❝Oceans Within Us❞ || Taekook

8~

In summer, Taehyung’s parents went to the countryside but he had to stay behind because earlier that year he got accepted into his university of choice and had to go there and get settled at least a week before the classes started.

It's a prestigious school, his parents were alumni of the institution, and he worked all his life to get accepted there. He would have been excited to go there if not for the fact that it's located on the other side of the country, and that meant he had to leave Jeongguk behind.

It's so unfair. Just when Jeongguk moved closer to him, he had to leave. He was given a taste of heaven for a year, only for it to be snatched away so abruptly.

How could he live away from Jeongguk after that?

He wasn't sure how busy he would be as a university student and he's aware that he might not be able to come back even during semester breaks. So he made every second of that summer count; he spent as much time as he could with his best friend.

On the last night before he had to take the train to another city, he and Jeongguk were lying comfortably on his bed, staring wordlessly at the ceiling.

Jeongguk got up out of nowhere, disturbing Taehyung's train of (lonely) thoughts. He said he's going downstairs because he's thirsty. It baffled Taehyung why he was gone for ten minutes— that's too long to drink a glass of water. When he came back,something seemed to be bothering him, if his nibbling of his lower lip was any indication. He sat on the edge of the bed, his leg bouncing up and down. Taehyung didn't comment about the younger's obvious nervousness, he just trailed his sight on his every movement.

"Hyungie," Jeongguk glanced at him, gulped before climbing on the bed to sit closer to him with his legs crossed. "I like you."

Taehyung's eyes widened at the confession. He sat up quickly, his heart doing somersaults in his chest.

Jeongguk shook his head, "no. No, that's an understatement… I /love/ you, hyungie. Been in love with you for as long as I can remember."

He spent so many days wondering whether Jeongguk felt the same way about him, spent so many nights making mental scenarios about how the younger would react if he ever confessed, that he never gave thought about the possibility of this— of Jeongguk confessing first.

Taehyung threw his arms around him, snuggled his face to the warmth of his neck. "S-say it again. Say you love me once more."

"I love you."

With his entire heart, he whispered against his skin, "I love you too, Gukkie... My Gukkie."