delinquent | jeon jungkook | ✔

Chapter 47

"Yah, Hyunjae?" Taehyung starts as we're walking home.

I look up at the boy that's walking next to me, his face softly illuminated by the streetlights as we walk past them. It's already late night and it's dark outside, as well as terribly cold.

Today, Tae proved that he had a lot more in store to cheer me up. Planning to take me away from school to go to Joon's wasn't his only idea. As soon as we finished our coffee, he basically dragged me out of the coffeeshop and took me to the local arcade. I thought that I wasn't in the mood for the arcade, but I found out that there is no such thing as 'not being in the mood for the arcade'. Of course, I started playing around for a bit half-heartedly. But I couldn't deny it for too long; it was fun and I could actually enjoy myself for a bit. After we were done playing, he took me out for dinner at a recently opened restaurant. The place was nice and Taehyung was talking a lot, obviously trying his best to get my mind off all the bad things. The bad things didn't leave my thoughts but he made me feel better. And then we went to see a movie, a really good one according to Tae. It was called Monster Slayer and it was typically something Taehyung would like. But I had a fun time watching it, too. My purple-haired friend really did his best today and I'm really glad to have a friend like him.

"What's up?" I reply, covering my mouth as I let out a yawn. Today was pretty exhausting, to say the least. Is it just me, or is watching a movie in the cinema really that tiring?

"I don't know if this is the right moment to tell this, but..." Taehyung pauses for a moment. "But I'm moving out of my parents' house within a few months."

My eyes widen at his statement and a sick feeling fills my stomach. "D-Don't tell me you're leaving, too," I stutter, a feeling of fear taking over me. I'm not ready for this.

Taehyung lets out a soft chuckle before he clasps his hand over his mouth, realizing that it isn't something to laugh about. "Pabo," he sighs, but I can tell that he is still smiling. "I would never leave you. I'm just buying an apartment near school, together with Jimin."

A feeling of relief washes over me but is soon replaced by confusion. "Jimin? Why?"

"Because it's too expensive to do on my own," Tae replies. "I guess we're both fed up with living at home? Plus, sharing an apartment with a friend is way more fun than living there on your own."

I nod in agreement and we continue our walk in silence. It would be cool, Taehyung having is own place. Then we can hang out at his place without his parents making a fuss about it.

"That's awesome, Tae," I comment after a while.

I honestly didn't think I would use that word anytime soon. But that's the magic of my best friend.

"I know, right?" Taehyung agrees, suddenly looking all too excited. "We can hold endless movie nights with loads of popcorn and nobody complains about the noise and then you can just sleepover and-"

"Woah, wait a second," I hastily interrupt him. "I can't sleep over, pabo," I tell the enthusiastic boy next to me. "You are a boy and I'm a girl. My parents would never allow me."

Taehyung snorts with laughter. "You have more testosterone than the average male, Hyunnie," he jokes, earning a harsh punch from me. That remark is just mean and it doesn't make any sense. I'm just as female as all the other females around.

The boy gives me a small pout, pretending that his arm hurts. Of course it doesn't. At least not much. I won't call myself exactly weak but my punches can't do much harm to Tae.

"Okay, that was a test," Taehyung laughs. "Calculated with the force behind your punch, you really are female."

"You suck at math, Kim Taehyung," I sigh, rolling my eyes at the behaviour of my friend. "You and I both know that."

"Wait, does my failed calculation mean that you aren't female?"

"Just stop it already!"

Taehyung's laugh echoes through the empty streets and for a small moment in this chaos, I feel at peace. A day like this, doing fun stuff in Seoul while skipping class. It was just like how it was before everything became a mess. Taehyung must've known that this would help me.

As soon as we reach my house, Taehyung stops and gently grabs my shoulders, earning my attention.

"Let's go to school again tomorrow," he says with a reassuring smile. "And if it doesn't work out, wel'll just leave. I don't know it my wallet can afford another day like this but it will be alright."

I nod, thankful for his words, for today, for everything. I don't know how often I already said this but I honestly think everyone deserves a friend like Taehyung. Even in the darkest times, times like this, he is there to make everything better.

"Thank you, Tae," I mutter. "You really made me feel better."

"I'm glad to hear that, Hyunnie," Taehyung replies, giving me his familiar rectangular smile. Then he sticks his hand in his pocket and takes out a red lollipop he won at the arcade today. He struggles to take off the plastic wrapping but as soon as he succeeds, he sticks the lollipop in his mouth with a satisfied look on his face. Then he winks at me and buries his hands in the pockets of his jeans, before turning around and walking away.

He really is something, that friend of mine.

I watch how Taehyung walks off in the distance for a while before I turn around and enter my house. Now that Tae is gone and I'm on my own again, all the negativity pours into my mind. The hole Jungkook left behind starts aching again and before I can stop myself, I'm thinking about everything that makes me feel miserable. I had fun today, that's for sure. But it's only temporarily. These are the real feelings. The pain can be hidden for a short while but it will always come back.

I quickly greet my parents before I head to my room. I can already feel it coming; the familiar feeling of tears stinging in my eyes, ready to roll down my cheeks. I want to be on my own when they fall.

Without bothering to turn the lights on, I dive into my bed and curl up under the soft blankets as the first tear leaves a wet trail on my cheek and eventually falls onto my pillow.

So this is how it's going to be from now on. The good feelings will never last long.

I miss you, Jungkook.