Innocent (TaeKook)

Surprise

"Hey, hello... dude."

A boy with a petite figure walked briskly, taking large hurried steps to navigate through the crowd. His gaze remained fixed on the ground, maintaining a steady posture as he maneuvered through the river of students, aiming to reach the gate.

"Hey... come on, just a quick look, pretty." A passing boy made a comment and attempted to grab his hand, but the boy skillfully evaded the gesture. This sort of thing was all too familiar to him. People often tried to touch him, signal him, not out of genuine intentions, but for the purpose of bullying. He was a target of bullying by both older students and his peers, a daily ordeal that led him to always keep to himself.

"Taehyung... Hey, stop," a small boy with shiny grey hair called out to the brown-haired boy as he headed towards the gate. Upon hearing his name, the brunette turned towards the familiar voice. It was the one voice that held the power to make him feel happy, human even.

Human? H.U.M.A.N?

Yes, indeed. But why? Let's delve into that.

"Jiminie, hey!" The brunette turned and rushed into the arms of the smaller boy. "Where have you been? It's been two days since I've seen you, and you haven't even texted me. Why?" Taehyung whined, holding onto the smaller boy even tighter.

"I'm sorry, Tae. I-I received a call from Rose. She informed me about some students being needed for a festival organized by SSI. Rose is our school's ambassador and she recommended me to perform," Jimin explained, though a tinge of sadness lingered in his voice. Taehyung picked up on this, prompting him to inquire, "That's wonderful news, Chim. Why do you sound sad? You should be thrilled. Performing at SSI is an honor. I'm really proud of my best friend. When's the festival?" Taehyung's voice exuded happiness, but Jimin's hesitation didn't escape him, leading him to ask further, "Something else bothering you, my strong Chim?"

Jimin decided to gather his courage and share the remaining truth. "It's next month. B-but..." He was interrupted by Taehyung's laughter. "What? What's got my resilient Chim all flustered?" Taehyung's laughter made Jimin even more nervous. Summoning his strength, he continued, "B-but we need to leave today. F-f-for 2 months." Jimin's revelation prompted Taehyung to stop laughing abruptly. He held onto Jimin's shoulder, causing the smaller boy to hiss in pain. Jimin quickly let go, concerned, and asked, "What's wrong, Tae? Are you hurt? How..."

Jimin's eyes widened at the sight before him. He struggled to comprehend what was happening because Taehyung's shirt was beginning to stain red from the upper arm area.

"Tae... What's this? Did it happen again? Why didn't you call me? Why didn't you tell me earlier? I'm so foolish, so wrapped up in myself that I didn't even ask about you..." Tae interrupted him, placing a finger on Jimin's lips.

"Chim, get ready for your trip. Pack your bags. This opportunity of a lifetime is waiting for you. This is nothing. How long can I burden you with my problems? You're here for me, even knowing everything. That's more than enough," Taehyung stated. Jimin was taken aback by his words. Had he said something wrong? Curse my mouth. Oh goodness!

"Tae, stop it, okay? Tell me when? Why? What happened this time?" Jimin's voice was firm, displaying a sense of authority that left Taehyung no choice but to divulge everything. "I didn't complete my work shift properly last week and only received half my payment. I needed a new workbook for the upcoming project, so I spent some money on it. Yesterday, when my father asked for money, I gave him some, but it was only twenty dollars. He..." Taehyung's words trailed off, but Jimin's gaze intensified.  (Edited: Well, you guys made quite a fuss over a currency, I was forced to change it. Rupee isn't that bad bro, learn to respect your identity too. With love 🤍)

"And for that, you were subjected to this beating? Why didn't you ask me? I could have given you all the money I have, Tae. Don't tell me he harmed you over a few bills? Why don't you report this to the police? You'd be better off on your own," Jimin's concern was evident. Taehyung offered a dry chuckle.

Jimin, that 'piece of paper' you're referring to is more valuable than me.

"No, it's not that. I accidentally fell onto a glass table and got c...," Jimin interrupted with a stern look. "Please, Tae. You might fool anyone else, but not me, not with a fabricated story like that." Unconsciously, Jimin's eyes fell on Taehyung's wristwatch, and he frowned.

"Let's properly clean and bandage your wound," Jimin said, offering a smile to lighten the mood. However, Taehyung already had a grip on Jimin's hand and forced a large, albeit fake, smile. He spoke, "It's okay, Chim. You go ahead. I'll take care of it later. I need to leave too; I can't afford another incident. My father will be home soon. I should go." Jimin knew Taehyung was lying. He wouldn't tend to it later. Still, he didn't want to put his best friend in danger, so he let him go. Before Taehyung left, though, he hugged him again and said, "Take care, Tae. Never hesitate to call me. I'm here to help you, always." Taehyung felt fortunate to have Jimin in his life. He believed that Jimin's presence was a result of his own good deeds, a constant reminder that he had an anchor to cling to in his tumultuous life. They bid each other farewell and proceeded to their respective destinations.

Taehyung's pace quickened. Glancing at his watch, he realized he had only 10 minutes to reach home safely. He increased his speed, even though his legs ached. As the familiar sight of his house came into view, he breathed a sigh of relief, having arrived before his father. He rushed to the front door, unaware of what awaited him.

Taehyung opened the front door, noting the absence of the familiar sounds of clinking bottles or the distinctive sports channel blaring from the television. As he began to ascend the stairs, the door behind him suddenly slammed shut, followed by the distinct sound of a lock engaging. He felt a cold chill run down his spine, and he turned to see the last person he expected to encounter at this moment. Simultaneously, the person spoke:

"Surprise, surprise."

Hello Army...
its my first book so please support and wait patiently for the new chapters i really hope you like the Book.

I PURPLE YOU 💜💜