High School Love

Chapter 8

Jungkook was sitting in the school's art room confused on what to draw. The walls were adorned with a riot of colors from past students' projects, each stroke telling a story, but his canvas remained eerily white. His pencil hovered over the paper, unsure of where to begin. He looked around at the familiar faces, his new friends now scattered around the room, each lost in their own creative endeavors.

A soft nudge against his leg brought Jungkook back to reality. He looked up to find Taehyung smiling at him, a gentle tease in his eyes. "What's up, Picasso?" he whispered, his voice low enough to carry only to Jungkook's ears. Jungkook couldn't help but return the smile, his cheeks heating up. He had never had someone tease him like this before, and it was strangely endearing.

"Just trying to decide," Jungkook murmured, his gaze drifting back to the blank page.

Taehyung leaned closer, peering at the canvas. "Why don't you draw me?" he suggested, his tone light and teasing. "Your drawing will be the most perfect one ever."

Jungkook rolled his eyes, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards despite his effort to hide his amusement. "Sure, why don't you ask one of your fangirls to do it, Mr. Popular?" he quipped, raising an eyebrow.

But Taehyung wasn't deterred. He moved in closer, his breath warm against Jungkook's ear. "Because this popular boy wants to be drawn by the most perfect hand ever," he whispered, his voice low and playful. Jungkook felt a shiver run down his spine, and for a moment, he was lost in the sea of Taehyung's deep brown eyes.

He cleared his throat, trying to shake off the sudden jolt of nerves. "Fine," he said, feigning indifference as he picked up his pencil. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

As Jungkook began to sketch, he found himself focusing on the little details that made Taehyung so... Taehyung. The way his hair fell in messy waves, the tilt of his head when he was lost in thought, and the slight dimple that appeared when he smirked. He felt a strange sense of intimacy as he captured Taehyung's likeness on the page, his hand moving almost on its own accord.

Taehyung took a seat beside him, watching Jungkook work with a silent fascination. His eyes never left the paper, as if he could somehow absorb the artist's talent through osmosis. Jungkook tried to ignore the heat of his gaze, but it was like trying to ignore the sun on a hot summer day—impossible.

"What are you thinking about?" Taehyung asked, breaking the silence.

Jungkook's hand stilled for a moment before he replied, "Just trying to get your nose right."

Taehyung's laughter filled the room, and Jungkook couldn't help but smile in response. It was moments like these that made him realize just how much his life had changed in such a short amount of time. He had friends now, friends who cared about him, who knew him, and who made him feel seen. And as he continued to sketch, his heart swelled with a warmth that had nothing to do with the sun shining through the windows of the art room.

When Jungkook finally set his pencil down, the portrait before him was far from perfect. But in its imperfections, it was real. It was Taehyung—his cheeky smile, his mischievous glint, his heart laid bare. He held it out for Taehyung to see, feeling a mix of pride and vulnerability.

Taehyung took the drawing, his eyes scanning the page with a soft smile. "This is..." He trailed off, at a loss for words. "This is incredible, Jungkook."

The sincerity in his voice made Jungkook's heart flutter. He had never shared his art with anyone outside his family, not since the cruel comments from his former classmates had silenced his creativity. But here, with Taehyung, it felt right. It felt like he had found a kindred spirit, someone who understood the power of a simple line on a page.