Reaching Out | ʜᴏᴘᴇᴋᴏᴏᴋ

11: Useful

"Don't tease me."

I chuckled out, rolling my eyes with a smile at his nonsense. He laughed softly and closed his eyes.

Hoseok was smiling brightly, his lips curved and his cheeks forming dimples that should only be illegal. There wasn't a scratch or imperfection upon his glossy skin and his-

"Hey kid, Close your mouth before you start to drool all over me."

"Sorry.."

I'm an idiot..! I shouldn't have been staring so mindlessly.
After a few more silent moments, Hoseok gets up and stretches his back.

"I'd better get home... the kids will start to wonder where I'm at."

Upon mentioning Jimin and Taehyung I can't help but wonder why they've been acting so distant lately. Taehyung has always seen me as a threat to their perfect house, but Jimin would make up for his lacking of friendship with his own loving nature.

"I'll walk you."

Before he could refuse, I hop down the steps. I need to talk to them, whether they want to see me or not.

"I'll be back Hyung, I'm gonna walk Hoseok home and then I'll pick up some things from the ice house."

Seokjin nods. "Oh, can you buy me some chips? We're out again."

I smile and nod, taking small bills from his wallet and walking out to meet Hoseok.

"I don't need a chaperone- It's just a block or two away from this place."

He mumbles, becoming grumpy from the night's damp weather.

________________

Hoseok started talking about school again as we walked down the dead streets; speaking in a tone so full of life. The mixture of the two didn't feel good.

"I could have been an English Professor like my father y'know, standing in front of hundreds of noisy college kids. I'd be an authority figure."

I listen to him talk and talk, but the words don't stick to my mind. All I can think about is his dorm getting closer and closer.

I don't want the night to end.

"What do you want to be?"

He suddenly asks me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"I want to be useful."