LOST STARS

Chapter 25.

The next thing Taehyung knew – it was late evening and he was at the Gwangju railway station with Jungkook. Taehyung knew he had to go far away from this side of Korea, very far.

Everything and everyone was engulfed by the darkness of the night. Jungkook and Taehyung were exhausted from their seven-hour train journey. The station was Seoul. There were two or three reasons why Taehyung purchased the ticket to Seoul. First of all, the town was busy, which served as a nice cover. Secondly, there would be ample options for employment due to the town's size. Taehyung's shirt around his waist still held them together. But the sheer quantity of people on Seoul's highways was more than they could have ever dreamed of or anticipated. In all directions, hundreds of people passed them by. In response, Taehyung reached back and clasped hands with Jungkook. Surprisingly, Jungkook didn't hesitate for long before pressing his palm up against Taehyung's and tightening the grip.

Jungkook also chose to close the distance between them to only a few inches, his eyes wide at the onslaught of new stimuli. But the second his hand slipped into Taehyung's, the latter could feel the switch from frantic to calmness in his movements. A small involuntary smile played at the corner of Taehyung's lips. With a cacophony of city sounds like loud laughter, car horns, and even some sharp neon nights, they tucked themselves into a corner on the pavement outside the railway station. It was a shop that was closed now, and the perimeter of the shop was clean and lit up. Lying on the floor, they shared the blanket Taehyung had carried in his bag. Taehyung stared at the starry sky, his mind racing with plans and some worries. He brought Jungkook with him, but could he care for him? Would he be able to provide for Jungkook?

Jungkook, however, slept immediately, his breath soft and even. Taehyung couldn't stop smiling at the calmness and steadiness of his breaths, and that sound somehow anchored him. "I will figure something out, I'm sure," he said, making a silent vow.

Before anyone realised it was a couple of years into Seoul life. The structure that Taehyung and Jungkook called home had its own rhythm. Most of the chores were done by Taehyung, but Jungkook also helped a lot. There were times like this one where Taehyung's mind would play images from the past—some made him shudder and some made him smile - like this one, he was smiling.

Jungkook was standing in front of the mirror, swaying side to side, and holding the pendant of his necklace. A pendant, that was in fact, a ring.

When they came to Seoul and Taehyung was just starting up a shop in the busy Seoul street, he made a few friends. Of course that wasn't a surprise - making friends was second nature for Taehyung. One of those friends was getting married and he had invited Taehyung and Jungkook to attend.

It had taken some days for Taehyung to convince Jungkook to come with him. Jungkook used to loathe people and noises. However, with Taehyung around he didn't hate it as much.

"No leaving Jungkook's hand," Jungkook demanded as a last signoff promise from Taehyung. And Taehyung smiled while reading those lips. He used to love when Jungkook spoke about himself as a third person and he wished someday Jungkook would come to know how much he loved it.

Taehyung kept his promise throughout the wedding. He didn't leave Jungkook's hand. Not even when Jungkook wanted to go right upfront to see the celebration and not even when Jungkook wanted to touch the rings the couple was flaunting proudly.

When dinner was served, Jungkook kept gesturing about those rings and asking Taehyung what they were. How was Taehyung supposed to explain promise rings to Jungkook? So after Jungkook pestered a little more, Taehyung approached an old lady, sitting there smiling at the celebrations and requested her to explain to Jungkook. It was a kind of sign to show commitment at the end of the first 100 days of dating. Jungkook looked confused at the word. The helmoni smiled and said - when two people find each other, and know they will always stay together, they celebrate 100 days of dating by giving each other a ring to wear. Immediately, Jungkook turned to Taehyung, "How many days. Since the van?"" Taehyung smiled as Jungkook tightened his grip holding Taehyung's hand.