Snowflakes & Fireweeds

20. The Art Of Living

The painting was a little too big, so they ended up driving with two cars as they wouldn't have fitted into one. Taehyung was getting really nervous. He liked the painting, it was one of his best in his eyes, but he also wanted Jungkook to like it. He had been the one to give him the idea after all.
And then there was this thing with the mysterious man, still lingering in the back of his head.
Taehyung fidgeted with his hands in his lap until a hand suddenly engulfed his. It was Jungkook's, of course. He looked up at the younger and tried to smile. Jungkook squeezed his hands, his eyes still on the road.
"It will be alright, Tae. You don't have to be nervous! I'm sure everyone will love the painting."
Taehyung nodded lightly.
"And," Jungkook continued, "I'm sure we will find out more about the mysterious man."
Now a smile tugged at the corners of his lips, it was amazing how Jungkook could read him. The older intertwined their hands in his lap, playing with the younger's fingers.
"I hope so. Or I don't. I don't know, Kookie. I'm a little scared. What if…. What if I don't like what I will find out? Why did he left? Why didn't he rescue Jinah and Mark? And why didn't my parents tell me?"
Jungkook pulled Taehyung's hand towards his lips and kissed his knuckles, instantly soothing the anxiety that was bubbling up inside of the artist.
"Tae, baby. I'm here with you, I will be at every step on the way. No matter what your parents will say, no matter what this man did or didn't do, I will be there. I promise."
Taehyung closed his eyes.
"I know, Kookie. And I'm so glad I have you. I wish I would have met you sooner."
He felt Jungkook's lips pull up into a smile.
"I wish so, too."
He kissed his knuckles again, softly, pressing his lips to the older's skin.
"But I am glad I found you now. And I won't leave as long as you will have me. Promise."
And Taehyung smiled.

Jungkook parked the car next to Hoseok's. They got out and Jimin helped Taehyung pull the painting out from the backseat.
They brought it over to the entrance, where an elderly lady was already waiting for them.
"My dear Jimin! You made it. And who is this handsome young man?"
She smiled, her eyes framed by deep laugh lines.
They put the painting down and Jimin got a hug before Taehyung held out his hand and introduced himself. Hoseok and Jungkook appeared next to them and Jungkook immediately snaked his arm around Taehyung's waist. He smiled proudly as he saw his boyfriend blush from the gesture.
"My, my, what a beautiful couple you are," the lady cooed. Jungkook grinned and held out his hand.
"Hello, Miss. I'm Jungkook."
"Nice to meet you my dear! Call me Miss Mila."
"Nice to meet you, Miss Mila. And thank you for the compliment."
"I know something beautiful when I see it!"
She winked at them and turned to Hoseok to greet him.
"Now let's go to the garden, we'll have the party there!"
They all followed her into the building. It was built like a regular house. They entered and stood on an entrance hall, that had a flight of stairs on its right side. A door opposite the entrance was leading into an open space that held a kitchen with a long dining table on the one side, and a huge living room on the other. There were three couches as well as some beanbags and shelves with board games. Through the living room they got into the garden, where some kids were playing on a large playground. On the patio was a BBQ surrounded by adults who were in a conversation.
Jimin and Taehyung put the painting against the wall of the house and together they went over to the BBQ. Miss Mila introduced the new guests to the others, who were mainly volunteers that worked at the orphanage. Jimin knew some of them and soon they were engaged in conversations.
Jungkook stayed close to Taehyung the whole time, holding his waist or his hand. At one point Taehyung turned to him and giggled.
Jungkook nuzzled into his hair and smiled softly.
"What are you giggling for, baby?"
"You're so possessive, Kookie! It's adorable."
"Well, I have someone so beautiful with me, how can I not be possessive?"
Taehyung beamed, lifted his head and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.
"OK, ok… Get away from each other…"
It was Hoseok who said that with a light laugh.
There was a clapping sound and everyone turned their heads to Miss Mila, who was standing in front of the door leading back into the house. A tall man with Grey hair and deep furrowed lines on his face stood next to her.
"My dear guest, dear children, our guest of honor, Mr. Lewis, is here."
The man nodded and there were some light claps and some murmured 'hellos'. Mr. Lewis nodded and started a little speech about how important this children's home and their work was.
Jungkook, who was standing slightly behind Taehyung, didn't know who this man was, so he leaned into his boyfriend and asked in a whispering tone.
"He's the town's major. Been that for eight years or so already."
Jungkook nodded. That's why Miss Mila hadn't introduced him more because everyone knew him, except for Jungkook.
Mr. Lewis ended his speech and stepped down on the lawn, and joined the other guests. Before the attention was diverted somewhere else, Miss Mila spoke again.
"Now, my dear guests, one of our guests today brought a present. You all know how the fire last year had destroyed the house, we were lucky that no one was hurt. And we were also lucky that so many donations reached us and we could rebuild this place! This orphanage has always been about standing together and being a family. That's why I'm also glad that our dear Jimin, who volunteered here many years ago, still comes here to visit. He's also here today, and he brought us a present."
With that she gestured towards the wrapped painting and then at Jimin to step next to her.
Jimin grabbed Taehyung's hand and pulled him along, the artist letting out a surprised yelp.
Miss Mila smiled at them brightly and nodded to indicate that they should say something.
"Thank you, Miss Mila," Jimin started, a blushing Taehyung next to him. Jungkook chuckled. His boyfriend was adorable.
"I loved working here and this has always been a happy and warm place for me. The fire was a tragedy, but I am so happy and proud to see the house standing again. This story is an inspiration to never give up, and I wanted to give you some strength to stay this positive and strong. So I asked my friend Kim Taehyung here to paint something. He's an artist and he's amazing. I haven't seen the painting myself yet, so I'm really excited for it as well!"
He laughed and the others chimed in. He turned to Taehyung and nodded at him, encouraging him to say something as well.
The artist was still blushing, but he tried a shy smile before he cleared his throat and started speaking.
"When Jimin told me your story, I was really amazed. Such a tragedy can easily pull you down. But your story also shows that after a storm comes a rainbow," Taehyung's eyes fell on Jungkook, looking at him lovingly, "and that one should never lose hope."
It was as if he was speaking to Jungkook alone, as if there were no other people around. Jungkook held his gaze, mesmerized by his honest eyes and his beautiful words.
"I didn't really have a concrete idea what I should paint in the beginning. But then someone special told me about Fireweeds. These are flowers that bloom in places with a huge devastation - after fires. They are the first flowers to appear after forest fires, they even need the heat to start their growth. So I thought these flowers are the perfect depiction of this place. The devastation was huge, but something beautiful arose here once again."
The whole time Jungkook had been holding Taehyung's gaze, the older's words making  goosebumps spread across his body.
Taehyung smiled softly at him and then turned towards the painting to unwrap it. Jimin helped him tug the wrapping down, and soon the canvas was revealed, accompanied by soft gasps from the guests.
The painting showed a part of a house from the outside with a path in the front. The walls were white, and two windows and a door were plastered along the front wall. There was a garden in the background with a playground and figures that were playing with each other. The clear sky above the house was decorated by some cotton-like clouds that looked so soft that you wanted to touch them.
But what really caught the viewer's attention were the flowers. From the left side of the scene, where the door of the house was located, to the end of the wall, Fireweeds were growing. Their color was an intense magenta, blooming tall and fierce in front of the house.
Jungkook was mesmerized. He hadn't seen such a colorful painting by Taehyung and he was amazed by the willpower that the canvas emanated.
Someone in the audience started clapping and was soon joined by the small crowd. Taehyung turned to them and bowed slightly, blushing deep red.
Jimin was the first to congratulate him on this masterpiece, soon followed by Miss Mila and the other guests.
Hoseok and Jungkook stayed back, leaving the moment to the two best friends.
Suddenly there was a hand on Jungkook's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. He snapped out of his daze and looked to his left, where Hoseok was standing.
"I don't know," the older started, "what you did to Tae or how he got so lucky that you found him, but please, please, never leave him."
He blinked his eyes rapidly, probably blinking away some tears. Jungkook felt like he would cry anytime now, too.
"I haven't seen a painting like this in years. Scratch that. I have NEVER seen a painting like this by Taehyung. I know that he used to paint with more colors, he told us that once. But ever since we got close, all he ever used, were dark colors. Nothing so colorful, so powerful. So whatever you're doing, keep doing it, Jungkook. Please, I beg you."
Jungkook shook his head.
"You don't need to beg. I will stay as long as he'll have me."
Hoseok gave him an appreciative smile and took down his hand, just moments before two soft arms wrapped around Jungkook's neck.
The younger turned to his boyfriend, who was now burying his face in his neck, probably still blushing front he attention.
Jungkook wrapped his arms around him and kissed his temple.
"The painting is amazing, baby. YOU are amazing!"
Taehyung giggled in his arms and placed a soft kiss on Jungkook's jawline.

They had stayed for another two hours before they went back to Jimin's and Hoseok's place. They had shared some nice conversations with the other guests, and Taehyung had accepted some orders by several people, among others, also by the major himself. Jungkook was incredibly proud of his boyfriend and stared at him fondly all the time, so that the others had to nudge him from time to time and pull him out of his daze.
Now they were all sitting in Jimin's and Hoseok's living room, some TV Programme playing in the background while they just lazed around.
Taehyung was cuddled up into Jimin, the older requesting his best friend for some cuddles as he had stated that Jungkook could cuddle and kiss him all the time. Jungkook was pouting a little, but he let them be, especially as he had Yeontan in his lap and the pup demanded cuddles as well. It was adorable how the dog was just like his owner.
Hoseok, as always, observed in silence and felt his heart swell in love for his friends and in happiness for the two youngest.
They stayed like this late into the night, just enjoying each other's presence, talking about the past, telling stories from their school days. It was especially Jungkook who spoke a lot, as he hadn't been part of their group back then and his stories being a great distraction from the usually monotone life in the little town.