Stay With Me (SWM #1) | A Taekook Series

7) midnight strolls

The clock ticks at midnight. It's December 30.

When we returned from Hwacheon yesterday, Hoseok was bouncing around and planning things for my birthday but seeing my unenthusiastic response, he gave up. But I don't think he'll sit quietly, nope. Thankfully there's no cake available to splash on my face at 12, so I'm the only one awake now in the tent. Even though I'm tired, I can't sleep. So I put my boots, coat, and scarf on and head out for a stroll.

It's really dark except for the light from the top of the control room in the barrack from behind. I put freezing hands in my coat pocket and walk around the empty lawn under the dark night sky. Happy Birthday Taehyung-ah! Letting out a sigh, I walk further away from the camp. There are few trees scattered around in this new area. The number of trees increases as I go further. Vapour comes out my mouth as I breathe, it's freezing. The trees clear out a bit and in the center, stands a wooden gazebo. It looks quite old and worn out, there are a few benches inside, and on the stairs on the opposite side, sits a dark figure.

I stop in my tracks. Oh no, why did I come this far? Who is this person? AM I IN NORTH KOREA?

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAEHYUNG!

The person who was leaning on the chair sits up. Yep. I'm dead.

I turn around and start walking fastly, my head hanging low.

"Hey stop!" The man calls.

I start running.

"Who are you-"

My foot gets stuck in something and I fall on my face. The man's voice rings in my head. Jeongguk?

"Hey hey careful, you okay?" He offers me his hand and helps me up.

"Um- yeah," I mumble, still in shock. After brushing the dirt off my clothes, I look at him. He's wearing a black turtleneck which is a bit tight and shows off his buff body.

"Hi," He smiles, his bunny teeth showing. "Did I scare you?"

"Yeah, I was wandering around and I thought I got lost and came into North Korea," I say

"Haha sorry. Honestly, though, you scared me cause only I know this place. I just came back at dinner time. Couldn't sleep?" He starts walking toward the gazebo and I follow.

"Yeah,"

"What happened?"

"No reason." When we reach the place, he sits down where he sat earlier. I sit down beside him when he taps the empty place looking at me. It's a bit awkward, the way I cut him off. See, that's my problem. I'm not good at conversations, and even though I started to make improvements after I went back to Mum, Dad, and Yeontan, I re-constructed the bubble around me.

There's a long pause before I speak. "I miss home,"

Jeongguk hums and sighs. The awkward silence continues.

"That night Taehyung, I- I acted weird-" He starts.

"Hey no. It's completely okay."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be,"

"I don't know what you think about me but, can we not be, like, awkward around each other?" He says, looking at me.

"I know right! Can we talk like normal people and not bring up the formalities and stuff? Like friends?"

"Yes of course!" Lifting his head up, he puts a charming smile on. "Let's start with the basics. I'm Jeon Jeongguk. I love banana milk, working out, and doing risky things."

"I know all that. Tell me something more," I rest my chin on my palm.

"Umm, I'm a huge IU fan, you probably know that. I'm gay? Yeah."

"Know that too,"

"I can play the guitar...and like I can sing okay,"

At this, Taehyung perches up. "WHOA REALLY?"

"Mhm...," Jeongguk nods. "Lemme think of a few more things, why don't you tell me about yourself?"

"Sure. I'm Kim Taehyung. I have a puppy named Yeontan and I'm missing him very much right now but it's okay. I love listening to music, haven't explored IU's songs much though. I love photography but unfortunately, no cameras are allowed, and nor is a music player."

"Are you giving me a list of complaints?" He laughs. "Well I can't do anything about Yeontan or cameras but," He reaches out to his pocket and takes out an mp3 player. "I have music right here."

My eyes light up. "Wait I thought devices weren't allowed-"

"This is fine. I know. Nobody tells you this. Even I didn't know! I spent my first four years in the military music deprived,"

"Whoa....let's play something, what songs do you have?"

"Umm...have you watched The Business Proposal?" He asks while fumbling around the buttons on the device.

"Yes of course! That's a classic."

He smiles and hands me one of the earbuds. They're wired so we move a bit closer to each other, and then, he plays Sweet by Lee Mujin. The world around me melts as I shut my eyes and rest my head on the pillar behind me. My hands are warm inside my coat pockets. Even though the music is playing only through one side, it's like honey to my ear.

I slowly open my eyes and catch Jeongguk looking at me. I turn towards him. The right side of his lip curls up into a grin and he takes out his earbud and puts it into my other ear. When he misses my ear, I take the earbud from his hands and help myself. His cold hand brushes my warm one for a second.

"Thank you," I say and he looks forward and rests his head on the wall too.

As the chorus of the song comes, all the things happening in the back of my mind turn into dust. At the moment, I'm not thinking about the next fifteen months in the military or recalling sad memories. It's just the song and me. And Jeongguk. Thanks to him, I'll at least have something worth remembering about this birthday.

Sometime later, Jeongguk gets up. Extending his arm forward, he looks at me. "It's snowing,"

My eyes widen and I join him. Small white snowflakes descend from the sky. The song ends and I take off the earbuds and hand them to Jeongguk. "Thank you so much! It felt so good after listening to music after so long,"

"No problem, hyung- Is it okay if I call you hyung?" His gaze softens

"Yeah like.." My boss wants to call me hyung? Uh okay? "How old are you?"

"I'm 24. You're 25 right?"

"Yeah...wait no- I turned 26, like half an hour ago-" Okay. That was unnecessary.

"Wait..." His eyes light up and he takes my hand, surprising me. "Happy birthday!" He wishes me, excitement wrapping around his words.

"Uh...thank you," He's the first one to wish me. My cheeks are slightly pink now. Cause of the cold. I tell myself. Snow falls from the sky and now, a white layer is beginning to form.

"And also, you can come and listen to music on my mp3 anytime you want,"

"Wait seriously? Oh my god! THANK YOU!!" I jump around in the snow like a very mature man while Jeongguk chuckles, watching me. After some playing around, we both agree to go back and sleep before the snow turns us into ice creams.