Book Of Tease

Late Night Walk

The sun was beginning to set as Taehyung and Jungkook strolled out of the mall, their bags swinging in their hands. The evening air was cooler now, a gentle breeze sweeping through the quieting streets, and the sky was painted with shades of pink and orange. They walked side by side, their earlier banter slowly fading into a comfortable silence.

Taehyung glanced over at Jungkook, who was looking out at the sky, his expression thoughtful. He found himself wondering what was going through Jungkook's mind, especially after all the teasing and compliments throughout the day.

Jungkook caught Taehyung's gaze and smiled softly, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. "You know, Taehyung, you've been acting different today."

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, trying to keep his composure. "What do you mean?"

Jungkook shrugged casually, shifting the bags in his hand. "I don't know. It's like... you seem more open, more willing to banter back. I like it." He glanced at Taehyung with a smirk. "But you're still as flustered as ever."

Taehyung rolled his eyes, but a small smile tugged at his lips despite himself. "Well, maybe if you stopped teasing me every five minutes, I wouldn't have to be so flustered."

"Where's the fun in that?" Jungkook teased, his voice dropping to that low, rich tone that always sent a shiver down Taehyung's spine. He turned to face Taehyung fully, walking backwards as he watched the way the dimming sunlight caught in Taehyung's features. "You're pretty when you're flustered, you know that?"

Taehyung's steps faltered for a moment, his cheeks heating up at the compliment. He tried to brush it off with a scoff. "You keep saying things like that, but you're probably just messing with me."

Jungkook's smile softened, and he took a step closer, closing the distance between them. His voice was quieter now, more sincere. "I'm not messing with you, Taehyung. I really mean it. You're... beautiful."

The word hung between them, carried by the breeze, and Taehyung found himself struggling to process the warmth spreading through his chest. He met Jungkook's gaze, searching for any hint of a joke, but found only sincerity in the younger man's eyes.

"Jungkook..." Taehyung started, but he didn't know what to say. He felt vulnerable under the weight of Jungkook's gaze, and he quickly looked away, focusing on the path in front of him.

Jungkook chuckled softly, taking in the way Taehyung's cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink, almost matching the sunset. He reached out and gently tugged on Taehyung's sleeve, guiding him to a stop near a small bench by the sidewalk. "Hey, don't hide from me. I like seeing your reactions."

Taehyung glanced back at him, his expression caught somewhere between irritation and bashfulness. "Why do you keep doing this, Jungkook? Why do you keep saying those things?"

Jungkook leaned closer, a playful glint in his eyes. "Because I like you, Taehyung. I like seeing every reaction I can get from you-whether you're flustered, annoyed, or even when you try to act all tough and cold. It's like... each reaction shows a different side of you, and I want to see them all."

Taehyung's breath hitched, his mind reeling from Jungkook's straightforwardness. "You can't just say things like that out of nowhere," he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jungkook tilted his head, his grin widening as he leaned even closer, his face inches away from Taehyung's. "Why not? It's the truth. I mean, have you seen yourself? You're stunning, Taehyung. And it's not just your looks-it's the way you carry yourself, the way you get shy even when you're trying to act tough... it's everything."

Taehyung swallowed, feeling the heat rush through him at the intensity in Jungkook's voice. He tried to keep his composure, but his lips parted in surprise at how genuine Jungkook sounded. No one had ever spoken to him like that, not with such blunt honesty and admiration.

"You're... you're just saying that because you like to see me flustered," Taehyung muttered, but there was no real bite to his words.

Jungkook chuckled, but his gaze never wavered. "Maybe a little. But that doesn't make it any less true. I like seeing you, Taehyung-every side of you. So if I have to tease you a bit to get you to show them, then I don't mind."

Taehyung's heart thudded loudly in his chest, and he found himself at a loss for words. The sunset painted warm colors across Jungkook's face, highlighting the sincerity in his expression, and for a moment, Taehyung wondered if he was dreaming.

Jungkook reached out, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind Taehyung's ear. His touch lingered for a second longer, his fingers grazing Taehyung's jaw before pulling back. "You don't have to say anything, you know. Just... think about it."

Taehyung's lips parted, but all he could manage was a small nod, his mind swirling with thoughts he couldn't quite untangle. They stood there for a moment longer, the world around them fading into the background, until Jungkook finally took a step back with a playful grin.

"Come on, let's get you home. I wouldn't want to keep your family waiting," Jungkook said, his tone lightening as he swung the shopping bags back over his shoulder.

Taehyung followed him, still feeling the warmth of Jungkook's words settling into his chest. And as they continued their walk home, he couldn't help but steal glances at the boy beside him, wondering if maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something he hadn't realized he wanted.