❝Oceans Within Us❞ || Taekook

7~

Jeongguk hated the cold, he stayed inside the house as much as he could during winter. But that didn’t stop him from going to skating rinks with Taehyung, hand in hand as they glided across a sheet of ice, or spending the entire day at a snow park on Taehyung's 18th birthday.

Taehyung wasn't sure if he really loved the sight of Jeongguk during cold days because his nose got pinkish and he looked impossibly adorable, yet his lips were incredibly red too and it made Taehyung want to inch closer to him and feel those lips against his.

During that winter, being just Jeongguk's best friend was much harder than ever.

Autumn though, Taehyung absolutely loved—maybe as much as spring. Although his favorite was Jeongguk during summers (topless, sweaty, looking insanely hot in shorts that showcase his godly thighs),there's something gratifying in seeing him in oversized sweaters, in casual and not too heavily layered outfits nor too revealing clothings.

In knowing that underneath those layers was a well-muscled physique that only a few pairs of eyes in the world, including Taehyung's, had the honor of being familiar with.

Taehyung was already aware that that year would be his busiest, given that he's in his senior year. It's probably the most important period in high school since it would determine whether he'll get into the university of his dreams.

But with Jeongguk in the equation, his schedule was cramped. He didn't have the heart in him to not spend time with Jeongguk every chance he got. He tried so hard to manage his time between academics and hanging with his best friend almost everyday.

There were a lot of first times for Jeongguk and for the both of them that year, too. He brought Jeongguk to the places in the city he hadn't been to (which was almost everywhere) and made him experience things he hadn’t yet (which was also almost everything).

Taehyung remembers how excited Jeongguk was on his first cinema-watching, remembers how good Jeongguk turned out to be with the games in arcades. Taehyung learned that Jeongguk loathed losing, that he’s not just good with words but at drawing too— he learned so many things about his best friend in a span of a year.

When they were not frolicking around town, they visited each other’s homes. Luckily, they only lived ten minutes away from each other.

There were lots of stay-overs, of Super Mario-playing on Jeongguk’s Nintendo 64 that his parents gifted to him on his 16th birthday, and of cuddle sessions— so many of it.

Taehyung lived his entire life in the city— he’s seen it all, done it all—but through Jeongguk, he’s seeing the place with fresh eyes. It’s amazing to have witnessed Jeongguk get awed by the most simple things like the busy streets, high-rise buildings and fast food. God, how he worshipped those greasy meals served at fast food restaurants.

Bringing Jeongguk to the city library was life changing. He can still picture in his head how his jaw dropped at the sight of thousands and thousands of books. It made Taehyung dream of a time in the future wherein he’d have a library built for Jeongguk in their own house.

By the end of spring, Taehyung could say that Jeongguk had completely adapted to the new environment. He dressed like a city boy and talked like one although sometimes he’d still slip into his dialect’s accent.