Taehyung, an orphan and mischievous young boy, fell in love at first sight with Jeon Jeongguk, promising that one day he would marry him.
Years later, Taehyung enrolls at Seoul National University, where his life intertwines with Jeongguk, a literat...
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╭┈─────── ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ- │ ✧
Jungkook never thought he would smoke, but here he was-sitting on a cold rock at base camp, puffing out smoke from the ninth cigarette of his life. It was a ritual now, something he did before every expedition, a quiet moment before the storm of adrenaline and effort that awaited him.
The mountains had become his sanctuary, each summit a balm for the wounds that time couldn't heal. His fingers brushed against the crinkled pack of cigarettes.
Nine cigarettes, nine summits.
It had all started two years ago, when the world beneath him had become too heavy to bear. The confusion, the longing-his feelings, had overwhelmed him in ways he couldn't control. The boy with blue eyes had never been his to have, a forbidden fruit he could only admire from afar. So, Jungkook had turned to the mountains, hoping that their cold, harsh faces would dull the ache in his heart.
His first expedition had been Grand Teton. Standing atop that peak, the world spread out beneath him, Jungkook had felt something he hadn't in a long time-clarity. The mountain had been his escape, a place where his thoughts could settle, and for a brief moment, the weight of his unspoken feelings had lifted. But it didn't last.
So he climbed again. Piz Badile came next, its rugged granite walls demanding his full attention. The rock under his hands, the wind in his hair-it had all been a distraction, something to keep him grounded. And yet, even as he reached the summit, even as he looked out over the endless horizon, the boy with the blue eyes remained in his thoughts.
The climbs became his salvation. He moved from Ama Dablam, where the thin ridges tested his patience and resolve, to the iconic slopes of Mont Blanc. Each peak offered its own set of challenges, but none was harder than the one he carried inside him-the love for his brother's love that he could never express.
Then came Aconcagua, the tallest peak in South America. The altitude had nearly defeated him, each breath a battle against the thin air. But Jungkook wasn't one to give in. He had made it to the summit, standing atop the highest point of the continent, but even that victory had felt hollow. The mountain wasn't the hardest thing to climb-Taehyung was.
The Matterhorn had been a different kind of test. Its sharp ridges, its exposed faces-each step required precision, a single misstep could have sent him plummeting. It was there, on that jagged ridge, that Jungkook had begun to understand something. No matter how many mountains he conquered, no matter how many summits he reached, the pain inside him wasn't something he could leave behind. The mountains were merely a temporary distraction.
But he climbed on. Aiguille du Midi and Piz Badile followed, each one another chapter in his journey, another step in trying to outrun his emotions.
Then, there was Everest. The tallest mountain in the world, the one every climber dreamed of. Jungkook had reached its summit after two long months of preparation, acclimatization, and struggle. The wind had howled at the top, his lungs burning as he gazed out at the vast expanse below. The feeling should have been triumphant-he had reached the peak of the world. But instead, all he felt was the familiar ache in his chest. The boy with the blue eyes still lingered in his mind.
