jaeyong ✧ skindeep

Twelve

Taeyong awoke to the feeling of his insides being twisted, more specifically, the laxatives side effect. His eyes tightly shut in pain before opening them and realizing he was on Jaehyun's bed. His arm pressed against his stomach securely and walked to the bathroom with a slouch.

~~~~

"So, how was it?" Doyoung questioned his close friend, both leaning against the lockers.

"It was fine," he paused mid-sentence to return a wave to a girl who had just passed them,"He adjusted within a few hours though which was surprising."

Doyoung crossed his arms over his chest,"I don't doubt it. Anything must be more enjoyable to him then staying in that house."

"We're going clothes shopping for him after school, if you wanna come." Jaehyun ran his fingers through his hair.

"What are you? A pair of pre-teen girls? Of course I'm coming along with. Anyways did you find one yet?"

"Yeah, you told everyone what time and date, right?"

Doyoung pressed down on the side of his phone,"Yeah, yeah, I did. Oh, are you guys gonna report the father?"

Jaehyun leaned his head back against the lockers,"I forgot. I haven't asked Taeyong yet."

"Dude, just do it. Even if Taeyong wants his dad in jail or not, it doesn't change the fact that he's a criminal."

"I just don't want Taeyong to hate me."

"Why would he hate you for getting rid of the man that made his life Hell?"

~~~~

"Uh, Taeyong, where are you going?" Jaehyun shouted at the older who was walking to the other direction.

"Home."

"You live with me now I- You already forgot?"

Taeyong awkwardly laughed at himself, his palm resting against his forehead,"Oh."

Doyoung threw his backpack in the back of Jaehyun's car,"Jaehyun, you're smiling like an idiot at Taeyong."

Jaehyun slapped his hand over his mouth, side-eyeing Doyoung in the process.

~~~~

A half hour car drive and the three had arrived at a neighbouring mall. Discarding their backpacks in the car, the trio left Jaehyun's car and walked to the entrance.

Met the cold breeze of the air conditioner and escape from the summer heat, Taeyong let out a sigh of relaxation.

Jaehyun shoved his phone in his back pocket,"Taeyong, where do you want to go first?"

Taeyong placed at the directory across from them,"Aren't all these places a little expensive?"

"Depends." Jaehyun espied the raven's uncomfortable expression. He daintily exhaled and started,"Taeyong, don't worry about spending a lot. I didn't wa- say we should come to worry about money."

Taeyong nodded in what seemed a hesitant manner before Doyoung grabbed both boys by their sleeves and dragged them along the first floor,"You guys are taking too long."

~~~~

"Your total comes up to $318.21." The women behind the register said while placing the shopping bags on the glass counter.

Taeyong exchanged a glance with Jaehyun, the younger understanding what it meant and assuring Taeyong it was fine.

Jaehyun gave the women his debit card, while waiting passed the bags to Taeyong and receiving the blue card back along with the receipt.

"Have a good day," the women said while passing Jaehyun the receipt and both boys walking away.

Jaehyun returned the favour, Taeyong forgetting to as he snatched the receipt from Jaehyun's hands and reading downwards,"Where's Doyoung?"

Jaehyun slipped the paper out from Taeyong's fingers,"He's a compulsive shopper, it'll take a while. He'll find us eventually. Anyways, where do you wanna go next?"

"But you just spent-"

"Shhh, just answer the question."

~~~~

Jaehyun leaned against the car door, his feet on the dashboard and hand resting on the door. Taeyong quietly sat beside him, one of his earbuds in and watching outside the window.
Jaehyun sharply exhaled as he checked the time on the radio of the car. He grabbed his phone from the center of the car and dialed a number.

"Doyoung, where are you? Me and Taeyong have been sitting out in this heat 'cause you said you'd be done quickly."

Taeyong silently watched as what seemed like a common situation unfolded.

Jaehyun shut his eyes while leaning back against his seat,"Looks like you're taking the bus home then. What? Then be here in like five minutes."

Surely those five minutes passed only after Taeyong broke into a small giggle at the two's conversation. Surprisingly, Doyoung came out on time, a overbearing amount of shopping bags hung off his arms.

"I didn't buy that much, it only looks that way because I went to a lot of places."

Jaehyun sunk his head below the edge of the steering wheel and sighed,"Just get in the car."

~~~~

The extensive day of shopping was finally brought to an end as Jaehyun dropped Doyoung off at his house and drove both him and Taeyong back to his.

The pair spent very little time unloading the trunk and getting into the house. Jaehyun set the bags down at the edge of the kitchen island and stretching his arms behind his shoulders. He didn't pay attention to much else until a familiar silvery voice began,"Um, thank you for today."

The latter's voice sounded almost hesitant and the least bit wobbly, nevertheless, Jaehyun softly grinned at him and simply replied with a carefree tone,"It was nothing."

Taeyong rubbed the nape of his neck, choppily and awkwardly laughing, his eyes uncomfortably shut in the process,"Uh, I'll just go take a quick shower then," before he scrambled upstairs.

Jaehyun's cheeky expression slowly began to dissipate as Taeyong climbed up the stairs. He pulled out his phone and speedily checked his e-mails, flooded with spam he didn't have much time or care to delete.

His sucked on his teeth while reading a specific starred e-mail he'd received. He quickly scrolled through the heap of words on the screen, before a click of his tongue.

Taeyong's footsteps echoed down the stairs causing Jaehyun to abruptly shove his phone in his pocket.

"You're done already?"

His counterpart faintly shook his head,"No, my throat hurts so I just wanted water."

An awkward silence overtook as Taeyong went into the fridge and removed a water bottle, Jaehyun's eyes softly following him. Once Taeyong left upstairs once again, Jaehyun loudly sighed, letting his head fall into his arms over the counter.

"I'm losing it."

~~~~