But Beautiful

part 27

After playing a few games and pouting as he remained empty-handed, Taehyung wrote:

These games are rigged!

Jungkook burst into laughter, petting through Taehyung’s hair as the patient just scowled. “You’re right, they are to an extent,” he agreed, quieting down as Taehyung stood from the chair. He stretched a bit, a hum in his throat at the feeling before he pointed to the stuffed animal he had wanted from the bottle ring toss game he failed to win.

“I’ll give it a shot,” Jungkook said, the patient nodding firmly as he stood right beside him at the table, glaring at the bottles as if they had offended him.

It took two shots before Jungkook finally landed one, a proud grin on his face as immediately after he landed three more. The booth attendant looked surprised, congratulating him as he retrieved the stuffed toy for him. Jungkook handed it to Taehyung, seeing his eyes soften and smile grow as he took it into his arms, hugging it against himself. The brown bear with a red scarf looked cute sitting in the wheelchair as they began walking again, Taehyung distractedly sitting him upright any time he slumped over as they continued. He is too precious, Jungkook thought, insides turning to mush as he watched Taehyung.

“How about we stop for something to eat?” Jungkook offered, Taehyung nodding immediately with a hand to his stomach. “What sounds good to you?”

After a short while perusing the offerings, Taehyung decided on getting steamed buns from an Asian fusion stand. While they sat at a picnic table eating, the patient started writing in his notebook. When finished, he turned the book and slid it to Jungkook, focusing on his food once again.

I’m having a lot of fun, Jungkookie! Thank you for bringing me. Is there a place we can stop that’s more private? I’m starting to get a little overwhelmed…

Jungkook nodded, looking at the man across from him. “It’s starting to get very crowded, I know. Do you want to leave?”

Taehyung shook his head, taking the book back to add:

I don’t want to go back yet. I just want to go somewhere else.

Jungkook hummed, looking thoughtful. He didn’t know where to take Taehyung as the other options were either too strenuous or needed to be planned in advance. Instead, he smiled as he considered another possibility.

“Would you like to go on a hay ride? There’s a place just outside of the city where they do them and drop you off at a barn to get cider and donuts,” the resident began, heart thumping wildly as Taehyung’s eyes – and smile – grew. “Let’s do that, then,” he decided, coming to a stand with the patient and throwing their trash in a bin. Taehyung walked the entire way back to the car, nearly collapsing when the door was opened for him to get in. “We could have stopped, you could have taken a seat at any time,” Jungkook reminded him, worried. “I don’t want you to push yourself.”

Taehyung grabbed his book, lips turned down into a frown as he wrote:

But where would he sit?

Jungkook looked confused for a moment before Taehyung grabbed the bear from the seat, laughing in surprise as Taehyung held the bear against himelf.

“Ohl,” Jungkook said, folding the wheelchair and putting it into the back of his car. “You could have held him in your lap,” he continued, getting into the car and starting towards their destination. “It’s more important that you have a seat than he does.”

Taehyung huffed, holding the bear closer as he rest his nose in its head. At this, Jungkook smiled, the patient – no, the man – always finding something to pout about. When he thought about it, he realized he hadn’t actually seen Taehyung as a patient in a while; the term becoming awkwardly impersonal the closer they got.