Work Text:
“I got it!”
Flopping onto the good graces of his warm comforter, Jeongguk bounces a little after his short revelation. Unlike other man in his room that gives him an odd look from the corner of his eye, he finds himself elated at the finality of his plan and it continues. Even after the ridiculing tone that leaves Yoongi’s mouth.
“Do I even want to hear it?” the short blonde asks, continuing to play with the stress ball in his hands.
“It’s a full-proof plan, Min Yoongi,” he replies as he heaves over to his back. From this position, Jeongguk can stare at the ceiling and it’s a great incentive for the sight of the elder male who’s currently boring daggers to the side of his head. “I think this might be my best one yet,” he begins explaining after pulling out the crumpled piece of paper from the depths of his front pocket.
It started yesterday afternoon.
While Jeongguk’s never been one to bring down the mood at any occurrence, there are always certain aspects of the holidays that have the ability to bludgeon him into that sour disposition.
Whether it be the overtly-hyper kids that run around the department stores, tormenting every store-worker and parent within a ten-mile radius, or the burnt Christmas cookies that Jeongguk has deemed inevitable with Namjoon as his roommate; all of it has contributed to the brunette’s dwindling expressions one way or another. However, this time around brings a new type of inconvenience, and it comes in the form of Jeongguk pulling Taehyung’s name for this year’s secret Santa drawings.
“So, I looked through his list, and they’re all stupid,” Jeongguk announces, tracing the lines of Taehyung’s handwriting, scrawled in stark black. Taehyung has the ugliest penmanship in his book. The lines are too perfect, and he dots his ‘I’s with hearts. The world doesn’t pay him to be cute, he congregates, and Jeongguk would yell that to his face any chance he gets.
“And because they’re all stupid,” he continues, “I’ve decided that I’m going to give him opposite of everything he wants!”
By this hour of the day, it’s near dark out. The ridges of sunset are beginning to seep through the thin curtains covering his windows and Jeongguk basks in the warmth it provides on this otherwise cool night. It’s peaceful, he always thinks so. Much like now, as he watches Yoongi’s mouth fall open and closed repeatedly. So quiet he can almost hear the crickets beginning to wake up in his backyard.
“Opposite… of everything he wants…” Yoongi eventually mutters, ball having gone limp in his grasp a long time ago.
“Precisely.”
“Everything he wants?” the older male repeats and it causes Jeongguk to furrow his eyebrows.
“Yes?” he drawls out, lifting his legs to sit crisscrossed on his bed. Yoongi continues to look at him with a suspicious expression on his face and Jeongguk begins to waver in his confidence. “Why… Is there a problem?”
“Well… you’ve done secret Santa before,” the elder male begins. Jeongguk nods his head. “You do know you only have to get one present, right?”
“Duh,” the brunette eventually scoffs, offering him a thoughtful look, “but if I give him all three things he asked for, he won’t expect it!”
“And that will make him feel bad, how exactly?”
“It will ruin his Christmas because it goes against the laws of the game, of course,” a roll of his eyes comes next. “Pay attention, hyung. Taehyung’s a perfectionist. A rule abider.”
“Righhht…” Yoongi blinks, watching as the younger male eagerly dishes his phone out to search for the first item he has in mind. Jeongguk’s current state has him missing the amused gaze that’s casted his way by Yoongi and when the blonde receives no more words from the boy that’s eagerly scrolling through his phone, he resumes to chucking the stress ball back on the opposite wall in front of him.
A couple moments later, he asks: “Are you sure you hate this kid?”
“With my entire being!” Jeongguk confirms and to him, if his hyung can’t find a deficiency in his intentions to ruin his sworn enemy’s Christmas, it must mean it’s a good idea.
So, ho ho ho for the holidays.
Taehyung will have no sense of what’s to come.
“’Tis the spirit, I guess,” Yoongi sighs.
--
- A birthstone necklace (my birthday’s in December!)
Jeongguk scoffs at the words written inside the parenthesis. He knows, he doesn’t need a reminder.
With the weekend coming to a close so fast, Jeongguk finds himself in an anxious state once Monday morning comes about. If you ask him, he doesn’t know why, but if you asked anyone else in his friend group, it’s because his first present is in the hands of Jimin.
Jimin who’s responsible for giving said gift to Taehyung this afternoon: which is right about now.
He hides behind the large pillar that leads to their campus library, though it’s borderline unnecessary—Taehyung can’t see him from this far away—yet he finds himself unable to stay still at the jittering thought of the brunette opening up that small velvet box.
He hopes he hates it.
Jeongguk checks his phone for the nth time that day.
Jeongguk
do u have it
He types, pondering for a moment before quickly adding:
Jeongguk
u better not have lost it
Jimin
even if i did, wouldn’t that be to your benefit?
Jeongguk
what
why is that
Jeongguk
DID YOU LOSE IT PARK
Jeongguk
I’LL KICK UR ASS
Jimin
so much for a “bad christmas”
The rolling eye emoji sent to him in succession is one that Jeongguk finds himself mimicking and he’s back to pacing up and down the open hallway as he waits for a reply from the elder.
Jimin
but no i didn’t lose it stupid
Jeongguk
picture proof or else
Jimin
here
[IMG_9806.jpg]
The brunette breathes out a sigh of relief as he runs a hand through his hair. What a nuisance that would have been if his gift went into the wrong hands. Surely that person wouldn’t be able to un-fulfill Taehyung’s wishes for him.
Jeongguk
good
He replies.
Jeongguk
i’m watching you
Jimin
i know
i can see you
And almost instantaneously, Jeongguk whips his head up to see if Jimin’s telling the truth. Yet just like stated, there he is making direct eye contact with Taehyung’s best friend.
It’s not a couple minutes later when a certain head of fluffy hair comes into view. Just like expected, a series of greetings are exchanged between the two and Jeongguk almost passes out from the lack of air in his lungs when he takes note of how Taehyung looks in his oversized tan hoodie and black sweatpants.
Does it kill him to wear something that doesn’t make him look so huggable? Jeongguk lets out a yack.
Gross.
Jimin eventually hands him the present and Jeongguk is forced to watch the brunette grasp it with lithe fingers. He looks surprised, it’s a given. After all, it is still two weeks before Christmas. But just as planned, Jeongguk didn’t want to go on schedule for this one.
Off-guard means higher chances of Taehyung disliking it, and like he knows from clear cut observation, that the man hates surprises.
Scoping out the enemy, he would call it. Completely not at all related to the fact that Jeongguk just can’t seem to keep his eyes off the elder sometimes.
On Jeongguk’s end, he likes to believe that his eyesight is A1 (and not the sauce). Compared to the mass of today’s population that are in need of glasses at such a young age, the brunette prides himself on being able to steer clear from getting a pair until just recently. Even without them, he can still make things out fairly easily. However, this time around, he finds himself reaching for the case in his backpack, and it’s all due to gleeful expression that meets his line of sight as he watches Taehyung open the square box in his hands further; exposing the contents of its inside.
“What?!” Jeongguk hisses from behind the pillar of the library, squinting. “Why is he smiling? He shouldn’t be smiling!” he continues to dispose himself is initial shock by gaping at the boy stood in the middle of greenery and he fails to realize his hyung standing next to him, waiting as they’re set to meet for lunch later this afternoon.
“Who’s not supposed to be smiling?” Seokjin asks from his side, trying to pinpoint the direction Jeongguk has his current anguish set to.
“Taehyung,” he explains, albeit a little half-heartedly, “he’s happy with my present.”
“What the fuck?” Seokjin chortles. “Why is that a problem?”
“Because he’s not supposed to like it,” Jeongguk whines, eyebrows beginning to furrow underneath the dim glow of the sun.
“Well, what did you give him?”
“A bracelet,” the brunette states and a loud chuckle from the elder male continues their conversation.
“A bracelet…” Seokjin peers over to the two figures who are still talking amongst themselves just a couple yards away. Jimin is helping his best friend clip the silver string of metal around his tiny wrist all the while Taehyung still hasn’t stopped grinning, ear to ear. “I don’t know what’s considered a bad present in your book,” the man clicks his tongue, “but that’s surely not something I would be upset over.”
“It should be when he asked for a necklace!” Jeongguk begins to grow defensive yet the man next to him still doesn’t stop laughing. “He asked for a gold one, too… I got him sterling silver.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Dead serious,” he frowns and pulls out his phone to capture the moment. Not because Taehyung looks elated at the sight of the present Jeongguk spent hours at the mall for, looking for an item that would satisfy his distaste for the man, but because he needs proof that at least the glistening turquoise looks horrible against Taehyung’s honeyed skin.
And he wants to show Yoongi hyung that at least he’s on the right track with this plan of his.
--
“So…” the blonde mutters, taking the seat across from him at the quaint café Jeongguk had chosen for today’s meeting. “How did it go?”
“Like shit,” Jeongguk defers from telling a lie.
“Care to explain?”
“Completely not the reaction I was hoping for…” he pouts, and his cheeks protrude at the thought of what went down not too long ago.
Yoongi smirks a little in response. Despite already knowing where this is going, he finds himself prodding further for his own sense of hilarity. “You never told me what you ended up getting him,” he comments, and just like Seokjin had asked earlier, Jeongguk relays the entire story. Even going as far as to show his best friend the pictures he took on his phone.
“I see…” the man seated in front of him mumbles as he plays with the rings on his fingers.
“Right?!” Jeongguk groans, taking a sip of his iced matcha drink. On any given day, he would be succumbing to the delicious, silky taste of cold foam in his mouth. But right now, it just tastes bitter against his tongue. “Like who in their right mind would react that way? I didn’t give him what he wanted.”
“Beats me,” Yoongi jokes, but Jeongguk doesn’t catch it. “Why do you hate him so much, anyway?”
“I just do,” the brunette retaliates. However, the inquisitive eyebrow Yoongi has cocked his way is an indication that the elder is expecting a better answer, and it’s times like these where Jeongguk knows he won’t be able to waver from this conversation. No matter how hard he tries.
After moments past, he lets out a sigh, and he finally begins explaining.
“He’s just… just ugh—”
“Alright, good start.”
“—just so irritating!” Jeongguk eventually finds the words and from then on, everything just spills out of his mouth.
“He never does anything wrong, always on top of his shit,” he breathes out. It’s like word vomit. “He wears these stupid hats sometimes that bring out his dumb brown eyes… and—and clothing that nobody can normally pull off, but he does anyway. Not to mention his voice—it’s just so smooth and deep, it can lull anyone to sleep—like seriously? That’s so fucking rude of him to keep talking and talking about pretty things like art and travelling and…”
“Oka—”
“I’m not finished,” Jeongguk plucks at the paper lining of his cup, fiddling them into little tiny balls in order to suppress his muted anger. “Sometimes he giggles in class and it takes my attention away from the board because I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s so disruptive, hyung. Like he doesn’t care that my chest suddenly tightens, and my palms start sweating. That’s a serious health issue!” he claims, and Yoongi bites back a laugh. “I should fucking sue him for pulling shit like that, honestly. He’s causing serious harm—oh my god—and he chews in a fucking pout all the damn time like he wants everyone to look at his pink lips while eating,” Jeongguk whispers in disdain, “disgusting.”
“Are you even hearing yourself right now?” Yoongi says casually after the small synopsis Jeongguk had just given him. Poor boy looks so out of breath.
“Yes!” the brunette affirms, crossing his arms over his chest. His face remains passive, as well. “Don’t make me repeat myself, either. I could throw up just thinking about him.”
“Wouldn’t dare dream of it,” Yoongi replies with a quirk of his lips before taking a sip of his own drink, listening in more on what Jeongguk has to say about his efforts in gift-giving.
Though the elder had his suspicions about the resolve behind Jeongguk’s hatred for the male, he’s ultimately chosen to stay silent all this time. Him and their intertwined friend group have collectively agreed to let the two settle things out for themselves at their own time—though it’s not at all detrimental on Taehyung’s end; Jeongguk’s always masked his self-proclaimed dislike for the man through unintended acts of kindness and the art major takes it as just that.
From chucking his sweater toward Taehyung’s direction whenever the brunette would say something as simple as ‘it’s cold out,’ to the times where they would go out eating together and the food is a little too spicy for the other boy’s taste (Jeongguk would ridicule him for not being able to handle his spice well, all the while unconsciously finishing Taehyung’s food for him so his money doesn’t go to shit). This time is no different, and it’s bound to turn into something else one way or another.
With or without that small push from the rest of their group.
--
Jeongguk tries again a couple days later.
After his time spent at that café, trying to come up with alternative ways to adjust his plan of action with Yoongi, he concluded that he was going to take a different approach to option number two.
“Hey, Kim!” he yells out after finally catching sight of the familiar figure from afar. “Come over here!”
Aside from the fact that the subject of attention is yelling over a couple hundred people littering the expanse of greenery on their campus, it’s the notion that Jeongguk has resulted to jumping up and down to further get his attention.
“I think he wants you,” Jimin laughs, pointing over to the one situated underneath a large oak tree. Upon recognition, Taehyung also turns toward the direction of Jimin’s finger, and after seeing the tall man that peers over the entirety of their student body, he notices that Jeongguk is already staring back. Lifting his wrist to point at his invisible watch.
Taehyung huffs out of interest. “What does he want?”
“Who knows?” Jimin responds, a bout of levity lacing his eyes. “Maybe this time he’ll finally confess his feelings,” he laughs, and it earns him a slap to the arm by Taehyung.
Despite his quickening, racing heart—nonetheless—said male eventually walks down the concrete pathway with one destination set in stone.
By the looks of it, Jeongguk was not going to stop hopping anytime soon, and he hopes to at least dwindle down the other male’s creeping exhaustion by gracing him with his own presence.
“Yes, Jeongguk?” he speaks first, beginning to note the way the younger is dressed nicely today. A dark velvet sweater drapes over his torso, complete with some blue, striped slacks that fall a little above his ankle. Considering the fact that it’s been a little warm this winter season, it’s not a surprise to see that Jeongguk’s favorite sandals are adorning his feet, and Taehyung tries to bite back a smile when he notices the brunette flush a little under his gaze.
“Here.”
With no room for hesitation, Jeongguk pushes another gift bag to Taehyung’s chest and it all but has the other male peering up at him through wide eyes.
“What’s this?” he questions inquisitively.
“Your secret Santa gift.”
“You’re my secret Santa?”
“Seems like it,” Jeongguk ripostes in attempt to mask the way his saliva just got caught in his throat. Why does Taehyung’s eyes go so big like that? He looks like a puppy. “Well, are you going to open it?” he continues to question, lightly pushing the gift further into Taehyung’s fuzzy sweater.
In contrast to the other male’s passive voice, however, Taehyung finds his smile as prominent as ever and Jeongguk clears his throat once more to rid himself of such a sight. Instead, choosing to glare at his toes that are eagerly wiggling in his shoes.
“I don’t think you were supposed to tell me until Christmas,” Taehyung giggles amidst his efforts to peel away the tape holding the two ends of the container together. Jeongguk glances up through his eyelashes to watch as Taehyung’s expression changes. Except, just like the last time, the reaction he expects is something completely off his range.
- A watch...
“A clock!” He hears the delight before he sees it and when Jeongguk fully looks up, he’s met with an insanely bright and boxy smile.
“Wh—wha…”
“Jeongguk,” Taehyung peers up at him through his long eyelashes. In the limelight, the younger is all kinds of confused. The gears in his head turn at an unbelievably quick rate, and he’s wondering what he fucked up this time around to have Taehyung looking back at him like he just rescued a lone cat from a tree. “I love it,” the elder gleams prior to engulfing him in a bone-crushing hug and Jeongguk just… lets him.
“L-love it?” the brunette finds himself stoic and unable to move. He thinks he just stopped breathing (and it totally isn’t because Taehyung currently smells like fresh linen with a hint of vanilla). “You’re… you’re supposed to hate it!” he swallows thickly.
“What?” Taehyung asks while pulling away. He’s still smiling. “Why would I hate it?”
“Because!” The pout comes back. “Because you asked for a watch!” he exasperates. Shortly after, he grasps at the item still clutched in Taehyung’s hold and turns it upside down, front and back, left and right to emphasize. “And… and because I gave you this, see! I even made it made it and painted it myself to make it look ugly on purpose!”
The small, wooden clock that colors the palm of Jeongguk’s hand ticks loudly amidst the commotion happening around them. Painted in white with holographic, fluorescent glitter covering the body, it truly looks like something handmade. Jeongguk even bought this stupid, tiny acrylic bear to finish off the look and he can still feel the hot glue that burned through his skin just a couple days ago when he attempted to make it stick on top of the pile of fake snow that decorates the top.
Taehyung continues to look at him in admiration, something Jeongguk fails to notice since he’s all too busy glaring at the digital contraption held in front of him. Yet to the elder, he can’t recall anything cuter and he slowly begins to waver in the thought of cooing at the brunette stood in front of him when he looks like someone who got told a major spoiler from a block buster movie.
“It’s cute, what do you mean?” Taehyung piques not long after, and Jeongguk looks defeated.
“It’s not supposed to be cute.”
“Yeah it is,” chuckles Taehyung while Jeongguk lets out a small noise at the sound. “It still tells time,” he points out, “and I especially like the bear…”
“No, no, no!” Jeongguk antagonizes with a look of annoyance—but to Taehyung he just mimics the appearance of a kicked puppy. He runs a hand through his growing hair that’s tied into a small ponytail. “You’re supposed to be scared of it and you’re supposed to get mad.”
“Why would I be scared of that and why am I supposed to get mad?”
“Because you remind me of a bear, duh,” Jeongguk says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
And just like the mild confusion that Taehyung experiences if Jeongguk were to say this to anyone else, he replies, “okay?” with a light glint in his eye and it’s Jeongguk’s turn to feel befuddled when he thinks to himself.
Bears are supposed to be scary, why is he looking at me like that?
--
It’s Jeongguk laying down on his bed again, down casted in his failed efforts to complete this one task for the holidays. This time around, however, it’s Hoseok that laughs directly at his face and it’s not any better that Yoongi decided to tag long yet again. Watching as Jeongguk groans into the pillow smushed on top of his face; exhausted at the way things turned out this day.
He’s never failed at anything before. So, add that onto the list of things Jeongguk can say about his hatred for Taehyung.
“I’m just gonna outright say it—”
“Hoseok, don’t.”
“You have a crush on the kid, Jeonggukie,” the heart-smiled boy ignores Yoongi’s request and Jeongguk thinks he hasn’t heard anything so vile in his life.
“I. Do. Not!” he screeches, letting out a faint sob into his pillow.
“Yes, you do!”
But Jeongguk takes none of such horrid allegations as he continues to ignore Hoseok and Yoongi’s conspiracies through loud ‘la la la’s’ and another pillow mashed into his other ear.
In retrospect, Jeongguk is wary to admit that he has entertained the idea at one point in his life.
Sometimes he finds himself caught in a net when he thinks about caressing the soft skin of Taehyung’s cheeks instead of punching him like he so badly (key word: thinks) he wants to. Or other times when he just can’t stop thinking about his lithe body that always looks so stupidly adorable underneath the expanse of everything he wears oversized. Or times when he finds himself clenching his fists white-knuckled in the pockets of his hoodie because Taehyung’s hand is right there across the lunch table, and he just wants to intertwine their fingers and never let go.
But those are all thoughts that he’s grown to pass as extreme detest for the man. Yet if you were to ask Jeongguk “why do you hate him?” now—and over and over again until he caves—in all honesty, he doesn’t know.
Taehyung is just too perfect for this world and it’s unfair, he would probably say confidently—or maybe under the influence of a large amount of alcohol.
At least that’s one answer he can give to anyone that questions him this time around.
The chatter that fills his bedroom still hasn’t died down, and when Jeongguk pulls himself out of his hushed thoughts, he finds himself cutting into his best friend’s conversation about his very own lack of success.
“Even if I did—which I really really don’t—” Jeongguk emphasizes, throwing a pillow to Hoseok’s face before he can say anything more, “like Taehyung…” he continues, sitting up from his previous position. “He doesn’t even like me back.”
“Is that a joke?” Yoongi whispers to Hoseok, and the other pillow in Jeongguk’s grasp is flung across the room.
“No, it’s not a joke!” he cries, huffing in response. “I know for a fact he doesn’t,” he speaks haughtily, though, the slight pain in his chest upon saying those words completely contradict his stature.
Ow?
“What are these facts then?” Hoseok asked, mirth effervescent in his appearance.
With no one making a move to speak until Jeongguk explains himself, the younger is coerced into stating the last request from Taehyung’s wish list, and he says them with a heavy heart that he tries to throw off as the anything but dejection in his tone.
- My crush to like me back… (haha, kidding!)
He can suddenly feel the weight of the paper in the pocket of his hoodie upon relaying such a message. The two other boys that were once staring at him share a knowing from across the room, and Jeongguk just can’t seem to pinpoint the reason why.
“Maybe you should do something about it?” Yoongi clears his throat and along with those words, a lightbulb illuminates the depths of Jeongguk’s brain.
Maybe he should.
--
The winter breeze that nips at his skin unrelenting and unkind. Though Jeongguk made sure to bundle up lots today—since his last event planned for a certain someone required them to meet up during the night—he still feels cold. And it’s something he continues to think about even after his mind drifts off to the one that’s supposed to meet him in just a couple minutes.
Taehyung better be bundled up today, he frowns to himself. If he doesn’t have at least two scarves covering his neck, Jeongguk may just have to tackle him onto the ground to share warmth.
Tomorrow is Christmas eve, and it’s evident in the cheery aura that surrounds this small gazebo that Jeongguk is currently stood on top of.
There are small fairy lights laced throughout the expanse of the marble bars that line its sides. A small pond overrides the pillowed grass that scatters beneath it and it leads to the vast area of park that begins to darken as the sun diminishes behind the horizon, and the holiday spirit is really set to begin.
This is Jeongguk’s favorite spot; one that he finds himself visiting a lot when he’s stuck between two ends or needs a place to destress. The only reason he decided to call Taehyung over here, however, is because it’s far away from their apartment complex and he wants to pat himself on the back for being able to come up with such a burden this late in the game.
Who cares if he had to walk the same distance from buildings, anyway?
Meet me at the park of 5th, 7pm. If you’re late I’m ditching you, Jeongguk remembers scrawling onto a piece of paper before stuffing it underneath the other male’s door.
Luckily for him—or not so much in other instances—Jimin texted him with a series of laughing emojis after finding the note before Taehyung did. After poking fun at the younger’s ancient way to get his message across, the stark blonde did end up telling his roommate about the content, regardless. And that’s how Jeongguk knows that this part of his scheme isn’t a complete flop.
“Jeongguk?” A small voice is what causes him to stutter in his stalking around the small area and he turns around to the sight of Taehyung, who’s walking up the steps of the gazebo.
“Hey…” he mutters once Taehyung reaches him.
“Hi,” Taehyung replies with his hands in his pocket and a faint smile that lines his face.
In any case that Jeongguk’s feeling specifically truthful tonight, he would say that Taehyung looks utterly beautiful in front of him. Jeongguk’s always had a thing for lights and decorations, during this time of year, the pretty intricacies garnering designs that can have anyone in awe.
However, still, those are no match for the man who radiates so prettily at this very moment, and Jeongguk has to remind himself that he’s here for a reason when the silence cuts into the air heavy-laden and Taehyung’s serendipitous giggle resounds his hay-wiring at the sight of the younger male’s slightly parted lips.
“Close your mouth, Guk-ah,” he whispers. Bold with a condescendingly light touch to the underside of his chin. “You’ll catch flies.”
Jeongguk feels the heat creep up his neck before he can stop it and he stupidly and unceremoniously replies: “Okay.”
“So, is there a reason why you called me here this late in the evening?” Taehyung questions, beaming as he scans their surroundings.
“Uh, no,” Jeongguk at that moment then remembers Taehyung’s list, “I mean—yes.”
“Is it a yes or no?” Another laugh.
“It’s a yes,” he finally affirms, and Taehyung clicks his tongue before motioning for them to sit at one of the wooden benches that line the inside of this area. With Jeongguk steadied and stripped of the ability to trip over his own two feet, reality finally hits him, and he pouts in recognition. Speaking before he can process the words leaving his mouth.
“I’m your secret Santa,” he states after some silence, watching as Taehyung looks at him like he just grew two horns out of his head.
“I know that, Jeongguk.”
“No, I’m your secret Santa,” he says again, and takes a deep breath. “I’m your secret Santa and you were supposed to hate every single present I gave you.”
“But why?” Taehyung asks with mirth behind his eyes, failing to contain the way his lips quirk upwards.
“Because I hate you,” Jeongguk wails. So much for being discreet.
“You hate me…” the elder male repeats, but more for Jeongguk’s benefit.
“Yup, I hate you,” and Taehyung can’t help the laugh that escapes him, resulting in Jeongguk letting out a sound of confusion before falling dim.
In truth, Taehyung’s well aware that Jeongguk’s been nothing but nice to him ever since the day they first met.
Even if his tone does come off hostile sometimes and Taehyung finds himself questioning why his actions contradict his words so much, maybe it was accidentally spilled to him by his best friend that this so-called hater of his existence has a big, fat ass crush on him. Alongside that, not only has it been brought to his attention the why’s of how Jeongguk came to be this wannabe antagonist in his life, but the specifics, too—and it goes something along the lines of the brunette thinking that Taehyung is by far the liveliest, loveliest, most beautiful creation God has ever clobbered into this hell they call Earth (yup, Jeongguk definitely slipped during one of their drunken nights out).
So, up until now, Taehyung would fully admit that maybe he’s been toying with the idea of finally confessing. That is, if Jeongguk and him see eye to eye by the end of this night.
“Yes, and no one believes it,” the younger glowrs up from beside him, face pulled into a cute frown.
“So, if you hate me then,” Taehyung teeters between blowing it all to dust or giving Jeongguk the benefit of the doubt. He chooses the latter. “Why were the gifts so nice, hm?” he asks, and Jeongguk notices the way Taehyung thumbs over the chained bracelet covering his wrist. Maybe the brunette’s heart soars at the view.
“They weren’t supposed to be—”
“Supposed to be what?”
“Nice,” Jeongguk finalizes and he rolls his eyes in defeat. Whenever it comes to Jeongguk and Taehyung being alone, the younger feels like he loses his game—his spark. It’s not at all his fault, though—he just can’t seem to focus when someone like Taehyung is so close to him—and he feels dizzy.
It’s what has his voice growing lighter after continuing to expound.
“I decided a couple weeks ago that I was going to ruin your Christmas,” saying it out loud now, Jeongguk thinks it sounds a little dumb, “and I was going to do that by giving you opposite of everything on your list.”
Like on schedule, he pulls out the small piece of paper; crumpled and stained with his very own writing and x’s for the things he completed. Taehyung gingerly pulls it away from his fingers, and looks it over, an overwhelming sense of elation blooming over him at the object.
“You thought this much, about what to give me?” he asks, eyes beginning to shape into that pre-tearful look. Jeongguk wrings his hands together in embarrassment and mutters:
“Sure… except the last one—it took me a while to figure out what to do,” he adds on, staring at his fingers. “I have no idea who this crush is,” Jeongguk scoffs, failing to mask the revulsion in his scrutiny. His chest cracks, though he’s short to admit it. “But I realized, at least with you next to me, I’m preventing you from meeting up with him or whoever they are,” finishing quickly, the words taint his tongue like an apple gone bad. “So, Merry Christmas, I guess.”
Calculative, and a little at a loss for words, Taehyung gazes at him with equal parts amusement and adoration.
It’s about time this whole fiasco come to an end. He’s been doing his very own observation throughout the years, and it’s a fact on its own that Jeongguk is bad at feelings. His friends have had enough, too—enough for the one-sided hatred, and very obvious pining—and the elder is equally as eager for it to come to a close.
“Not entirely,” Taehyung drawls out, inching his way a little closer to younger. By now, he can feel the heat of Jeongguk’s thigh radiating off his own, and it mutes the chill running down his spine a little when he looks at the brunette.
“Huh?”
“Well, since you’re giving me everything opposite of what I wrote,” he continues after dotting in Jeongguk’s confused expression. “It seems like you succeeded in your initial plan, after all.
“What, no I didn’t,” Jeongguk mumbles with a chuckle, “the last part…”
“Says that I want my crush to like me back,” Taehyung faux-flouts underneath fluorescent lights and Jeongguk wants to wipe the expression off his face. With his face. “And since my crush is sitting right in front of me, claiming that he hates me…” he continues. Wait, Jeongguk’s body stiffens, did he just hear that right? “I guess I’ll just have to find someone else to keep me company this Christmas season,” Taehyung ends with a full-on pout and Jeongguk looks like he’s straight malfunctioning.
Whenever something does, though, there’s always an unexpected burst of something: a glitch on the screen, or a weird noise that leaves the system. Jeongguk is the latter, and he interrupts Taehyung almost immediately.
“What, no!” he squeaks, out of breath and he didn’t even say anything.
“Hm?”
“No, don’t…” Jeongguk stutters, unsure of what to say. The words bludgeon onto him like a freight train and he’s near panicking. He twists his body better to meet Taehyung. “Don’t try and find someone else.”
“Why not?” Taehyung thinks out loud. “Doesn’t seem like the one I like is going to make a move anytime soon,” he sighs. “Time is precious, you know?”
“I’m your crush?” Jeongguk asks meekly, ignoring his question, and Taehyung at that very moment feels like his body just left his soul.
“Yes, you idiot,” Taehyung laughs, taking the initiative to place his hands on Jeongguk’s bouncing knee. It causes the brunette to stop what he’s doing and bask at the sudden contact. Like a completely different person, Jeongguk’s not sure what compels him to reach for Taehyung’s hand—but he does anyway—and slips his palm underneath the elder’s own, interlacing their fingers like they were never meant to be separated from the start.
He lets out a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding. “Are you playing me right now, Kim?” Jeongguk clears his throat. “’cause it’ll be really embarrassing if I just daydreamed this whole thing and you didn’t exactly say what I think you said.”
“That I like you?” Jeongguk’s mouth parts a little and he nods his head in response. “I fucking like you, Jeongguk,” Taehyung confirms, throwing his head back in a giggle. “I’ve always liked you, liked you from the moment you accidentally spit that paper ball out of your straw onto my forehead when you were aiming for Namjoon at the commons,” he finishes and the brunette blushes.
“Like you even now, when you claim to dislike me so bad,” he tacks on, pulling a grin out of Jeongguk. “And don’t even try to lie to me, because I know you feel the same way.”
This time around, Jeongguk lets out the most sincere and largest, smile that his body can muster. He just can’t help it: not when he just heard greatest sentences ever strung together in his entire life. Not when Taehyung looks even more stunning now after such not-so-new confessions.
For a while, it’s just both boys staring at each other with gleeful expressions, and Jeongguk is the first to break the silence. Still in awe that something like this is happening to him at this very moment, he wants to feel how it’ll taste on his tongue.
“Taehyung,” he rubs the pad of his thumb against the smooth skin of the brunette’s hand. “I like you,” he states; states with so much confidence he could cry.
“I like you too, Jeongguk,” Taehyung replies, matching his expression.
And unbeknownst to Jeongguk, Taehyung also frequents this very gazebo at times when he just needs some place to be aside from his apartment. It’s a location he thought only him out of his friend group, knew about. But after seeing the male sitting on the marbled steps one day, during his weekly afternoon walk out, painting the scenery in front of him like an artist made for the museums, he suddenly found another reason to tack onto his very own list of what makes this place so special.
It’s the reason why he knows that there’s a secret bushel of mistletoe hidden in the crevices of the vines right behind them—put by the park owner himself for who he dog-sits for sometimes.
It’s the reason why Taehyung motioned for them to sit down directly in front of it, hanging in the depths of the plants that are now laced with their ardent love talk.
After spending all night, sitting there beneath the starry skies and glistening lights, listening to each other’s calming words and stories about what this year brought, Taehyung eventually points it out.
“Do you want to maybe kiss under this mistletoe?” Taehyung offers, moments before they’re set to walk home as a finish to their night. And Jeongguk’s never considered himself an emotional person—never cried over things that don’t include pictures of dogs doing cute tricks for food, or movies that have a sad ending to them.
However, it’s this one solid question that has Jeongguk feeling like he could fucking cry any minute now. And quite frankly, his ability to form words seemed to have wooshed away from him, too.
“You know, maybe I’ll hate it…”
And it’s not another second wasted before Jeongguk crashes his lips onto the elder; both of them immediately sighing at the feeling of their mouths meeting together for their very first kiss. It’s so sweet, and so warm despite the low cool breeze that shivers their spines. But at the same time, so them and so fitting for this Christmas season when all Jeongguk can think about is the soft feeling of Taehyung on him, drinking in the savor of strawberries and vanilla ever so prominent on his tongue.
Yet if it means even getting just a small taste of what he’s currently experiencing right now, Jeongguk would go through all the opposites again.
He thinks to himself, maybe he can do this again next year, but this time with the actual presents Taehyung had asked for (all of which he currently has in his desk drawer—waiting for them back home).
Let’s just hope he asks for a bracelet and watch again. And—well—for the third option, how can he give Taehyung the world?