Beyond The Friend Zone [Taekook]

Under the Moonlight (16)

Taehyung entered the tent, his hair still slightly damp, with droplets of water trailing down his neck and disappearing beneath his collar. His face was so dark with frustration that anyone could sense his sour mood from a mile away.

"Oh, you're back!" Jungkook greeted cheerfully, the very cause of Taehyung's troubles. He scooted to the side, making space for Taehyung to settle. Jungkook had his bandages freshly wrapped, though the stern scolding from Mr. Kim still lingered in his ears. "What took you so long? Did you end up needing my help after all?"

Taehyung didn’t respond. He simply frowned and ignored Jungkook, meticulously placing his shower supplies next to his bag with deliberate care, as if trying to ground himself in the mundane task. Without another word, he moved to the empty side of the tent, lying down in silence, his back turned to Jungkook.

Jungkook watched him with mild curiosity before inching closer, refusing to let the night end in such a mundane way. "You're going to sleep already?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "It's just after eight! It’s not even nine yet!"

"I'm tired," Taehyung replied tersely, his voice flat. He pulled his blanket up and turned further away, facing the wall of the tent. "Goodnight."

Jungkook wasn’t one to be dismissed so easily. With a playful grin, he tossed aside the stuffed Shadow he’d been holding and tugged on Taehyung's shoulder, determined to engage him. "No goodnight!" he insisted, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "It’s such a waste to sleep so early! We’re at a camp, in the middle of the forest! Let's go out and explore! Maybe we can encounter some ghosts or dragons—"

"Ghosts doesn't exist!" Taehyung snapped, his voice unintentionally rising. His frustration was evident, and he immediately regretted his outburst. The tips of his ears flushed red with embarrassment as he quickly looked away. "I mean... it's late. Time to sleep."

Jungkook's eyes widened in realization as a sly smile spread across his face. Taehyung was afraid of ghosts. He bit back a laugh, leaning in closer, his voice dropping to a low, eerie whisper. "Ghosts... that’s right, there are definitely ghosts in this forest," he murmured, his tone dark and mysterious. "Who knows how many people have died out here? Maybe a ghost is already inside someone’s tent, watching them as they sleep..."

Taehyung’s heart pounded in his chest, the fatigue from the day rapidly evaporating as his anxiety took hold. He tried to convince himself that Jungkook was just teasing, but the image of a ghostly figure lurking in the shadows was too vivid to ignore. Jungkook, sensing Taehyung's growing unease, struggled to keep a straight face as he got up and casually limped toward the tent’s entrance.

"Where are you going?" Taehyung's voice trembled slightly, betraying the fear he tried to hide.

Jungkook could no longer contain his amusement. A playful smile broke across his face as he glanced back at Taehyung. "I’m going to look at the stars. You can sleep in peace now," he teased, his tone light and carefree.

But Taehyung was having none of it. He scrambled to his feet, quickly following Jungkook out of the tent. "I’m suddenly not sleepy anymore..." he mumbled, clearly rattled.

Jungkook burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the quiet campsite. He wiped away a tear as he doubled over, his sides aching from the sheer joy of Taehyung’s reaction. "Taehyung, I didn’t expect you to be so afraid of ghosts!"

Taehyung frowned, trying to maintain his composure despite the embarrassment flaming in his cheeks. "I'm not afraid of ghosts. They’re not real," he said, though his voice lacked conviction.

Jungkook grinned, leaning in closer to Taehyung. "So, you’re afraid of something that’s not real? That's even more funny!" he teased, earning a glare from Taehyung. "No need to be scared of ghosts. I’ll protect you from them!"