saudade | taegguk

09

~

Taehyung wiped his tears away. His head was spinning. It was around midnight and Taehyung had woken up after his dream. It felt so real, the emotions, everything was like a whirlwind. 

Taehyung slowly tiptoed out of his room and walked to the balcony on the third floor. The night breeze gently ruffled his hair and the serenity of the night calmed his mind. His head snapped to the right when he heard a small sound. 

Taehyung's eyes widen before he looked down, fiddling with his fingers, tugging at his bottom lip with his teeth. He was so embarrassed. He probably looked ugly after getting out of bed in a rush, his hair must have been in a mess and his tear-stricken face must have scared Jeongguk. 

Taehyung sighed in relief when Jeongguk walked away, not wanting Jeongguk to witness his ugly mess of himself. 

"Wha–" Taehyung was spun around by none other than Jeongguk. 

Immediately, Taehyung looked down so that his hair covered his face. Two fingers lifted his chin up so that Taehyung was looking up directly into Jeongguk's eyes. Jeongguk's warm hands held his face, wiping his tears away. Jeongguk threaded his fingers through Taehyung's hair combing through them setting his unruly hair back in its place. 

Jeongguk looks beautiful. 

Jeongguk was focused on combing Taehyung's hair while Taehyung was busy admiring the Prince. At first glance, Jeongguk might look nonchalant and closed-off. However, to Taehyung, his black eyes held a certain intensity and gentleness and care. He felt cared for almost like a precious jewel by Jeongguk. 

He hummed in content as he leaned further into Jeongguk's touch. Taehyung's eyes slowly fluttered open when he felt Jeongguk's hands leave his hair. His lips parted slightly in shock. Jeongguk was holding a cup near his lips. Taehyung quickly took the cup in his hands and gulped the drink down greedily. 

Hot chocolate. 

No one in the palace really knew that Taehyung likes hot chocolate. Taehyung tended to keep it a secret and that was because no one really drinks that in the castle. He felt like an odd one out for wanting to drink it as most of them drank eggnog. He remembers how he always secretly went to the kitchen to fix himself a cup of hot chocolate during winter. However, this hot chocolate seemed so strangely familiar. 

"Wait! Jeongguk!" Jeongguk had started to walk back to his room silently leaving Taehyung on the balcony. 

Once Taehyung noticed that he quickly drank the last couple of gulps of hot chocolate left before running after Jeongguk. Seeing how Jeongguk stopped walking, Taehyung quickly ran up to the boy and back hugging him. 

Jeongguk stiffened feeling the tiny boy nuzzle his face into his back. 

"Thank you Jeongguk, it made me feel a lot better." 

Feeling how unresponsive Jeongguk was, Taehyung unwrapped his arms which were around Jeongguk's waist. Jeongguk walked off wordlessly while Taehyung thought Jeongguk must have just pitied him. 

Jeongguk never spoke the entire time but his actions tugged at Taehyung's heartstrings. It was simple yet it got his heart to flutter. A smile bloomed on his face as he thought about Jeongguk again, with a light heart he dozed off again. 

~ 

Taehyung was on his way to breakfast when he saw more guards roaming around and maids scurrying left and right. Taehyung entered the dining hall and today everyone was there. The Jeons, Jimin, Eomma, Appa, Seokjin and Namjoon hyung. 

"Morning Taetae!" 

"Jinnie!" Taehyung hugged Seokjin missing him after not seeing him for days. Taehyung's gaze flitted to where Jeongguk was sitting. He was sandwiched between two males whom he has never seen before. 

Taehyung's head slightly tilted to the right and his questioning stare was answered by the Jeon Ophelia. "These are the bodyguards of Jeongguk, Yoongi and Hoseok." 

Yoongi and Hoseok both stood up and bowed at Taehyung. After all, it was courtesy to bow when a guard meets another royal. 

"They are like family to us. Do you mind them joining? " Jeon Donghyun asked. Taehyung shook his head with a smile. He liked having company and he didn't mind the presence of the two males. 

"Nice to meet you!" Taehyung shook their hands. 

The two guards giggled at how cute the boy was. 

Taehyung smiled at Jeongguk. He thought Jeongguk might loosen up a little after his caring act last night. A small pout formed on his face and then he ignored Jeongguk. It almost felt like Jeongguk was being normal and only Taehyung felt sparks and shivers whenever they interacted. 

As the adults started talking at their side of the table, the boys starting having their own small talk. 

"Why is he all brooding and moody over there?" Jimin whispered. 

Taehyung giggled while Hoseok replied, "He is always like that. Sometimes I doubt whether I've heard him speak at all and Yoongi and I are his best friends." 

"He doesn't do anything, we do all the talking and he just listens but he still our bestie" Yoongi piped in. 

Taehyung locked his eyes with Jeongguk before looking away. 

"Fine if he doesn't want to talk to me. I won't talk to him either." Taehyung muttered to himself before looking away, completely ignoring the boy's presence. 

~ 

L