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It was a particularly long day for Beomgyu, what with all the varsity activities and the ongoing Foundation Day of their school, or should we say Foundation Week as it extends from Monday through Saturday, Halloween's just right around the corner, as well as the school work that refuses to cease at any moment, they were starting to hammer on Beomgyu's head and back. Mostly his back, really.
Whining and all, joining the varsity was his decision. However, signing up for the activities for the Foundation Day wasn't his. It was Taehyun's. He convinced Beomgyu that it will give him good credits, and now it doesn't look as enticing as before, and he doesn't really need that. His parents are paying a handsome amount of money just so he could graduate without a failing mark. Granted that it was a little too much insulting for him because he was sure he could graduate without his parents' charming the principal with good money, it was helping him not go through lots of hurdles just to study.
Unlike Taehyun, who still seemed inclined to do everything to keep his scholarship in check, even if it meant working through a stack of activities to the point of breaking. He didn't really have to do it, Taehyun was already on top of all their classes, but Beomgyu couldn't really blame the boy who just wanted to secure a good future, knowing full well that Taehyun's parents weren't that well off as his. He doesn't bother telling Taehyun to let loose and stop working for a second because he's sure he'll get the you're-my-friend-not-my-manager-who-approves-of-what-I-should-do look and then Taehyun will proceed to be very cross about studying and Beomgyu would not like it. So, he just makes sure that he's there whenever the tough times of semesters strike, or literally being there every second, so Taehyun wouldn't be alone suffering, and Beomgyu grew up knowing that a shoulder to cry on is one of the best things you could have in difficult situations.
Looking at Taehyun, his eyes were closed, his head resting on the padded cushion of the backrest, his glasses sliding ever so subtly off his high nose.
There was really no reason for them to ride the bus home today when Beomgyu could've asked their driver to take them home, but Taehyun refused to do so and thought that it'd be a good idea to ride the bus whilst feeling very much exhausted and down the drain.
When his friend's head lolled to the other side, he was quick enough to catch Taehyun by the cheek and push his head closer to him. His glasses went askew as his face fell on Beomgyu's shoulder.
He didn't have the heart to wake Taehyun's rather uncomfortable sleep, but their stop was just a few rolls away, so he lightly tapped the boy's cheek until Taehyun thought the hand tapping him was annoying enough to wake up. Taehyun looked up at him with bleary eyes before pushing his glasses up to his fringe and rubbing his eyes open.
"Our stop's just about to come."
"Yeah." The boy murmured and slumped back on Beomgyu's shoulder, startling him a bit.
He'd noticed it. During the whole day, it seemed that Taehyun was the one glued to him instead of the other way around, because it's usually like that, with Beomgyu tied to Taehyun's hips, only parting when they have separate activities and errands to be done.
They headed off the bus and lingered in the shed just a little when Taehyun started rummaging through his bag.
"What're you looking for?" He asked, walking as slowly as Taehyun.
"My wallet."
"For what?"
"Let's pass by the convenience store. I want something." The boy said and Beomgyu understood not to offer to buy it for him because Taehyun is very independent. Yes, he likes Beomgyu taking care of him, but he wouldn't like asking Beomgyu for anything material, or asking him for anything in general.
Beomgyu pushed the door open for Taehyun, afraid that he'd bump himself on the glass as he was not looking at where he was going at all, his eyes were on his wallet, looking for whatever he was looking for. But really, Taehyun trusts his friend up to that point where he knows Beomgyu would remove a whole brick house in front of him when he's not paying attention while walking, and maybe even more.
They parted ways inside when Taehyun walked by the row of fridges to look for his drink, and Beomgyu went off to the snacks section, picking up various packs of chips and sweets distractedly.
"I'll take this." He said, piling the snacks on top of one another on the counter and leaving Taehyun with a hundred grand before exiting and deciding to wait outside.
Taehyun's highly independent, but Beomgyu was extremely stubborn in more ways than one and he sure knew that Taehyun knew why he did what he did. He was grateful when Taehyun came out, handing him the receipt of everything they bought and the exact amount of change the piece of paper indicated. He pocketed both the change and the stub in his jeans pocket before taking the paper bag from Taehyun.
They arrived at Beomgyu's house moments later and were greeted by his mother right by the entrance. She was attending to her flowers in the living room and possibly just did the other two vases by the door.
"Good evening, Auntie."
"Hi, ma."
They both sounded in unison, and Beomgyu's mother turned to smile at them.
"Are you staying for the night?" She asked, looking at Taehyun with familiar warm eyes.
"Yes, I'll have to maul Beomgyu into actually studying."
"Good, good. I'm very grateful to you, Taehyun-ah." She said, then chuckled when she saw her son roll his eyes indignantly.
"We'll be upstairs, ma." He said before pulling Taehyun toward the way to his room.
Beomgyu practically dragged himself up the stairs, finally feeling the pull on his hamstrings with each step he took and the burn on his thighs wasn't getting any better. He had to rest, he knew that, but Taehyun didn't seem to be letting him do so when he occupied the loveseat in Beomgyu's room and started pulling out books and notebooks and placing them on his coffee table.
He grunted, taking off his shoes and discarding his bag and coat somewhere on the floor before collapsing on his bed.
"I'll have you know that I will definitely not study tonight." He said, though his words came out muffled with the way his face was buried on his sheets.
Taehyun made a disapproving noise.
"And I'll have you know that I'm very intent on having us study this particular lesson because you've been whining about how it doesn't make any sense to you. That's why I'm here, remember?"
Beomgyu made an unrecognizable noise from his throat and genuinely considered ignoring what Taehyun said and pull the boy with him instead. But he knew that wouldn't work, so he sighed and pushed himself up in a resigned manner. Beomgyu knew how to pick his battles, and this was a losing one.
"Don't hunch your back on me now," Taehyun said, and even though Beomgyu was not looking at him, he knew for a fact that Taehyun had his eyebrows up on his hairline.
"We don't have classes tomorrow. Can we do it tomorrow instead?" Beomgyu said despairingly but took a seat right at Taehyun's feet.
Taehyun considered him for a moment, but that's it, he just considered and his face had that all too familiar look on his face, the good-try-but-no.
Beomgyu slid down the ground. He rolled by the foot of his bed and looked at Taehyun, who went back to reading whatever it was he was reading.
Taehyun flipped the page to the next one, and Beomgyu stared at him. It was in these kinds of moments that he wished he wasn't alone with Taehyun, that there was someone to distract his wandering mind and lingering eyes from the way Taehyun holds the book gingerly, to the way his lids flutter, and the way his lashes kiss his cheeks. The adoration swelling in his chest was just unbearable sometimes, so unbearable that he was afraid he might explode with the mere thought of it.
Beomgyu was shaken from his thoughts when a continuous rap sounded at his door. He jumped to his feet and headed to the door.
His mom stood there, holding a tray of chips and two glasses of apple juice.
"Are you good there?" She asked, looking past his shoulder and onto Taehyun, who was now looking at her with a slight smile on his face.
"We're good, we're starting up." Taehyun said and went back to reading when Beomgyu's mom disappeared behind the door.
Beomgyu looked over his bed after he put the tray on the low table and considered arguing with Taehyun about studying, once again, but finally gave up on it and just longed for his comfortable, warm, and nice bed.
"Have some chips. I'll eat before I start." He said in a rather dejected tone, he hoped would find its way to Taehyun's heart and just let him rest.
"Not that I disrespect you and your beliefs, but I still don’t understand why you call this chips." Taehyun said as he picked up one chip. "It's fries here, you know, might as well call it that to avoid confusion."
"I can't help getting accustomed to what I grew up with." He said and sat down beside Taehyun's right leg.
"Still," said Taehyun. "But I was really shocked when you called me to move back because a lorry was about to pass by. I thought you were talking about a person and that I shouldn't stand in their way because they're a thug or whatever."
"Can you stop? I call it a truck now, sir." Beomgyu rolled his eyes. "It's not my fault I had relatives in the UK and my parents used to dump me there with my cousins."
"Not your fault." Taehyun said affirmatively before resuming reading whilst eating.
Beomgyu started eating and held his phone to scroll through his social media. He ate slowly, although it was just a way to stall time and not actually study. Who in their right mind would study when it's the weekend tomorrow? Certainly not Beomgyu.
When he prolonged his agony long enough, Taehyun noticed and jabbed him by the neck.
"You will put your phone away, you will pick up your books, notebooks, and pen, and I will start helping you through your course." Taehyun said calmly that dared not to be argued with.
Beomgyu sighed in utter defeat.
———
Taehyun sighed, and Beomgyu's ears perked up. He looked up at the boy and watched him put his book down before massaging the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. It was only an hour and a half through their study session and Beomgyu was beginning to feel his concentration slipping, Taehyun's weary sigh gave him a distraction.
"You okay?" Beomgyu asked, his voice reaching a level of softness he had never heard before. Only reserved for the only love of his life.
Taehyun looked at him silently before nodding his head and picking up his book once again, continuing to read. Beomgyu didn't like that.
He furrowed his brows in frustration at Taehyun. He was even shocked to find out there was frustration in his exhaustion. Nevertheless, Beomgyu dropped his book and closed his notes. He was determined to call it a day and not even Taehyun's own stubbornness could stop him from doing so.
"I'm tired." He said and started to clean up.
Taehyun looked at him with a frowning expression.
"And you can't stop me." He added, not looking at Taehyun.
"But—"
"And you will join me, by the way." He said, putting emphasis on every word.
He heard Taehyun sigh but gave no further sign of disagreeing, which was really good and bad at the same time, knowing it was a sign that he was really tired.
After finishing setting his books, notes, and stationery aside, Beomgyu went for Taehyun's and started to place them next to his. The boy did not protest when Beomgyu took the book on his lap, placed a bookmark on the page he was reading, and put it on the stack of books.
"I'll bring this down." He said and carried the tray.
At the kitchen, Beomgyu found his mother and Miss Lalaine, they're house helper, cooking a few dishes.
"What's with the food?" He asked. "Something going on?"
His mother looked up at him and smiled.
"No, but your father's going home tonight." She said and took the containers of spices from a cabinet.
"Oh, alright, he didn't tell me."
"He didn’t? Well, maybe he's avoiding you asking him for the thing you wanted." She said, chuckling.
"That thing was just salt water taffy, 'cause I heard they're good." He mumbled the last few words as he placed the tray by the sink.
"How's studying?" His mother then asked when he got out two glasses.
"I'm done, so done with school that I will not bother to study until it's Monday again." He answered, his back was still facing his mother as he filled the two glasses with water.
"And you dragged Taehyun into doing just that?" His mother's voice was full of slight disbelief, though it was nothing Beomgyu hadn't heard before.
"Probably not, just for tonight. But I'm so done, ma. Basketball's going for my physical health and school is after my mental health. It's not really good for me." He says with the voice that hopefully convinces his mother.
He was frowning when he faced his mother back, just to try to help him get away from not studying. Just like what he has done since he was a kid. The smile on his mother's face says otherwise though. She wasn't buying it anymore, but she knew to get along with it and let her son slack off because he's just a teenager who should not carry the problems of the world.
"Call us when dinner's ready." He said farewell before running back upstairs.
Beomgyu had to put one glass on the floor to get inside. He could've called Taehyun but decided otherwise, and he was right not to when he saw Taehyun down and out on his bed. The back of his left hand was under his cheek, his mouth was slightly agape, his hair was splayed on the pillow, and his lashes were curled softly upon the apple of his cheeks, and Beomgyu's heart was starting to beat out of his chest again.
He set the two glasses down on the table and sat on the other side of the bed, pleading his heart to stop and calm down for a moment, but he could not. It was all overwhelming to see his childhood friend sleeping on his bed so carelessly, as if he gave not a single thought about the world but the peaceful sleep he was having. Like he wasn't just stressed out over reading a book earlier or that he wasn't worrying about Beomgyu not getting the lesson when it came easy to him or how he was going to go to his class while also not missing any activities.
God, Beomgyu was so out. He feels like he's at home and everywhere he's never been to at the same time, and it was exhilarating, almost euphoric, and his heart just won't stop beating. He was feeling ecstatic while also aching.
It was confusing and he was trying to make it make sense, but maybe this was love? Maybe it wasn't supposed to make sense. Maybe it's something that makes your chest swell with affection, makes you say "I love you." Maybe it's something that consumes you, but you never get tired of it, because it's your calm, it's your sanctuary.
Breaking out of his trance, he breathed in and out, getting his hinges back to work before collapsing on his bed, his back facing Taehyun, still willing his heart to calm down because it's just Taehyun for the love of baby Jesus! The Taehyun he grew up with! But it was Taehyun. The Taehyun who he loves so much his soul feels like ascending to heaven right there and then. And goodness, was that the right thing to think about when you were trying to calm your racing heartbeat.
Disregarding all the stupid things he might do, he turned around and faced Taehyun, who he was once again, shocked, to find looking back at him.
"What are you doing?" Taehyun asked.
"Contemplating my life." He answered with what he thought was ease.
Taehyun snorted and stared at him.
He has such big and bright eyes that Beomgyu's hand started to clamp up in irrational nervousness. It's like stargazing, only when Beomgyu does, he gets lost in the galaxy that is Kang Taehyun. So, in the heat of the moment, he reached for Taehyun's glasses and slowly took them off, his eyes falling shut.
Beomgyu had the urge to push Taehyun's hair back and out of his forehead, but his hands were actually shaking, so he did not trust himself to do anything with it.
When Taehyun opened his eyes, Beomgyu watched as his pupils dilated. He was almost certain it didn't happen if he wasn't looking directly.
"Can you see me?" He asked, out of nowhere, like he used to before.
Taehyun smiled before laughing lightly.
"I can see you." Taehyun answered anyway. "Dummy. I'm nearsighted." He added that it made Beomgyu loosen enough to smile in a non-constipated way.
He continued smiling, not trusting his vocabulary to say anything more coherent than a greeting, which isn't really suitable for the moment.
"The times you've asked that are incalculable, and yet I still answer it, every single time." Taehyun said, rolling his eyes yet smiling fondly.
"You hate depriving me of knowledge." He said. And it was true. Taehyun hated keeping secrets and hated it when Beomgyu asked someone a question and the person wouldn't answer correctly or even answer at all. He loved giving new knowledge to Beomgyu, and Beomgyu loved him for that. He loves Taehyun, and it's one of the reasons why, we would be sitting for hours if he listed everything, and even if he was able to list something, he knew there still would be something he wouldn't be able to say because it was just in his heart and no words could ever describe it.
A knock on the door broke Beomgyu's reverie, and he stood up to answer.
"Yes?"
"Dinner's ready, my dear." His mom said as he opened the door.
"Alright, we'll come down in a minute." He said, and she left.
"Can I have my glasses back?" Taehyun asked behind him. He was squinting at Beomgyu and he just had to laugh. "Oh, great, my suffering is an amusement to you now."
Beomgyu slipped Taehyun's glasses back on and just then, a flashing thought passed through his mind that made him lean forward and kiss the tip of Taehyun's nose.
When he moved back and saw the stunned expression Taehyun was wearing, he immediately panicked internally and ran to the door.
"Come on for dinner!" He said before slamming the door shut.
He can't help but giggle after hearing a muffled yell from inside.
"Get back here you feelings enabler!"