Hotline Hoseok • VHOPE [18+]

Wonderful Winter

Hoseok stares at the cheque in his hands. He hasn't met Taehyung in over a week.

Did he get caught? Hoseok was no stranger to the possibility. He had been mentally scolding himself lately for thinking it could be anything more than some time-pass before Taehyung got bored. Maybe he's had enough.

With a heavy heart, he slips the cheque inside a protective case and keeps it in his drawer.

Soon, he gets ready and leaves for college. Today was the last day before winter break.

The instant he steps out into the street, the chill breeze makes him shiver. He blows into and rubs his palms to gain the littlest bit of comfort possible in the dreadful snowy weather.

Winter had been nothing but a season of loneliness and agony for him in the last two years. Living alone, handling different jobs, dealing with stress; he couldn't find the time to relax a bit or relish a cup of warm hot chocolate, all the while sitting in a cozy room. And he's convinced this year is going to be no different.

Raising your hopes is only setting yourself up for disappointment which you cannot blame onto someone else.

||

Once the classes finished and he was packing his bag, a familiar voice grabs his attention.

"Now that our break has finally started, how about we go out to party? Maybe a Karaoke Bar?" Hoseok's bestfriend, Min Yoongi proposes his idea with enthusiasm. He had platinum blonde hair and skin as pale as snow, if one were to compare. He wasn't one to smile very often, but the way he would smile with his eyes without a curve on his lips was how he expressed his positive interest.

"I don't know, I don't feel too good," Hoseok lied with his hesitancy well concealed.

Going to bars and stuff was almost his regular routine, of course this fact was not known to any of his friends, family or acquaintances, and it wasn't his intention either to let it be known anytime soon, however, given the chance, he wished to rather spend it at home than have to be at venues he's probably already been to numerous times for his Hotline Hoseok gigs.

"Oh, is everything alright?" Yoongi asks with evident concern.

Hoseok nods and smiles softly, "Yeah, don't worry about it, just been nauseous lately." He stands up and slings his bag over one shoulder.

"Are you sure you can get back fine? Do you want me to drop you home?"

Just as Hoseok was about to turn down the offer, a thought occured to him. If he took the ride, he wouldn't have to walk through the cold weather.  

He looks conflicted for a few seconds before shyly nodding his head.

"Great." Yoongi smiles and walks out with him.

While they walk through the campus, Hoseok's mind only keeps remembering the one fact that Taehyung's out of contact. For some reason, it bothers him more than it should.

Noticing his silence, Yoongi asks, "You've been silent lately. And it's been a while since we last hanged out."

"Y-yeah... Really sorry about that. I have been very busy with my part-time job and the college work, you know I have been a bit of a bind regarding meeting my financial commitments."

"I understand," Yoongi presses his lips, "I just only hope it gets better."

"Yeah, me too," Hoseok says, a little awkward.

As they reach the parking area, Hoseok's eyes notice a familiar figure in the distance. The person with a long jacket, parted hair and glasses, leaning against his Maybach's sheet body. The older guy he has gotten recently acquainted with, Kim Taehyung.