THE SUN AND HIS STARS ✓

04.

Hoseok was up the next morning before the sun had risen. He woke up early every time he had one of those nightmares, the ones plagued with the screams of the people as the world ended, because the sun didn't rise, because he had failed.

As darkness fell over the earth, the screams faded away. Taehyung stood in front of Hoseok, face emotionless as his eyes clouded over, and rain poured down on the both of them.

"Why? Why didn't you do more?"

Now, that was what Hoseok saw when he looked at Taehyung.

As he walked to school, the sun out and mocking him, Taehyung caught up with him.

Why?

"Hey, Hoseok hyung!"

Why didn't you do more?

Hoseok realized that he had to greet Taehyung back.

"Hi."

"Guess what today is?"

"Tuesday."

Taehyung smiled widely. "It's Jungkookie's birthday! He's turning 16! We're holding a little party for him, wanna come?"

Hoseok frowned. Why would he be invited?

"Jungkook sorta considers you a friend already, so..." Taehyung trailed off. "But if you don't wanna come, that's totally okay—"

"Okay."

Taehyung's face lit up. "Really, hyung? You'll come?"

"Yes."

Taehyung grinned from ear to ear.

(And all Hoseok could see was that innocent smile fading away when one godforsaken day, the sun didn't rise. The rain didn't stop, it never stopped.)

"Thanks, hyung!"

Hoseok nodded and continued walking, as Taehyung talked his head off next to him.

What was Hoseok doing? He wasn't supposed to get attached, he wasn't supposed to go to birthday parties. He was supposed to take happiness and leave.

But these boys... there was something about them that made Hoseok want to stay.

-

Hoseok's eyes, Taehyung decided, were not brown.

If you'd ask anyone else, they'd say brown. And Hoseok's eyes were brown.

Not the brown of hot chocolate, or the brown of the earth's soil, or the brown that reminded you of the smell of old book pages and crackling fires.

They were dull. So dull that they simply couldn't be brown. They never lit up like the stars in the night sky, they never reflected the light of the sun.

They were simply there, dull, existing, being, and Taehyung wanted to know why.

If they were brown, they'd remind Taehyung of brown. But they reminded Taehyung of grey.

Taehyung rested his head on his palm and turned sideways in his seat to look at Hoseok, who was writing his History notes. The teacher had left to the printing room. Their classmates were talking animatedly amongst themselves.

"What, Taehyung?"

Taehyung blinked and frowned at Hoseok, who was now looking up and staring at him with those dull eyes.

"Huh?" Taehyung asked.

"You've been staring."

"Oh, sorry," Taehyung mumbled. "Just... what color are your eyes?"