wake me up |t.k|

three

Taehyung's favourite part of their routine is when Jeongguk reads to him from the newspaper, including his critique on the disposition of things.

"Can you believe they re-elected this piece of cheese.'", Jeongguk grumbles after reading an article about current politics, and Taehyung who has not a single clue about politics wholeheartedly agrees.

"Let's check the horoscope, shall we.", Jeongguk hums and Taehyung can hear how he turns the pages.

"Capricorn, right? You will find a deep connection with someone. That doesn't sound too bad. Let's check mine."

Taehyung is dying to hear what Jeongguk's zodiac sign is, but he does not get an answer as Jeongguk merely sighs and turns to the next page.

He must have read it to himself, he thinks.

"Sports!", Jeongguk declares.

"That's the right page for you. Let's see, I mean, it's not dancing but sometimes there is gossip but not today, it seems."

Ordinarily, Taehyung is not involved in dancing scandals, unlike most people in that scene, but today, he would have gladly paid attention just to hear Jeongguk read the freshest rumours out to him. Or read anything out to him, really.

There's the sound of thin paper being folded, and he hears Jeongguk rise.

"You're having visitors today, I assume.", he says and checks Taehyung's pillow once more.

"Your parents are coming. Isn't that nice?", he hears Jeongguk sigh and the scratching of objects on the bedside table.

"I haven't seen my parents in five years.", he mumbles.

Taehyung listens more attentively at that.

How can it be that Jeongguk has not seen his parents, who must be wonderful because they have made a fairy, in five years?

Where do they live?

Where is Jeongguk from?

Taehyung tries to remember if he can dig out anything in his hollow mind, a hint which might indicate where Jeongguk is from.

Busan.

The door scratches on the linoleum floor as it is opened.

"Oh, Mr Jeon.", the voice of his mother says, and Taehyung celebrates.

Jeon! Jeon Jeongguk.

The most beautiful name for the most wonderful man in the world.

"Good afternoon.", Jeongguk says softly, and Taehyung is sure that his parents appreciate Jeongguk just as much as he does, and that they must be shaking hands by now. His parents have always been good judges of character, they simply must see how charming he is.

"What a pleasant day it is.", his mother says, and Taehyung hears the heels of her shoes clicking on the floor as she comes to his bed and sits down. She takes his hand and sweeps the hair out of his face, and kisses his forehead.

"Hello, Tae."

"Absolutely.", Jeongguk says.

"Taehyung and I were just reading the newspaper."

"Unbelievable, right?", Taehyung's father asks.

"Taehyung was never much of a newspaper person. But it is very kind of you to read to him after your shift, although you don't have to."

That is new to Taehyung, and he is sure his heart skips a beat at that.

Jeongguk is reading to him in his free time?

"It's nothing, really.", Jeongguk says, and Taehyung is sure that there must be the most adorable blush on his cheeks.

"How has he been?", Taehyung hears his mother ask, and feels her fingertips on his cheek. Her question never really means that.

She wants to know if there's a sign of consciousness in him.

"Content, Miss.", Jeongguk says.

"His vital signs are good."

"That is good news.", his father says, although he, too, does not want to hear that. Taehyung knows that his parents come to him in the hope of better, much better news.

Every time, it breaks his heart afresh.

He wants to wake up. He wants to sit up, and wrap his arms around his mother and father, and tell them how much he loves them, how appreciative he is for everything.

That he was never in pain, not then, not now, that he has merely been napping.

But his world remains dark, and his body motionless, and he can only call for them inside his head, in complete silence.

"Did you manage to speak to your boss already?", his mother asks.

"About...", she does not say what, and Taehyung listens attentively.

"I've tried.", Jeongguk says softly.

"But he's not a big fan of things like that, I'm afraid. But I'll find a way. I'm completely on your side there."

"Good, good.", his mother says, and Taehyung feels her hand on his abdomen, caressing it just the way she has always done with when he had been little and lying in bed with a tummy ache.

It is an incredibly sweet gesture, one only ever shared between him and his mother, and each time she does it, Taehyung feels like a little boy again. He is sure that she thinks back to those times, too, when they had been together and happy, not separated by his darkness.

There's the rustling of a coat being picked up, and footsteps on the floor.

"I'll leave you alone now. Just press the button if you need anything.", Jeongguk says, and Taehyung's heart sinks.

As happy as he is about his parents' visit, he does not want Jeongguk to leave.

"Thank you, Mr. Jeon.", his father says, and Taehyung is sure he can hear a soft 'see you tomorrow, Taehyung' before his fairy leaves, and the door falls shut.