134340 |JJK FF|

Chapter 26

Transferring Taehyung to the infirmary was harder than he thought.

Jeongguk had found Taehyung still snoring away in his bed. All the humans had piled up in one single bunk bed, farthest away from Taehyung. So they knew about the risks of being with him, then.

Jeongguk had initially tried to lift him, thinking that being at the poisonous sea would make it easier. But his still bruised arms gave up under his weight and he fell back into the bed. The movement caused him to jerk awake.

"What...?"

"Hyung." Jeongguk tried to keep his voice upbeat, failing miserably, "Come on, I've got a new room for you,"

Taehyung squinted, "What?"

"A new room to sleep in." Jeongguk repeated, "Come on. I heard the bed is really comfy,"

"I'm not some kid, Jeongguk." Taehyung said quite clearly, "Did you wake me up for this?"

"I wasn't planning on waking you up," he said quickly, "I thought I'd just take you--"

"Why take me there?"

Jeongguk blanched as Taehyung suddenly looked fierce. "Are you taking me to the infirmary?"

Jeongguk was silent for a moment before uttering, "You'd feel better there than you feel here,"

"Why's that?" he fired back, "I can't feel better here?!"

The other bed rustled, creaking as the sleeping figures moved in their sleep. Jeongguk didn't want them to wake up to witness this. He wasn't sure he was ready to face the humans after he argued with the other.

"Why would you take me away from here? Away from the others...into a lone bed...alone..."

"Listen--"

But Taehyung didn't seem to be listening anymore. His eyes widened as he suddenly gasped, "Oh, I get it!"

"Got what?" Jeongguk asked tiredly.

"You're scared I will hurt you and the others." his voice was quiet, "You're trying to keep me away,"

The tiredness was sucked out of Jeongguk, "I- no! I mean, I thought--"

There was another creak from the humans' bed and then all four heads popped up from the sheets. One certain human's eyes bore into his back, but he couldn't look, refused to look.

"Nope." Taehyung looked quite certain, "Nope, nope, nope! I know I'm right," he smiled quite proudly.

"Hyung." Jeongguk murmured, running a shaky hand through his hair, "Stop talking like that,"

"No. It's okay..." Taehyung murmured, "They did that with Grandma too,"

Jeongguk felt the colour drain from his face. He opened his mouth but could not find words to voice. How could anyone reply to something like that? Placing his palm over Taehyung's back, he tried to guide him off the bed.

"You want me out," Taehyung said in a weirdly sing-song voice, succeeding in spooking the other as he tried to heave him off.

"H-hyung." Jeongguk tried speaking with his sternest voice, "Come with me," he placed his hand on the other's forearm, pulling.

"Hey!" Taehyung suddenly shrieked like his touch burned him, "Hey! Don't touch me!"

Jeongguk jerked back his hands, startled by the sheer vehement behind Taehyung's voice. His widened eyes fell on Taehyung's hooded ones. The farther bed creaked as the humans exchanged eyes and murmured.

"Enough," Jeongguk muttered to himself, clasping both arms around the other's shoulders and pulling. Taehyung staggered on his feet unsteadily.

"Nope, nope, nope, nope!" Taehyung mumbled, "Can't take me anywhere,"