki. You look so cute."
Taehyung cooed at the younger while the other smiled shyly at the compliment.
"I brought him here because he wanted to see Sunghoon's performance."
Jay continued.
"Aigoo. All of you have grown up so much. Woah? What's this? When did you guys grow this much? Feels like it was just yesterday when you all run behind me to buy you cotton candies."
Taehyung smiled as he looked at the youngers one by one.
But someone was poking his tongue to his cheeks while watching the scene with crossed arms.
What's going on? It was only that Sunghoon guy before and now there are seven of them? It's sure that they are all his juniors but why are they so closed to each other?
"Oh yeah. We still remember how you used to buy us cotton candy almost everyday."
Jungwon said while all the other nodded their heads.
"Ah, now that you mention it, I already start missing the one Taehyungie hyung bought us."
Sunoo stated with a pout to which Taehyung laughed and ruffled his hair, assuring him that he'll buy it again for them.
What? So Taehyung even used to buy them cotton candies everyday? Are they that close? And why does he keep ruffling their hair?
Now he felt like he's completely left out and it's pissing him off.
"Jungkook, you can go and skate. I'll wait here."
Jungkook breathed out when Taehyung finally paid attention to him but what? He's asking him to just go by himself? And he's going to stay here with those kids? He's not going to let it happen.
"I won't."
He said with his arms crossed.
"What? Why? You came here to skate right?"
Taehyung took a step towards him.
"Yeah. But I won't do it now. I'm tired so I'll sit here and get some rest."
Jungkook said, just hoping those kids to leave them alone soon, only for him to regret what he just said soon by the next thing he heard.
"Hyung. Do you wanna try skating again? I will help you. Remember how I used to hold your hands when you were scared while skating with me? I couldn't hold you from falling that time because I was shorter and smaller than you back then. But I'm stronger now. I can easily help you."
Sunghoon asked with assuring eyes, hands lending out to Taehyung who just chuckled with a nod, giving his hand to the younger.
That's it. Jungkook felt like his stomach was boiling. Is it because he's hungry? No. Not at all because he was glaring at the two hands holding each other. And the way the kid kept calling 'hyung' to Taehyung wasn't that pleasing to his ears. Just opened his mouth to say something but,
"Jungkook. Since you're tired, just sit here and rest for a while ok? I'll come back soon. Stay with the boys for some time. They're all well behaved and good kids."
What? So he's gonna leave him there? He said he's scared of skating and now he's there with that kid? He couldn't even say any excuses because he's the one who said he's tired and want some rest.
So, he ended up sitting with the other six boys while Taehyung was dragged in the middle of the ice rink.
Jungkook couldn't do anything other than poking his cheeks with his tongue. Since when he became a coward?
You dumbo. You came here to spend time with Taehyung, not to babysit the six big babies beside him.
"Sunghoonie Hyung must be so happy right now. Just look at him smiling. I can clearly see he's really happy."
Sunoo cupped his own face while looking at Sunghoon.
"I know right. He just won gold medal from the championship, held a performance event for himself here and now he could finally meet Taehyungie hyung. Of course he must be happy."
Heesung spoke up with a proud smile.
"Well. So, I don't really know who is that hyung except for him being your senior in school. But why would Sunghoon Hyung be happy to meet him? You're also happy to meet him right?"
Niki asked cluelessly.
Yeah. That's what Jungkook wanted to ask too. He cleared his throat quietly, rubbing the back of his neck with his eyes roaming somewhere else and slide himself a little closer to the boys so he can hear the answer clearly.
"Oh. You may not know but Taehyungie hyung was Sunghoon's first love."
Jay cleared up.
What? First love? Very well? Now he get it why that kid keep clinging onto Taehyung.
"We were just in middle school, when Sunghoonie started his figure skating practice, he once told us he met a pretty senior who encouraged him to never give up his dream. It turned out the senior is Taehyungie Hyung. So we approached him and he was surprisingly nice to all of us and we started getting closer. He even asked us to call him hyung instead of sunbae because he think us as his real younger brothers since he's the only child of his family and doesn't have any brother. He used to buy us cotton candies everyday. But after two years, Sunghoon won his competition, but he never came back to school. We went to ask his classmates only to find out he already transferred to another school."
Jake breathed out after telling the story.
"And yeah, we got to meet him today after so many years so Sunghoon must be happy to see him again. He was closer to hyung more than us. He even thought Taehyungie hyung is his first love because he left a great impact on him to work harder. And he's also the reason how Sunghoon is able to be here. Without giving up his dream. That's all."
He concluded.
Jungkook was silently listening to the whole story with his eyes fixed at the one with gray hoodie and fluffy hair laughing widely in the middle of the ice rink.
Taehyung was smiling at the kid when the other grabbed his wrist so he wouldn't fall, laughing when his feet slipped a bit when take another step.
Jungkook was supposed to get mad if Taehyung smile at another guy but why is he smiling now? Is it because of the story he heard just now?
He imagined how cute Taehyung might look when he's in highschool, how he would've encourage the kid not to give up with warm words, how sweet he must've been to the kids that they all are so comfortable around him and keep telling how much they miss him.
Taehyung. No. His Taehyung. What have he done to him in these past two months?
After spending time with him, he already found out Taehyung is not some bratty son of a rich family like he thought before when he met him for the first time. He can be quite stubborn sometimes but it's nothing compared to how pure his whole existence is.
The more he know about Taehyung, the more he fall for him.
He would be lying if he say he's not jealous of how the kid got to hold Taehyung's hand, how he got to see the smile closely, how he got to know him before him. He is jealous. It's a shame to say he's jealous of a kid but he is.
But he's happy he chose to sit with the other boys because he got to listen the story of how sweet and a warming person Taehyung is ever since he was little.
And now he get it why Taehyung asked to call him hyung after knowing he's older than him. From what the boy told earlier, Taehyung might probably want someone to call him hyung so he can babied them. And that's exactly what he tried to do with him, squeezing his cheeks and calling him cute.
Thanks to the six boys beside him. He has now fallen for Taehyung once again, much more deeper than he already was.
‐
Just when the seven boys left the hall after bidding them goodbyes, Jungkook grabbed Taehyung's wrist and dragged him outside till they reached their car.
He didn't even give Taehyung time to ask anything since he made him sit inside the car and speeded up the car without saying anything.
"Jungkook? Are you... mad at me? Did I do something wrong?"
Taehyung spoke with a slight shaky voice.
"No."
Jungkook replied only that which made Taehyung even more anxious.
"Then, why... I mean... well... where are we going now?
"Here."
Jungkook parked the car and dragged Taehyung out who was just looking at him confusingly.
"Why are we here?"
Jungkook cleared his throat and turned to Taehyung.
"Buy me cotton candy."
"Huh?"
Taehyung dropped his jaw. He shook his head, doubting himself if he heard it wrong.
"What did you just say?"
"Buy me cotton candy."
Jungkook sighed and repeat himself with a straight face.
Taehyung blinked his eyes in surprise, he thought Jungkook was mad at him but he's really asking for cotton candy now?
"Are you alright Jungkook? Are you hungry? If yes then we can go to a restaurant and eat."
"Yes. I'm hungry. So buy me the cotton candy."
"But why do you---"
But Taehyung was left with no words when Jungkook cut him off with the most unexpected word.
"Hyung. Buy me cotton candy."
"What? Hyung? Why are you suddenly calling me hyung?"
Taehyung widen his eyes.
Why is he asking now? Isn't this what he wanted? Or... does he want more than this?
Jungkook took a deep breath followed by a pout suddenly appeared on his lips with puppy eyes.
"Aanggg. Hyungieee, buy cotton candy for me please. Ungg? Ungg?"
Taehyung just stood there, blinking his eyes while watching Jungkook, too shock and surprised that he just kept staring at Jungkook with mouth and eyes wide opened without saying anything.
What's going on? Is he really doing aegyo? The Jeon Jungkook is doing aegyo? With pouts and puppy eyes while calling him hyung?
Wait. Is it because... he is... jealous? Jealous of his juniors? They mentioned about him buying them cotton candy before. Is that why he want cotton candy now?
But why does he look so... cute right now?
Taehyung couldn't help but smile as he cupped the other's face, squeezing it.
"I'm gonna buy you cotton candy because you're cute. It's your birthday after all. I'm gonna buy anything you want."
Jungkook grinned, showing his bunny teeth and scrunching his nose as he followed Taehyung who already walked towards the candy shop in front of them.
They came back to their car after buying a big cotton candy with rabbit design, which Taehyung chose for Jungkook.
And now, Taehyung was being dragged into the roller skating rink where Jungkook brought him to.
Taehyung couldn't even say no when Jungkook whined at him saying he couldn't skate before.
Giggles and chuckles from the crowd, with the glitching sound from the wheels frictioning the smooth floor filled the hall. Some were even applauding when a guy put on a show by jumping up real high while spinning.
"I really want to skate like them. They look so cool."
Taehyung pout while looking at other people skating skillfully.
Jungkook just chuckled and held his hand.
"I'll stay behind you. Don't worry. Just balance your body and try taking your steps."
He assured when Taehyung start taking his steps.
If it wasn't Taehyung, Jungkook wouldn't have the patient to take small steps with his hands carefuly guarding Taehyung's sides to make sure not to fall. He wanted to enjoy the skating, but from the satisfied smile on his face, looks like he was enjoying more in holding the other's hand while helping him to move faster.
If if wasn't Taehyung, he would've already burst his anger when he was dragged out from the skating rink just to feed him Tteokbokki and fish cake from a street vendor.
If it wasn't Taehyung, he would've ranted how childish it is when he was dragged towards a claw machine and asked him to play until he won the bunny stuff animal while teasing him how much they look alike.
If it wasn't for Taehyung, he wouldn't be crouching down on the footpath just to take his picture with his phone.
If it wasn't Taehyung, he would've pissed off when he was made to wear a green headband with frog eyes.
If it wasn't for Taehyung, he would've taken a good sleep to rest instead of standing in the middle of the bridge while shivering in the cold wind just to watch firework show that's going to start in 5 minutes.
This isn't like him. This isn't how Jungkook used to be. He wasn't someone who smile easily, who talks a lot and jokes around, he wasn't someone who spend his time enjoying instead of working, he wasn't someone who accepts losing.
But in these past two months, he had been doing what he never did. He smiles whenever Taehyung's around, he talks a lot and jokes around Taehyung while teasing him, and now he's spending most of his time enjoying with Taehyung, away from the tensions of his work. And he even found himself surprisingly losing to Taehyung and never in his life felt so satisfyingly happy when losing something.
He was always been a serious and quiet person. But not after meeting Taehyung. And yeah. He has changed. Taehyung changed him, into a cheerful person he never imagined himself to be.
But this cheerful him felt much better than the him who used to get serious and anxious at everything.
Just by watching Taehyung giggle happily wearing his boxy smile was enough for him to forget every worries.
Even the same food feels more tastier when he eats with Taehyung.
Yeah. Everything felt better with Taehyung.
"Happy Birthday Jungkookie."
Jungkook stared at those big sparkling eyes wishing him for the last time just before the clock strike 12, saying hello to the next day with the sky decorated with bright glittering sparks in different colors with blasting sounds echoing through the city.
The sky looked pretty. But in his eyes, the sight beside him was more beautiful.
The sparks were glittering but the happy smile on Taehyung's face felt more brighter.
The blasting sound were loud, echoing throughout the city, but the sound of his heartbeat sounds louder.
He couldn't figure out the tingling flips inside his chest, only for it to turn out his heart already recognized it's other half way long before than he could.
And those heartbeats that thump his chest when their eyes met under the glittering sky, when their arms magically reached out for each other by themselves without a command, when they feel each other's warmth from the touch, when their lips finally feel each other with a gentle and slow kiss, when they smiled to the sweetness of their kiss, these says it all now and he finally understood what those heartbeats were trying to tell him from the beginning...
He smiled when he realized he had the best birthday.
He smiled when he realized he got the best gift.
He smiled when he realized those warm eyes telling million loving words were only staring at him at the moment.
He smiled when he realized those shades of pink tinting over those soft cheeks were only because of him.
He smiled when he realized those soft alluring lips were only for him to taste.
The cold breeze blown through their ears, nose tips turned red. The chills spread their bodies when Jungkook covered Taehyung's head with the gray hoodie he wore, pulling him closer.
His one hand caressed those puffy bread cheeks while the other around his waist, tilting his head as he bent forward until their lips shared each other's warmth, eyes closed, with their heartbeat getting along together perfectly like a long lost friend.
And that's what he understood perfectly...
... the moment he realized, he was already in love with him...
Yeah. He love Taehyung.
His Taehyung.