stay. [bts/taekook vampire fanfic]

xii.chapter

The school café is always busy, students flowing in and out, careless and caught up in conversations about their studies or plans for the weekend. It's a popular hang-out spot where they go during breaks, and the mood in there is always cheerful. Considering the room is pretty small and the tables are positioned quite close to one another, everything you say can be over-heard, disabling the possibility of having a private conversation.

Which is something Taehyung has been craving since morning.

Jimin didn't eat anything during the lunch break, though, and so they are standing in the long line to the counter right now. The older didn't want to since Jin had prepared lunch the previous night, but Taehyung could hear the way Jimin's stomach curled and growled silently, and so he took it as his duty to make him eat something little before they get home — the drive is going to be a long one, anyway. Hoseok texted them few minutes ago that he wouldn't come on time, because the traffic is crazy, and he is still five streets away.

That's why they patiently wait, Jimin chatting friendly to a girl in front of them about some project they were supposed to turn in two days ago. Both of them are worried of getting anything below ninety-five percent. Taehyung can only roll his eyes when he hears them, because he knows the two are going to get the highest grade in their year.

That's how it always is — but he understands the anxiety. Even though everyone at home stresses that getting the highest grades is not the most important thing, Jimin still feels like he is obliged to get them. This leads to much more sleepless nights than he can take, not enough eating due to stress, and break-downs. A lot of them. Which, for obvious reasons, makes the others worried.

When they finally reach the front of the line, Taehyung can't help but let out a happy sigh. His lips form a wide smile, and he asks for two chocolate croissants, one black coffee, and one black tea. As they leave the café, Taehyung interlinks their arms and drags Jimin to the calmer part of school, one that is not as crowded. They sit down on one of the benches that can be found placed around the building.

"What's been bothering you?" Jimin asks as he unwraps the croissant and takes a bite. A smudge of chocolate is left in the corner of his lips, and Taehyung extends his hand and rubs it away with his thumb. Jimin lets out a small "oh" and giggles, cleaning the other's hand with a tissue.

"It's Jungkook," Taehyung says, but before he can say anything more, Jimin comments: "I figured."

Taehyung raises one of his eyebrows. "Am I that easy to read?"

"Well... at least for me, yeah. Although it's easy to guess. All of us are worried about him, right?"

"Yeah, I know..." Taehyung takes a deep breath, fixing his gaze somewhere behind Jimin. He bites down on his bottom lip and digs his nail into the soft skin of his index finger.

This doesn't go unnoticed to Jimin. He tilts his head and squints his eyes, waiting for the other to continue; he doesn't want to rush him, and so they stay quiet for a few moments.

"I made him cry yesterday."

The older blond gulps. "How?"

"I... told him about Yoongi. The way I rehearsed it in front of you. In the end, I wanted to finish it with... I don't know. A moral message? I told him that all of this could be a new chance for him. Just like it was for Yoongi, you know? But he said something along the lines of not wanting a new chance... and so I, without thinking, said I was glad he got it, regardless of what he thinks. I think that was the final push for him to break down crying..."

"So that's why he has been avoiding your glances this morning..."

"You noticed it?"

"Yeah... I didn't think much of it, though..."