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Taehyung had known the first time he had met those beautiful doe eyes.
They had both been young, and scared being away from their families. There had been prepping and planning, and even orientation but it did little to prepare them for the actual separation of being away from their loved ones. The mandatory family check ins did little to abate the aching homesickness they would feel in those early days. But as their friendship grew past the initial awkwardness, they learned to seek solace in each other’s companies.
Taehyung found himself immensely grateful to have found a friend like Jeon Jungkook - even if it had been premeditated by them being roommates.
The Busan native was almost painfully shy, and it was immediately something Taehyung longed to help him grow out of somewhat. He knew some of it would always remain, but he hoped at least that Jungkook would be able to handle classes and the whole boarding school experience a bit easier if he came out of his shell somewhat. They both knew how hard it was being away from their families, it seemed a shame to add the stress of severe shyness on top.
As the years had gone on, each year passing with them as roommates, they had become infinitely closer. It even got to a point at times that Taehyung found himself curled up in Jungkook’s bed more than his own. It worked out for the better really, it was one less bed they had to make before breakfast, Jungkook was warm during those frightful winters… and Taehyung got to be closer to his most treasured person.
Maybe it had been a gradual thing. Or maybe it had been instantaneous as soon as he had learned the boy’s name. And maybe, just maybe, he should’ve been more careful with his heart.
The lines between friendship and a feeling he could only describe as love had been blurring. For how long, he wasn’t sure. But Taehyung knew that he was definitely falling in love with his best friend.
Taehyung would lie awake at night observing Jungkook’s changing features. The way he was growing into his nose, eyes, and ears. But his observation didn’t stop there. No, he usually started thinking of everything else too. Like the way he was still shy, but it wasn’t as crippling as before. The way those adorable smiles had become more constant over the years. The way Jungkookie had become someone he could well and truly rely on for comfort and platonic affections.
He felt bad for his craving for more. They cuddled at night and hugged semi-frequently, as all best friends would, but how Taehyung’s heart yearned for more. To hold hands, to be able to freely look into those magnificent chocolate pools that seemingly held the universe in their depths. Even to offer cheek kisses.
They had been raised in the school to believe that such a draw to another individual of the same sex was inherently wrong. He knew that he had ever let slip his true thoughts that he’d probably be ostracised and punished, maybe even kicked out.
Yet even then, Taehyung knew that if Jungkook ever gave any indication of feeling the same way, that he’d risk it all in a heartbeat.
Jungkook was his best friend and so much more. On those days where he’d find himself weeping from rampant homesickness, Jungkook was there holding him with whispered assurances. On those days where his mind wandered during class and it led to him being in trouble, Jungkook was there to quietly tell him that he liked the way his mind wandered to beautiful places. On those days where he cried for the fact that the world seemed content to tell him his mere existence was wrong, Jungkook was there to dry his eyes and tell him he was wonderful.
Of course it never went one way. When other boys would pick on Jungkook for being too awkward and quiet, Taehyung was there sending them off with a glare and hugging him for all he was worth. When Jungkook would struggle with the academic side of things, Tae would sit with him for hours until he understood. When Jungkook would fret over his grades, Tae would hold his face and calmly tell him that there was more to life than some marks on a piece of paper. When Jungkook would quietly break into tears from the stress he put on himself, Tae made sure he was there and comforted him until he fell asleep. When Jungkook had missed dinner due to tutoring sessions, Taehyung risked curfew rules in order to grab him up a meal from the kitchens.
Their friendship was mutually beneficial. Taehyung was at least comforted that above all else, he had a friend for life in Jungkook.
Then there had come a day during their senior year where Taehyung felt ready to risk it all.
The day had started terribly and progressed in a similar manner. Taehyung had woke up late with no Jungkook there to wake him that particular morning, had been given a strict talking to about his disrespect for not being timely, suffered a lack of breakfast and lunch, and felt grumpy over not having seen his friend at all that day. Plus he had been in a mood for a while that had him feeling like he was just done associating with the school and their judgemental ways.
It was just a conglomerate of shit adding up to be a bad day.
By the time dinnertime came around, Taehyung felt ready to cry. Which was something that obviously didn’t go unnoticed by Jungkook who had finally appeared.
Jungkook observed him carefully throughout the meal, and quietly sidled up to him to offer comfort as best he could without outright cuddling - something Taehyung knew would happen once they went back to their shared room that night.
Come 8pm, everyone retreated to their rooms for the night.
Taehyung was crying before they even got close to their little safe haven.
“Taehyungie,” Jungkook said softly, voice sad.
He wasn’t even sure how to explain how he was feeling. He was tired of such restrictive living, tired of being there knowing he’d lose any and all connections with people should he reveal his sexuality, he was tired of feeling like he was suffocating.
“J-Jungkookie,” he whimpered back, “can we go to the s-stars…?”
It was one of the codes they had developed years before. They had snuck out of their rooms after curfew once somewhere in their fourth year at the boarding school, and found a door that led to the roof and offered a stunning view of the sky on nights when the weather was right. Since the discovery, it had become their secret place. Whenever things felt overwhelming or they just needed a breather, they’d go to the stars.
The night air was crisp and sharp in contract as he breathed it in. Taehyung desperately tried to force his tears to stop so he could actually breathe in the moment and the glorious stars that hovered above them.
Jungkook stayed pressed against him, hand moving up and down his back in a comforting manner. He was silent but his presence alone was soothing enough without anything being said.
He let himself relish in the soft attention and pressed his face into Jungkook’s shoulder. It was like an instant release of pressure. It was just him, his best friend, and the stars. Taehyung was comforted that he would - hopefully - find no judgement there.
His tears found their end.
Taehyung sniffled wetly and wiped at his face.
Jungkook noticed the shift and brought him in for a searing hug, “Better?”
He nodded. But he knew that in order for him to truly feel better, he needed to come clean so that the awful feeling of lying to his best friend would leave him. “I have something I need to tell you though… you may not like me as much after I do.”
Jungkook reached and squeezed his hand. “Let me be the judge of that,” he chided gently, “just tell me.”
Taehyung was never good at revealing personal truths in a direct manner. So he considered it for a moment and played things as he always had - through a story.
“Once there was a boy who had a very large heart, but he liked to conceal it so that it wouldn’t be hurt. He had much in his life to be proud of, but he was not. He had a deeply hidden secret that was sure to result in age old stigmas rising up against him should he reveal his truth.”
Jungkook hummed to show he was listening, and continued holding him comfortably.
“The boy’s heart was blue, not red as it should be,” Taehyung continued in an absent murmur. “It was said those with blue hearts were abnormal and should be punished for being that way. There were many who would surely see out a punishment, so the boy kept his heart hidden deep within.”
“He can’t help that he was born different,” Jungkook grumbled under his breath.
It made him smile weakly. “The boy continued through life, having to bear the burden of being different and the fear of what would happen if he should be honest. It made him very sad. Then, one day, he made friends with a boy who had a heart of gold. It was radiant and shining, and made the boy feel safe despite the threat of the world around him.”
Taehyung’s gaze drifted slowly to the stars. “The golden hearted boy was kind to him, even though he knew nothing of the blue heart that lay in his friend. The boy was scared of ever revealing the secret in his chest. For who would want to risk losing their only friend over being truthful?”
He could feel Jungkook’s gaze on him, the weight of it was impossibly heavy.
“B-But one night the boy decided to tell his golden hearted friend the truth, though he feared rejection so awfully. With a frantic blind gesture, he revealed his heart and deepest secret.”
Taehyung trailed off, staring at the ground.
Jungkook carefully cupped his cheek and turned his head. “And the golden hearted boy looked to his friend and said with the utmost confidence, ‘There is nothing wrong with this blue heart of yours. It is just something that is part of you, not a personal fault nor anything you can control.’ He only hoped his words would reach the place in his friend’s sad heart that needed to hear it the most.”
His tears came back tenfold at the sweet words. “K-Kookie…”
Once more, he was brought in for a tight embrace. “Hyung,” he breathed, “there is nothing wrong with being gay.”
Taehyung couldn’t stop the sobs that broke free from him.
It was all he had ever wanted to hear. The words seeped into his very soul like warm honey, and coated him with a sense of love that he had never expected to feel.
Jungkook rocked him a bit, still holding him close. “So how does the story end, Taehyungie?”
A sopping wet chuckle escaped him at the innocent question. “T-The boy felt loved but h-had to work up his nerve again to reveal another s-secret…”
Taehyung pulled away slightly, blearily looking at his entire world. It was truly his deepest secret that he feared the most.
Jungkook smiled shyly and shook his head, “No, there weren’t anymore secrets to tell I don’t think…”
There was an odd sort of tension that sat between them for a moment.
Then Jungkook’s face flushed a deep red as he moved quickly and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Taehyung froze at the sudden motion and gaped dumbly at his best friend.
“I l-love you too, hyung.”
His brain just kept echoing the words around. It almost felt like he was in one of those cheesy tv dramas… and yet it was real life. It was him, his best friend, and the stars.
“I-I…” Taehyung floundered, hand cupping his cheek over the place that had been kissed, “you…?”
Jungkook giggled.
He wasn’t entirely sure he could handle that sound when coupled with the beautiful flush on his cheeks and the sparkle in his eyes. Tae’s hands blindly reached to cup the other’s face. “I-I… really?”
Those doe eyes softened impossibly.
The mere sight of it very well should have melted him into nothing but a puddle.
“Of course, I have f-for a long time.”
Taehyung beamed as his heart sped up with pure elation. “I love you too,” he wheezed, “oh my god Kookie I love you so much.”
Jungkook giggled again, “I noticed.”
There under the stars, that seemed to sparkle all the brighter, a blue hearted boy shared his first kiss with the golden hearted one that had so thoroughly enraptured him.
“So… are we really doing this?”
Taehyung wheeled around in surprise, but offered a teasing smirk. “Kookie, husband dearest, you’re not possibly having second thoughts are you?”
Their old boarding school had sent invites out to alumni for a reunion of sorts. Initially, they hadn’t intended on going. Until Jungkook had shyly wondered about kissing in front of the school just to make a statement. Taehyung had immediately been on board with the idea, any excuse to show off his adorable husband.
Jungkook flushed with a pout. “No, I just needed to make sure is all. I won’t look so shocked if I’m expecting the kiss…”
His heart swelled at the sight.
They had made it through boarding school, made it through university, gotten jobs, made a home for themselves, saved money, and booked the first available trip to the States where they had gotten legally married in Vegas. It had been a long 12 years since the innocent beginning of their relationship, but Taehyung found himself looking forward to having his sweetheart at his side for the rest of their days.
“Shall I squeeze your butt to let you know when the kiss is coming?”
Jungkook squeaked and smacked his arm in rebuttal. “No! Do not do that, just make eye contact or something like a normal person.”
He didn’t.
They had been put on stage to present something or other, and had deliberately placed themselves at the end of the line. So when it came their time to speak, Taehyung declared loudly that he hoped the students would also discover themselves while attending and promptly bent Jungkook at the waist and kissed him right on the mouth. When their little show was over, he brought them back vertically and offered the microphone to his husband. Jungkook, with flushed cheeks, then said that they had certainly discovered themselves, and each other, while attending.
Some of the students had given a standing ovation while half of the other alumni looked on in abject horror.
It was perhaps the biggest middle finger they could offer to the constricting and conservative place they had grown up in. And it felt good to offer.
Taehyung and Jungkook had left with their heads held high and hands interlocked.
They went home and nursed wine glasses, snuggling on their couch in content.
“I wonder if we could pull that at our alma mater too,” Taehyung wondered aloud.
Jungkook lightly smacked his chest in response.
Prejudice was still abundant against their type of love, but Taehyung no longer cared. He had landed a boy with a golden heart and was determined to love him for all he was worth. No force in the world would be able to alter his love.
...unless of course they adopted a child, then he would willingly adapt the course of his heart.