The Bucket List (Taekook)

Chapter Two

[edited]

There is absolutely no way this can be happening right.

Taehyung wants to crawl under the sheets as he feels Jungkook studying him. It's embarrassing enough to be around Jungkook on a normal day, but the last thing he wants is for his stupid crush to see him in the hospital.

"Hey, I know yo-" the younger starts to say.

"Nice to meet you," Tae quickly cuts him off.

Wow, his voice. Has it always been this deep?

Jungkook tilts his head and looks at him curiously. Partly because he doesn't understand why Taehyung is pretending not to know him and partly because he's kind of mesmerizing.

Other than the fact the dark circles and the slight thinness, Taehyung doesn't look like a hospital patient.

Wendy's pager goes off. She sighs. "I have to take this. Tae, you know what to do if you need anything. And boys, please behave."

Taehyung wants to beg her not to leave him alone with Jungkook, but she quickly.

Jungkook takes a seat in one of the chairs near the bed. Tae can't believe they're this close. If only he wasn't in a hospital gown with Jin's 3DS right now.

"Why did you just pretend like you don't know me?" Jungkook asks.

"Because I don't."

Jungkook laughs and it's a beautiful sound. His eyes squint so they're sharing the same smile as his mouth.

"We go to the same school. You're a year ahead of me. I see you all the time in the hallway. You're always taking pictures of everything. I've seen you at my basketball games with your camera."

Wow, Jungkook did really know him.

Taehyung sighs. "Look, I don't want anyone at school knowing about this."

The younger frowns. "What? Why?"

"No one knows that I'm...that I stay here sometimes. Not even my friends. So I need you to keep this between us."

"How come?" Tae tries to ignore the fact that the other looks adorable right now as he's focusing on him with curious eyes.

"Before I moved here a couple years ago, everyone at my old school knew. Even if they didn't mean to, they treated me differently. I got an automatic pity card. But I don't want that. I don't want be the sick kid. I just want people to see me for me."

Jungkook nods. "Fair enough." He pauses. "Why are you here anyways?"

The older groans. "That's just about the last question that someone staying at the hospital wants to be asked."

He nods thoughtfully. "Well, that's the second to last?"

"Are you contagious?"

For some reason that makes Jungkook laugh uncontrollably. He grips the arms of the chair as he continues to laugh. Soon Taehyung finds himself chuckling too at the younger's reaction.