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Taehyung had a few principles in life, and being a professor just heightened them. He was strict and work-oriented, he came everyday to the university to teach and just do that.
Nothing really bothered or enticed him. Until… Jeongguk happened.
The younger by two years professor was anything but work-oriented. Sure, he carried his job out meticulously, but then he was always on his toes to make friends. But…only with him.
Taehyung was a bit reluctant, he wasn’t really comfortable engaging himself with anyone besides some of his closest friends. But Jeongguk with his cutest bunny smile and even cuter and pretty doe eyes just made him melt.
And he, without even willing to do so— started getting comfortable. He never really talked much but Jeongguk was one stubborn man. And god, is he insufferable?
The students enjoyed it, in their eyes they’d be the cutest if Taehyung just opened up a bit and let their Professor Jeon enter his heart.
The elder was quite oblivious though, or even if everything kept signalling to a certain direction— he would like to think it’s just friendly behaviour from Jeongguk. Or he’s just enthusiastic.
His walls were a bit tough to break, but the younger had managed to do so easily. It bothers him.
How did he succumb so easily? Heaven knows.
One thing is for sure, he isn’t annoyed by whatever Jeongguk does. He finds it rather cute, though his face would show something different of a story— he’s impressed by how much the other had tried.
Tried to become one of his closest friends.
But there’s this one doubt that lingers over his mind, Jeongguk doesn’t really feel delighted enough to talk with someone else but him. Even when they were surrounded by a bunch of people— he wouldn’t feel interested enough to talk with them.
Just like now, Taehyung and Jeongguk are sitting beside each other, with many other professors around the table having their lunch in the staff room. Taehyung is naturally a quiet eater but he does talk here and there when some other person initiates it.
But Jeongguk? This man won’t even pay attention to people around, and wouldn't answer when they ask him something. It’s embarrassing, Taehyung would feel second-hand embarrassment for them. He would try nudging the younger because he thinks maybe he hadn’t heard them.
But the younger just smiled at him and went back to munching on his food, leaving him blinking his eyes in disbelief.
And this, your honour, makes Jeongguk all the more confusing. His intentions, his behaviour and his mannerisms— everything is a puzzle to solve.
He’s a good guy, very gentle and soft. He talks with his students in the best way he could and that’s admirable. Everyone loves him. But his behaviour with his colleagues leave Taehyung doubting the whole ‘good-guy’ persona.
Is he reading the room wrong?
“They were trying to talk with you during lunch time.” He mumbles when they were walking to the parking lot.
“Oh.” Jeongguk stops in his tracks. “They were?” He subtly scratches his neck and looks up at the elder sheepishly.
Taehyung nods, observing him.
“I didn’t notice.” He pouted, “I was tired, sorry.”
‘Didn’t stop you from smiling at me though,’ he doesn’t voice it out, but still frowns as Jeongguk enters his car and waves at him. The university hours were over for both of them.
The elder sighed, opening his car door as well. Guess Jeongguk would be a mystery to him forever.
What he doesn’t understand at all is, when Jeongguk would avert his eyes the moment he turns to look at him. It leaves him a bit breathless— but again, he’s too confused to acknowledge that.
Oh god, Jeongguk leaves him in a frenzy every time. This guy is a whole encyclopaedia to unfold.
But the thing is, if Taehyung did so much as observing Jeongguk carefully— he’d understand he’s the only person that the younger ever talks to. If his students were kept aside of course.
It has been an unspoken fact that Jeongguk is socially anxious. He never really talks with people he doesn’t know or simply doesn't like. His students are an exception— he has been frank with them and told them about it.
They made him comfortable enough, and even if they wouldn’t have; it was his job to engage with them anyway.
So talking with people was a task he never really accomplished. Most of the time, he zones out and stays in his bubble until people around him scattered away.
But… There was another exception. Quite a beautiful one.
Kim Taehyung.
They say falling in love changes you, Jeongguk never believed that. Because he never fell for anyone before.
But when he did— oh god, he was left stunned by how much reality that one line holds.
He had never been the type to initiate conversation, so imagine his own surprise when he sat beside Taehyung to eat his lunch on the first day of the job?
The elder hadn’t expected any company, but he was a pleasant one.
They didn’t talk much, but Jeongguk was happy enough to just sit beside and eat with Taehyung.
Slowly, he started making small talks. They shared their lunchtime together and he was stubborn enough to befriend the elder professor. Even though he knew that he’d want anything but be friends with Taehyung.
He had been mesmerised, ever since he saw the other… he was shook. How could a man be so beautiful?
The charisma and grace, it had left Jeongguk stunned in one place. He couldn’t call it love just yet, but he was sure it wasn’t just a mere attraction.
Not when those lips were tempting, not when his eyes wouldn’t let go the sight of Taehyung, and not when his heart rammed in his chest at an unusual pace. And definitely not when his cheeks coloured itself pink when the elder cracked a smile his way.
Oh, he was definitely falling. Hard.
And Taehyung was doing anything but noticing.
Jeongguk wasn’t sure how to feel about that though. He was low-key happy— because he doesn’t know what kind of embarrassment he’d feel if he were to be exposed by the love of his life.
His students were a tease though, and they didn’t leave any chance to make him shy. He was a cool professor, probably the coolest of them all, so he didn’t really scold them.
(Now let’s just ignore the fact that he probably loves getting teased with Taehyung’s name.)
Every single student of theirs ships them. It’s inevitable— two fine-looking men would go together very well. But Jeongguk’s visible crush on Taehyung just gives them another reason.
Now, as he was done with today’s lecture but they still had a whole twenty-minutes time left, the students whined and asked to be taken to the basketball court for leisure time.
“Sir, please?” They spoke in unison, Chemistry fucked their brain and a breather was very much needed. Jeongguk needed to understand them!
“No, god, it’s just 20 minutes?” He spoke in exasperation. “Can’t y’all go through your notes or something?” He rolled his eyes and leaned back in the chair, tired from the session as well.
“Guys, he’s just not taking us because the next lecture is Mr. Kim’s and he wants to impress him.”
Jeongguk looked at Yeonjun in shock, “what the fuck are you talking about?”
Gasp. “Oh my god, the professor is cursing himself, what will the students learn?” Another student dramatically exclaimed, earning giggles from the whole classroom.
The professor rolled his eyes yet again. “Like y’all don’t do it worse!”
“Are you taking us or not?”
“No, I won't.” He crossed his arms, looking towards them dead in the eye. “ And it’s not because of Taehyung!” He hurried to explain himself, gulping his blush when the students giggled and muttered a few sarcastic ‘sure’s’.
And if he stumbled and couldn’t look Taehyung in the eyes when it was time for his lecture, no one needed to know that.
His students were one spawn of satan though, and wouldn’t stop cooing until he didn’t almost run away from there.
Taehyung was again… just confused.
Yeah.
One day, it goes a bit downhill.
Taehyung was passing through the corridor to reach his next lecture when he heard it. He wouldn’t have paid attention until he heard his name being mentioned.
He turned his head a bit, frowning when he also heard Jeongguk’s name.
“Yeah, Jeongguk sir and him would make a great couple, don’t you think?” One of the girls said, not quite caring of her surroundings.
“Yeah, if only Mr Kim wasn’t—“
“What’s going on here?” He stepped in, hands in pockets and eyes frowning in a glare.
“S-sir…” they trailed off, not really knowing what to answer. They were not fully aware of what exactly the professor had heard them speaking, and they were contemplating what to answer.
“What do you come to the university for?”
“Studying…” they mumbled, embarrassed that this was happening right in the middle of the corridor and amongst so many other people.
“I’d appreciate it if you do just that, then. Making headcanons about me and Mr Jeon wouldn’t pass you in your exams.”
The two girls nodded their heads in unison, muttering sorry’s and bowing repeatedly. “S-sorry, sir…”
“Now get going to your class.” He speaks for the last time and turns to move, staggering in his steps when he catches Jeongguk standing not too far away from them.
His expression was unreadable and his stance a bit deflated as he looked into Taehyung’s eyes. It made him feel a bit uneasy, but he still couldn’t pinpoint what the feeling exactly was.
He tried smiling, but it never came. But then the younger smiled wide and turned on his heels. He had another class but he could care less when he feels like shit.
Taehyung hears murmurs around him, gulping because he couldn’t wrap his head around anything anymore. Did he do something wrong? Why did Jeongguk look at him like that?
Why did the smile not reach his eyes, even though his lips stretched up until the hilt?
Fuck, it was killing him to think about it.
“Jeongguk?” Yoongi called out, but the younger refused to look up. “Can you tell me why you are at home when it’s still university time?”
“No.”
“God, what even happened? End the suspense!”
“I indirectly got rejected, okay?” He spat out, breathing heavily to stop the tears from gathering in his eyes.
“Wait— what? Indirectly?” The elder frowned, his lips tilting a bit upwards. “I thought Taehyung already rejected you?”
Jeongguk turns towards him with an expression so betrayed, Yoongi had to suck in a breath.
“Fuck you!” He stormed off to his room upstairs, but not before throwing a pillow at his friend who muttered a string of sorry’s.
The younger was willing to listen to nothing though, he just wanted to drown himself deep underwater and die.
Sitting over the bed, his body kept moving back and forth as he replayed the moment from approximately an hour ago.
Jeongguk knew that Taehyung only scolded the students because it was unethical to gossip about two professors like that, but did his heart know that? Exactly.
No matter how many times he had tried to calm himself down and think about it rationally— he was hit by a heartbreak. His eyes started tearing up at the possibility that if he ever confessed, he’d get rejected.
Why would Taehyung be so repulsed hearing their names in one sentence if that wasn’t the case? It just proved that he had nothing towards Jeongguk but colleagueship.
Work friends, that’s what they’ll ever be in the elder’s eyes.
It’s already tough to have feelings for someone who’s probably never going to reciprocate them, but then this gives him a closure he never knew he needed.
Jeongguk sighs, closing his eyes and draping the blanket over him, he’s just gonna sleep this off.
The next day came a bit faster, and Taehyung really wanted to talk to Jeongguk. He doesn’t know what they’d talk about, but the uneasiness still claws him out.
He couldn’t shake off the younger’s expression from yesterday, and no matter how much he tried to make sense of it— it ended him confused by the end of the dilemma.
But Jeongguk never came, he waited in their shared staff room for a whole fifteen-minutes. There was no sign of him. Even after he came back from his first lecture, he still couldn’t catch a glimpse of him.
He huffed, staring at the empty desk beside him, chin resting over his palms as he slightly pouted. He was definitely missing Jeongguk’s presence, he couldn’t deny that anymore.
Taehyung groaned, dragging himself to the cafeteria to get something and fill his stomach. He could distract himself that way.
Just when he was about to order, he caught a glimpse of someone familiar.
Jeongguk! His eyes lit up and he breathed in as if life finally came into his soul. But as he raised his hands right after they met their eyes, the younger was quick enough to turn towards a student and explain something to them.
He looked serious, pointing into the notebook and probably clearing a doubt.
Taehyung felt his appetite leaving, so he just went back to where he came from, lips and face turned down as he failed to notice Jeongguk whose eyes followed him until he was out.
“S-sir, this is my English Literature textbook…” the student spoke, clearly lost as to why the professor would be interested in a subject he doesn’t teach.
“Oh,” he came back to reality, and smiled sheepishly, knowing all the eyes were on him. “I k-know, it just looked interesting, you know?” He scratched his nape and giggled nervously. “Y’all continue, I’m done having my lunch anyway!”
He almost ran, not willing to embarrass himself more. He was so pathetically in love and the fact that no student was devoid of the fact just messed him up even more.
“Mr Kim should give him some hope again, god.” Yeonjun mumbled, “He’s almost like a puppy for him.”
“What if he just doesn’t feel anything for Mr Jeon?”
He scoffed. “I could bet my monthly allowance he does,” slamming a hand over the table, he spoke to Soobin. “He just isn’t realising it yet. Didn’t you see how sad he looked because Jeongguk sir didn’t talk to him?”
Soobin hummed, realising that indeed— it was just a matter of time the idiots came to realisations.
“I hope they get together, fuck!” Soyeon exclaims. “They’d look so good together! Power couple.” She groaned and rested back into the chair.
“Careful, if Mr Kim heard you then Mr Jeon would be in for another heartbreak!”
Yeonjun jokes, and the whole cafeteria bustles into laughter and agreements.
Jeongguk was succeeding, until… he was not.
Taehyung had somehow managed to catch up with him when he was getting in the car and he had no escape then.
Especially when the elder almost trapped him between his car and himself.
“What’s up with you?” He frowned, leaning in to try and intimidate him. Which was… working because Jeongguk was a whipped whipped man. “Why do you keep running away from me?” He questions again, with a frown that had the younger gulping.
If he says the real reason, he isn’t ready for another embarrassment, he’s had very much of it already. Thank you very much.
“I-I’m not running—“ he gasps when Taehyung leans in a bit more, just an inch away from his face.
“Stop fucking lying! Why were you not there beside me but sitting in the cafeteria the whole day during your free periods?” He lays down everything for Jeongguk to answer, who just keeps staring at him with eyes that are unreadable and an expression that could be named as helplessness.
“I-I was just… feeling like it—“
“God, another lie. You’ve almost always told me that you like it better when we sit beside each other. You have literally shifted your bench beside mine ever since you came here!”
Jeongguk falters, there is no escape for him anymore. How many lies could he make up?
“You follow me around always, even when I ask you not to. What could change that?”
“Why does it bother you, hyung?” He questions back, looking Taehyung dead in the eye, successfully catching him off-guard. “Why does it bother if I don’t follow you around anymore? Isn’t that what you wanted? You’re bothered by people taking our name in one sentence— what am I supposed to think about it?”
Taehyung opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He didn’t know what to answer. But it’s right that Jeongguk was bothered by that incident. He felt guilty for some reason, but he still didn’t know why.
Jeongguk’s lips were trembling, but the cat was already out of the bag, and he couldn’t back out anymore. So he continued— watching as the elder’s face fell with each of his sentences.
“I’ve been following you ever since I came into this university, I do not talk to anybody but you and you’re my only friend here. Does this not ring a single bell in your head?”
Taehyung gulps, his conscience already understanding where this conversation was leading to.
“I fucking love you!” Jeongguk exclaims, a tear rolling down his eyes that the elder would’ve wiped if it was any other circumstance. But now… his palms just tremble hanging beside him. “I’ve feelings for you, and they’re insatiable. I tried, okay? I tried a lot to get them away from me. They just wouldn’t go, fuck, they wouldn’t.”
If he stood here in front of Taehyung for a minute more, he’d start sobbing— and so he pushes him a bit farther away— “I know you don’t have any feelings for me.”
He doesn’t know why, but he had this insane urge to shake his head right at the moment. Jeongguk’s words sounded accusing, and he didn’t like them. But has he ever done something to make the younger feel like he loved him in that way?
He was just confused, and never really thought of it. But when he feels his heart breaking into a million pieces as the other almost cries in front of him— he’s not so sure if that’s true.
If Jeongguk is nothing but just a friend to him.
“And it’s okay, I should’ve been prepared for this already, I don’t even know why I’m crying.” He tries to giggle and it comes out choked, making Taehyung gulp down and stagger a bit.
He watches with lost eyes as Jeongguk enters the car and drives not too much later, and he enters in his own— heart aching all the way to his home.
It bothered him, the accusation, which was anything but a lie in Jeongguk’s eyes. Why would it bother him so much when he never even thought about the younger in any sort of way?
A week has passed, Jeongguk has started sitting beside him in the staff room but their interactions are minimal.
Or the younger just takes care that they are.
He can’t deny the fact that it hurts when he doesn’t look Taehyung’s way anymore like he used to and just goes on with his day. But what slightly warmed his heart yet broke it apart at the same time was that Jeongguk wouldn’t talk to anybody else as well. He just kept himself company.
It leaves him gazing at the younger with longing eyes, wishing the air was cleaner between them so he could reach out.
But his feelings are a mess, and he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to talk about.
And Jeongguk definitely needed time, he has been hurt.
And the fact that he wasn’t blaming Taehyung for it either spoke volumes to him.
The younger really loved him.
It left him feeling full in his heart.
Taehyung was never the type to like tours and things like that, but when they were handed a notice for a fun excursion to give students a breather from their monotonous college life— he felt overjoyed for some reason.
Jeongguk beside him tried hard not to let any kind of expression come to life, but he failed to hide the slow smile when he saw the elder getting excited. He had never seen him getting excited over things like these. It was new.
Next day, when the tour was finally in action and everyone from the university divided themselves into numerous buses that were booked— Taehyung found himself wandering his eyes around to catch a glimpse of the same man who had taken away his ability to sleep at night.
And when he sees him rushing towards the bus, he cheers in his mind.
“S-sorry, I’m late,” he bowed to other professors who just shrugged it off and asked for the students to enter first. Taehyung gulped, should he do it?
They were all in comfy attires for today, different from the formal clothing they wore at the university. And if Jeongguk looked handsome in those… he looked even more cuddly and gorgeous in the hoodie and loose jeans he wore. Taehyung couldn’t take his eyes off, and he’d have denied the beating of his heart that reached ten folds higher if it was a few days ago.
But now… he doesn’t want to. So he goes to stand beside the younger who was counting the students boarding the bus and blurts out. “You look very good today,” it was almost a whisper, but Jeongguk heard it crystal clear.
And he almost chokes while counting. “Very handsome,” Taehyung smiles at the red that blooms over the younger’s ear and climbs into the bus as well, winking at him.
And Jeongguk successfully forgot what number he was on.
“Jeongguk!” Taehyung called out the moment he entered and closed the door behind himself, “Come sit with me.” It wasn’t a question or request, the elder wanted him beside him.
The students cooed, but it was loud enough to reach Jeongguk’s ears who went scarlet red and glared at them. They just giggled back, though.
Bastards!
What started off as slow and sweet teasing, it heightened even more when Taehyung decided to rest his head on Jeongguk’s shoulders and mutter a ‘sorry’.
The younger couldn’t comprehend it but before he could even question any further, the other was already sleeping. His face was almost buried under Jeongguk’s neck as he breathed softly.
It had him feeling a lot of emotions, and the one that topped it the most was love. He still loved Taehyung so much, he was so hopeless.
But maybe it wasn’t gonna be the same for long?
They were sitting and just talking away, many already under their hotel rooms while some gathered around the large garden of the resort they’ve booked. It was peaceful and serene. Taehyung loved it.
He looked towards his right twist to catch Jeongguk taking some pictures of the scenery around, looking fascinated by everything.
He then turned towards his left, as the bunch of students murmured. Many of them looked tired but they still gossiped— laying their heads on their friend’s laps.
The professor neared them, taking a seat not too far away.
“Hey,” he muttered, earning a few gasps which had him blinking his eyes in surprise. “Oh, did I disturb y’all? I’m sorry I’ll go—“
“No, no, sir! We were just a bit shocked that you wanted to talk to us. That’s all.” Yeonjun rushed to explain, not wanting him to have another idea that wasn’t true.
“Ah, yeah.” Taehyung scratches his nape. “Just wanted to have some fun if we’re here for it in the first place, I could loosen up a bit too, what say?”
“Sure, sir!” The students chimed, happy that he wanted to talk to them and bond a bit.
“Also…” he muttered, biting his lips in a bit of nervousness before looking around the group who anticipated his next sentence. “Do y’all really see it?”
“Huh?” A few exclaimed.
“Me and Jeongguk… Do we really make a great couple?” He finally uttered, his heart beating out of his chest as the whole group stared at him in awe and shock.
“Wait—“ Jungyeon interrupts. “This isn’t a trap, right? What if you scold us just because we agreed?”
A few other students made a noise and nodded in agreement, making him crack a smile and shake his head. “No, oh my God! I’m just asking, I might make your wish come true.” He smiles a bit mischievously, looking around them.
Yeonjun excitedly says. “Yes! You both make a really great couple and lord, we’d kill to see you together. And Professor Jeon is whipped for you, please give him a chance?” He played with his puppy eyes, not knowing Taehyung was going to do just that.
“Hmm,” he hummed, thinking about something deeply. Just then, Soyeon jumped in.
“I’ve been dying to tell you this! Please don’t kill me but it’s a fucking crime that you both can’t have kids—“ Taehyung visibly flushes, looking at her way who is getting stopped to spew something more unhinged. But Soyeon looks nowhere near stopping. “Man, the visual kill we’d have gotten!”
The group is surprised to see their usually stoic professor giggling and blushing at the remark. He has a tiny bit of smirk as he replies.
“You know what? I see it too.” He states, and gets up before muttering something under his breath to the students still sitting over the grass. “Wish me luck, kids.”
No one really understands what ‘luck’ is supposed to mean here, but they show a thumbs up nonetheless, and he turns around.
Jeongguk is still looking around the scenery, seemingly busy as he nears him. He doesn’t waste any time though, he walks a few more steps forward and takes a hold of the younger’s hoodie and pulls him closer— standing just a hair away.
The younger’s eyes are blown wide, he stares at him with them and hears people around gasping.
“W-what are you— mmph!” And he’s getting kissed right then, Taehyung losing all the self control in himself.
He had been too dumb and for too long, because when a man like Jeongguk had chased him— he couldn’t fathom running away or being oblivious to his feelings anymore.
His hands leave the hoodie that he crumpled under his fists and trails up the younger’s chest who’s now slowly melting into the kiss, closing his eyes and moving his lips in the same rhythm.
Jeongguk’s hands soon find his waist as they stick flushed together now, Taehyung’s arms going round his shoulders. Tilting their heads for an angle to kiss even deeper— they almost forget they aren’t alone and with many people around them.
The hoots and cheers bring them back to the real world though, and they look into each other’s eyes, flushed and panting. Hearts racing as the younger whines and buries his head into Taehyung’s neck.
“Awe,” the elder mumbles, feeling his heart brimming with all the love he could ever muster.
“Couldn’t you find a better way to confess?” Jeongguk was a shy bean, and it was affecting Taehyung’s cuteness aggression in a way he never thought something could.
“Would’ve missed this pretty scarlet on your face then, Darling.” He squeezed the younger’s cheeks in his palms, looking at him with adoration. “I love you, I’m sorry for realising it so late.”
Taehyung caresses his cheeks and confesses, making Jeongguk crack a smile so wide and toothy.
He kisses the elder’s cheeks and confesses. “You realised and that’s what matters to me, i love you so much.”
And the students won’t stop swooning around them, successfully making the other professors present crack a smile and clap a hand as well.
These two were really cute together, and now that they were together— it was only gonna go above-par!