VMINKOOK / THE ART OF BEEKEEPING

11

― PART ELEVEN.

Jeon Jangmi, Taehyung had observed, did not pertain the same, manipulative agenda as her elder brother; rather, she was kind and scarily smart, without any hint of unctuousness. She had shown no reluctance in including Taehyung in their conversation, being wary and considerate of his shyness, not pushing too far, but opening metaphorical arms wide enough to enable him access into their unsolicited warmth.

She was cheery, even as she was ranting about her obnoxious teacher, and continued chattering away to the brunette as they reached the Jeon estate, her mouth moving relentlessly, even as she pushes her door shut in a precariously dainty manner.

Even in his mismatched awe, Taehyung still was a good listener and allowed her every word to sink in. Even as his eyes widened at the elephantine sight of their house, he still managed to listen.

The house was decorated with a multitude of wooden slabs, painted a pastel blue, almost mimicking the structure of a beehive. Beside it, was an equally large house, though this one was painted lemon yellow ― the Park's house. The family business partners had their houses atop a shared hill, with clumps of polychromatic flowers peppered across the grassland. They're segregated from the rest of the town, tucked away behind steel bars of wealth, atop a mound of self-indulgent deception and superiority. Yet, they're so beautiful and intricate, it's almost as if they're so worthy of being above everyone else.

"You gonna stand there ogling all day?" Jeongguk chuckles from behind Taehyung, who swallows deeply, closing his mouth, which he hadn't realised had fallen open.

"It's just.. your houses are so― so cool." He responds, not particularly caring about how lame he sounded.

"Yeah, I guess they're pretty alright." Jeongguk shrugs, not all that bothered by Taehyung's patented awkwardness. He nears Taehyung and wraps his arm around his shoulder, the two standing for a very short moment, before Jeongguk makes a move to push them toward the house.

Taehyung complies with the redhead's gentle tug, before suddenly having a blatant and perfervid recollection of something so foolish, and rooting his feet to the ground, head snapping behind him and seeing Jimin still sat in his car, "oh, wait a sec."

He slips out of Jeongguk's grip and makes a few steps toward the car, the elder boy watching him, an unknown, unfamiliar emotion rattling through the expanse of his bones.

"Thank you, Jimin." Taehyung says, as he reaches said boy, whose window was rolled down, his hands fiddling with his phone. Taehyung had completely forgotten to thank him as he left the car and he began to feel the burdening guilt of presenting bad manners toward the boy.

Jimin looks over him with amused eyes, switching off his phone and casting the entirety of his attention span upon Taehyung, "D'you walk all the way over here just to say that?"

"Uh.. yeah?" Taehyung questions, almost as if querying his own actions, unsure as to why he'd made such an effort ― Jimin lived here after all, it's not like it was much trouble, "I just.. I don't know.."

"How sweet of you." Jimin chuckles, appearing rather humoured, as he reaches out the car window and flicks Taehyung's nose, "you staying 'round Jeongguk's for dinner?"

"Huh? Um, I don't know... probably not." Taehyung says and it's then that he realises he doesn't exactly know how he'll get home. He lives on the opposite side of town to them and so walking would be an arduous task; he couldn't ask Jeongguk because he didn't have a working vehicle and he felt bad about asking Jimin. He could always beg his father, but the man surely wouldn't be thrilled to come and pick him up during the busiest hours of his work day ― it also clicked that his father didn't actually know where he was and Taehyung made a quick mental note to text him.