Baseball (VHope)

Five

Our parents weren't home, so maybe that was why my brothers decided to interrogate Hoseok now. We sat side-by-side on the couch in the parlor while my older brothers stood across from us. Namjoon stood in his dress blues while Jin only had on something he usually would under his lab coat. They were dressed to intimidate, and nervousness radiated off of Hoseok.

"Jung Hoseok," Namjoon barked and we both flinched, "Me and Jin-hyung have heard a lot about you." Hoseok's face paled a little and I tilted my head in confusion. Jin nodded and cleared his throat. "Our baby brother is very close with us, like we are with him. He tells us everything. He had a rough start in life and deserves the world." I shrank in on myself in embarrassment as he grinned at me, then fixed his gaze on Hoseok. "And I don't like seeing him so upset. He's shed more tears than either one of us have in our entire lives combined and deserves happiness," Namjoon growled.

I sighed and quietly mumbled, "We aren't boyfriends, hyungs." But no one seemed to hear me. Hoseok nodded and licked his lips in nervousness. "If you don't mind, I'm really just hoping to be his friend for the time being." My brothers' harshness went soft, as did mine. "I know Taehyung's not really the most social person and that's okay. His silence is nice. And how I am at school," he looked to me and smiled slightly, but it was a nervous smile. "I'd hate to turn everyone's attention on him because I know he doesn't like it. He is already a little comfortable around me, and I want him to feel like he can be himself around me completely."

My brothers shared a look and my face turned pink. It was a tense, awkward silence for a minute, then Namjoon cleared his throat. "Well, Hoseok. You're a really respectable guy," he said and Jin nodded. "Tae, Mom and Dad went on a business trip. So, if you want to stay for a little while, Hoseok," his gaze fell on my friend, "You may stay for dinner." Hoseok turned to me and I shrugged. "Okay, I guess." Namjoon narrowed his eyes at me like he always did when he tried to read my moods. "You alright?"

Fuck. All of this was stressing me out. I shook my head a little and took a deep breath as I felt a hand in mine. Hoseok squeezed my hand and slowly pulled me into his arms. My brothers watched as I shut my eyes focused on Hoseok's steady breathing against my hair, my head resting on his shoulder. "You're good, pumpkin. I got you," he mumbled and I continued to take deep breaths. Jin patted my knee and Namjoon squeezed my shoulder before they both left to make dinner.

Once I was calm again, Hoseok gave me a smile as I lifted my head up. "Maybe I should just head home if you're not feeling so great," he said and I shook my head. "No, I'm alright. Just... Overwhelmed. I'd like it if you stayed for dinner." Please don't go. Please stay with me. Even with my brothers, I feel so alone. I don't want to be alone. "Alright. I'm staying." We stood together and I gestured out to the living room.

"Tae, wanna come help me cook? Namjoon is forbidden," Jin asked as we walked into the living room. I nodded and made my way to the kitchen. He was gathering ingredients for me as I washed my hands and grabbed a cutting board and a knife to cut vegetables with. "So, where did you and Hoseok go after school?" Jin asked me while he helped me deseed jalapenos. "Café. The one down the street. Coffee date, if you can even call it that because I had tea," I mumbled and he chuckled at my comment. "I'm glad you have him as your friend, TaeTae. He's a good boy. Mom and Dad will love him," he said and I sighed.

Mom and Dad. They haven't spoken kindly to me since Namjoon graduated. They have two successful sons and one that needs a psychiatrist and anti-depressants, as well as loves to cut himself. "They don't talk to me anymore, hyung. Always busy with work or gone on business trips. No time for the disappointment of the family."

Jin frowned and flipped the chicken in the pan. "Oh, Taehyungie. You're not a disappointment." I shook my head and chopped onions. "Later, hyung. Please," I croaked and I heard Jin sigh in defeat. "Always. You're trying and that's a big step for you. I'm proud of you," he said as he leaned over and kissed the top of my hair. It was one of his habits from when me and Namjoon were little. I really missed him and his displays of brotherly affection. Deep down, I wished he never got that job in China.

"Hey, Taehyung," Chanyeol beamed as he moved his bag so I could sit next to him in the stands. I gave him a small smile and opened my sketchbook back to the sketch of Hoseok's hands. It was nearly finished; it needed some more detailing and shading. The baseball team was going through the last bit of their warm-ups, the commanding tone in Hoseok's voice creating a nice background as I worked. Chanyeol watched me patiently as I finished the sketch. "This is really good. If you don't mind, who do they belong to?" he asked and my face heated up as I looked to the field, eyes locking with Hoseok's for a minute. The tall boy next to me hummed and a knowing grin flashed across his face. "Hoseok's, huh? Are they nice to hold?" he asked and he sounded very sincere, something I wasn't used to from anyone.

I looked down at my drawing with a small grin on my face. Chanyeol hummed and nudged my shoulder as he wiggled his eyebrows at me. I lifted my eyes to his as he rested his hand on my arm for a second. "He will take care of you. It doesn't matter if he sees you as just a friend or not; he will take care of you. He's sweet like that." That was the thing about Park Chanyeol, that made him so popular. He understood everyone and had this unbothered aura that calmed anyone around him. No wonder Baekhyun loved him so much. I gave him a big boxy smile; the genuine smile only my brothers and Hoseok and Jimin have ever seen.

"Thanks, Chanyeol. Really," I mumbled and we both went back to watching the team in a comfortable silence. Baekhyun waved at us from his spot on the pitcher's mound and Chanyeol sent him a finger-heart.

"Hey, pumpkin." I nearly screamed when Hoseok squeezed my shoulders and whispered in my ear playfully. He laughed as I glared at him over my shoulder, but I couldn't stay mad at him. "Come on. Let's go bat," he said as he nodded his head towards the batting cages, then he pouted at Chanyeol. "Baekhyun wants you to stop cheating on Taehyungie over here," he said and Chanyeol rolled his eyes as I gathered my things and stood up. "I don't know, Hoseok! Tae talks a whole lot less than my baby does and I kinda like it! Plus, he's got a nice ass!" he drawled as we walked away and my face turned red in embarrassment.

We sat in Hoseok's truck for a while in my driveway. We went to Wendy's after practice and he judged me harshly as I dipped my fries in my vanilla Frosty until I made him try it. But now, I looked down at my lap as Hoseok held my hand, tracing the back of it with his thumb. "This is nice," he said after a while. I sighed a happy sigh before I sent him a sideways grin when I felt his eyes on me. That big heart-shaped smile seemed to brighten the cab and my heart raced in my chest. "What?" I mumbled and he sighed as he shrugged. "Just you watching me during practices, driving you home... It's nice." I smiled to myself, then looked to him. "Yeah, I like it," I agreed, allowing him to squeeze my hand as he paused for a second.

"Taehyung, I just want to thank you." I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and tilted my head. "For what?" He took a deep breath and ran his free hand through his hair. "For being my friend," he breathed out and I smiled a little. "I should be the one thanking you. People don't like me even though I'm simply existing and staying out of the way. I don't like people very much anyways, but still," I chuckled and he laughed with me. But once our laughter died down, he reached across the seat and placed a gentle kiss onto my temple, keeping his hand on the back of my head as he did so.

I'm so fucking lucky, I thought as he pulled away with a smile. "Have a good night, pumpkin," he drawled as I got out of his truck and all but sprinted into my house. Not lucky. No. Because he doesn't know the real you. He doesn't know the real depressed kid that he just kissed. No one does.