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21 days. It took an entire 21 days for Jeongguk to make a habit out of this.
He wasn’t a thief, but desperate times calls for desperate measures. And oh boy, was he desperate.
Damn you, Park Jimin.
Why did Jimin have to die on him? Die and leave his best friend broke and alone, visiting his cold dead body every day on the way to work?
Jeongguk wouldn’t exactly call it stealing. It was practically public property, he assured himself, as he knelt down on the sidewalk, trying to be discreet. It was more like, collecting.
“You’d better bring me flowers if I die,” Jimin had said right before the unsuccessful surgery. “And don’t half-ass it, Gukkie. I want legit ones. Make my grave look as pretty as me. Otherwise, I’ll come back from the dead and haunt you for the rest of your life.”
Jeongguk wasn’t superstitious, nor would he mind, he thought, if Jimin really did come back and haunt him. But a part of him felt obliged to obey his friend’s wishes, so out of the kindness of his heart, he vowed to bring him flowers every week.
But he was broke, damn it. Broke! He could barely afford to keep a roof over his head as it is. How was he supposed to scrape together forty extra dollars each week for some colourful plants?
That’s the way he justified his actions as he deftly pinched the stems of a few tulips from a random person’s front yard. It was always the same yard every week, and somehow, the same flowers every week. It was three weeks in when Jeongguk realized that the owner of the house must have replaced them every time Jeongguk stole them, and that thought would be nagging at him, making him feel worse about doing this than he already was. He stood up slowly, guilt causing him to jump at every sound, and suddenly he was seven years old again, stealing candy from the cabinet in the kitchen. His mum had heard his graceless rustling and the cursed bang of the cupboard door as he nudged it a bit too hard. But hey, what could you have expected from a seven-year-old?
Then the cupboard door turned into a front door, and the sudden explosion of sound caused Jeongguk to jump and stupidly shove the sweaty fist clenching the flower stems behind his back. You idiot!
His first thought was to run, to book it out of there as fast as his legs could possibly take him, but a triumphant shout froze his legs and tremble in terror. He’d been caught.
The front door creaked on its hinges as it swung back from the force of what had burst it open, and a guy about Jeongguk’s age was suddenly standing on the porch, an accusing finger pointed straight at Jeongguk’s face. He was shockingly attractive, probably one of the most attractive Jeongguk’s ever seen. It wasn’t clear from where he stood, but he was fairly tall, probably around the same height as Jeongguk. He was probably one of those people who could wake up from the longest nap of their lives and still look refreshingly gorgeous and he sure looked like it now, clad in a pair of black sweatpants, dark grey v neck t-shirt, and sock-clad feet shoved into flip-flops (always a questionable choice). A wide, boxy grin was plastered on his golden face.
“The fifth time now!” The boy cackled. “As if I didn’t see you every time! I’m basically a ninja, I see everything.” He then proceeded to strike a dramatic, ninja-like pose, beaming at a terrified Jeongguk, whose face was blanched white with fear. He’s weird.
“I’m…” Jeongguk tried to form a coherent sentence, mouth flapping as he tried to find his words.
“Dude, you’re, like, shook,” the boy drawled, smirking at Jeongguk’s shocked state. “Calm yourself!”
“I-I’m not a bad person!” Jeongguk spontaneously gasped. “I’m sorry, I’ll give them b-”
“What, after you’ve picked them?” The boy gestured to the blank stems quivering forlornly in the slight breeze. “I wouldn’t have any use for them. I don’t know why I have them in the first place.”
Jeongguk breathed a sigh of relief. At least he didn’t snip away a patch of some old woman’s award-winning tulips. He would have landed himself into deep, deep trouble if that had happened.
“Sorry,” he muttered again, awkwardly keeping his eyes pointed at the pavement like he was being scolded. After a moment’s deliberation, he sheepishly brought the flowers out from behind his back, cursing himself the entire time. “Do you still want them?”
The boy stared at him for a second, and blinked a few times. Then he promptly broke into loud guffaws. “Nah, dude. Keep them. You’re pretty cute, so you’ve probably got a pretty girlfriend to give them to. Don’t let me stop you.”
You’re pretty cute? Jeongguk felt the blood rush to his face before he could stop it. His first time meeting such a gorgeous model of a man, and the guy calls him cute? Sensory overload. Also, Jeongguk didn’t have a girlfriend. He was as gay as a human male could possibly be, and everyone around him knew it. He considered denying Mr. Gorgeous’ accusation, but then stopped himself at the last minute, because what if he was straight? He would get totally freaked out.
So being the awkward person he was, Jeongguk started backing up slowly, back into the road, the green of the stems turning dark in his clammy grip. He’d almost made it to the point where he could turn around and start walking rapidly away, but then the other boy started walking down the lawn towards him.
Shiiiiiiit.
“What’s your name?”
“Ah, I’m Jeon Jeongguk,” he managed, suddenly aware of the other’s closer proximity.
Mr. Gorgeous stuck his hand out. “I’m Kim Taehyung. Pleasure to meet you, flower boy.”
Jeongguk quickly wiped his hand on his jeans before tentatively reaching out and accepting the offered handshake, cursing how his hands were cold and clammy compared to the soft warmth of Taehyung’s.
“I, ah, I really need to get going now.”
“Alright. Let’s go. I wanna see this girl of yours. Just want to see my best flowers get put to good use,” Taehyung winked, deepening the weight of dread forming in Jeongguk’s stomach.
“Um, uh… You…” He wanted to protest, to ask him to stay right where he was because he didn’t have a girlfriend, for goodness’ sake. The words wouldn’t come out right.
“Oh, don’t feel awkward. I’ll just tag along, catch a glimpse, then I’ll disappear. Promise.” Taehyung beamed, rectangular smile blindingly bright, and Jeongguk’s heart rate doubled. Tripled.
Good grief.
How could he say no? The only problem was, there wasn’t anyone to catch a glimpse of.
Before he could react, Taehyung slapped him amicably on the back. “Well, then. I’ll take that as a yes. Let’s get going!”
A few seconds later, Jeongguk found himself being steered down the sidewalk by the most attractive boy he’d ever seen, whom he’d just met mere minutes ago, and now they were on their way to meet his (imaginary) girlfriend. It was safe to say that he was in deep, deep shit. And it didn’t help that Taehyung’s hand was firmly clasped around his bicep, squeezing through the thin fabric of his white long-sleeved shirt.
Jeongguk gets shaken very easily, and he was still recovering from the shock of being caught stealing. Even though Taehyung said he didn’t want them…
If he didn’t want them, why would he bother to replace them every week?
Taehyung was chatty, but it was endearing. Endearing, yet uncomfortable, since all Jeongguk could do was stay silent and listen, awkwardly nodding in response once in a while. He talked about how boring it was, living alone as an early college graduate, everyone at his job much older than he was. He was only two years older than Jeongguk himself, and an academic genius of some kind, but he didn’t seem proud of it and didn’t talk further about the subject. Apparently he earned more money than he could spend, but he was wise about it and kept it all in savings. Still in his first year of college, Jeongguk found himself in awe, and a little envious of his carefree lifestyle. His energy and sunny nature made Jeongguk smile more than he does usually, and he found himself glancing his way shyly very often. He was just so cute.
“What about you?” Taehyung asked suddenly, elbowing Jeongguk gently. “I’ve been ranting this entire time, sorry.”
Jeongguk shook his head. “It’s alright. I don’t usually talk much, so I’m more used to listening.”
“Still,” Taehyung whined. “Tell me some stuff about you, my flower-thief dongsaeng. I promise I’ll listen, darling.”
He knew Taehyung was joking, but he couldn’t help but blush at the endearment.
“My life’s pretty typical, honestly. Broke college student sort of thing, y’know.”
“Of course,” Taehyung grinned, and it took everything Jeongguk had in him to not stop and stare. “Do any fun things?”
“Fun things?”
“Yeah, fun! With your friends? With your girlfriend?” He wiggled his eyebrows, implying something that was most definitely not appropriate.
“Well, I don’t hang out with my friends that often anymore,” Jeongguk hummed thoughtfully. “I mean, I used to spend lots of time with my best friend, but now he’s… uh…”
Taehyung’s eyes widened and he nodded in understanding. “Oh, I get it.”
Jeongguk doesn’t think he actually gets it.
“Hey, you didn’t answer the question about your girlfriend,” Taehyung pouted. “Don’t try to avoid it.”
I’m gay, Jeongguk wanted to snap. I’m gay for you.
He didn’t want Taehyung to run away or back off, so he settled on a truthful answer that wouldn’t come back to bite him in the ass.
“I don’t have a girlfriend, hyung.”
“Oh, okay!”
It’s strange because it clearly contrasts with Taehyung’s belief that they were going to go visit Jeongguk’s girlfriend (who clearly does not exist) to give her the flowers he stole from Taehyung’s yard. Taehyung doesn’t even question it, and keeps on talking.
A block away from the cemetery, Jeongguk is reminded again of his situation. He stopped walking for a second, cutting off Taehyung’s enthusiastic spiel about how one of his professors had brought his African Grey parrot to a lecture once and someone fainted because they were deathly afraid of big birds.
“Taehyung-ssi, I don’t have a girlfriend.”
Taehyung shrugged. “Yeah, I know. You already told me, remember?”
“Then why are you still following me?”
“Because I want to.”
Jeongguk stared at Taehyung’s gorgeous, smiling face and cocked his head slightly. “What kind of shit excuse is that? Do you even know where we’re going?”
“No, I don’t. But that’s okay because I trust you.”
“We just met!”
“You’ve been stealing my tulips, like, every day!”
“Not every day,” Jeongguk objected sullenly. “But you keep on getting new ones, don’t you? Why do you do that?”
Taehyung’s jaw clenched in indignation, gaze steely like he was trying his hardest not to blurt something.
“Because I wanted you to come back.”
What?
Jeongguk’s jaw dropped open slightly, eyes wide with shock and Taehyung blushed.
This kid freaking blushed, and it was adorable. Not to mention he just said the sweetest thing Jeongguk has ever heard.
“Hold on a moment,” Jeongguk said slowly, trying to collect his thoughts. “You replanted the tulips on purpose to use as bait for me to keep snatching them from your yard?”
Taehyung nodded sheepishly.
“But why?”
“Because,” Taehyung’s tongue darted out to lick his lips. “Because you’re cute, alright, and I wanted a chance to talk to you. I think I got what I wanted. Can we keep walking now?”
Oh my goodness he thinks I’m cute this freaking god of a man just said he thinks I’m cute he actually said that what do I do now?
The gears in Jeongguk’s head were turning rapidly, trying to make sense of all this.
There is no way this guy’s straight, right? No heterosexual guy calls another guy “cute”. But judging by his personality, maybe it’s something he says often?
The green expanse of the graveyard was coming into view now, just across the street. Jeongguk stepped off the sidewalk after checking the road for cars, and Taehyung followed suit, completely silent for the first time since they left his house. It was a bit weird, and Jeongguk couldn’t tell if it was because he’d just said what he did or it was because of the way Jeongguk slowed down and started along the pebble path that led through the middle of the graveyard.
Taehyung didn’t question him as they stepped off the path and started to pick their way amongst the graves, either.
Nor did he say anything when Jeongguk leaned down and replaced a handful of faded, limp tulips with the fresh bunch he’d just picked from Taehyung’s garden not fifteen minutes ago at the foot of a dark grey slab of marble with the name “Park Jimin” carved onto it.
He stayed down, his forehead pressed against the cold stone for several minutes, afraid to look at Taehyung. I lied to him.
A warm hand touched his shoulder, and Jeongguk looked up to meet Taehyung’s gaze. He wasn’t smiling, but he wasn’t mad, either.
“Why didn’t you just tell me in the first place?” He asked gently as Jeongguk got to his feet. “I most definitely wouldn’t have gotten angry at you either way.”
Jeongguk took a deep breath, grimacing. “Sorry. I just… get really awkward when I meet people like you- I mean, people in general and like, I tend to just go along with things. I don’t know.”
“Hmm,” the older boy hummed. “Yeah, I see.”
The two of them stood in an awkward silence for a while, the tension heavy in the air. It was a while before either of them spoke.
“Taehyung-ssi.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry for lying to you.”
“It’s alright. At least I got to properly meet you.” Taehyung’s gorgeous lips curved into a smile.
Jeongguk was really bad at being suggestive in any way, but when push comes to shove, he had no choice.
“And,” Jeongguk licked his lips nervously. “I really don’t have a girlfriend.”
Taehyung’s face morphed into a slightly puzzled expression, then something different (tenderness?) enveloped his features. He smiled again, stepping closer to close the slight gap between them. Large, warm hands found Jeongguk’s clammy ones and held them tight.
“What a coincidence.” Jeongguk felt the warm breath of Taehyung’s whisper, and his eyelids fluttered instinctively. Taehyung let go of a hand to caress the back of Jeongguk’s neck, pulling his face even closer. “I won’t have a girlfriend either, Jeonggukkie.”
He almost laughed at the nickname, but found that he couldn’t when Taehyung tilted his head and pressed his mouth to Jeongguk’s gently. He was testing the waters, making sure Jeongguk was okay with this but it was useless because Jeongguk reacted instantly, letting go of Taehyung’s hand and wrapping them around the elder’s waist, locking them behind his back and drawing him even closer. Taehyung had his hand in Jeongguk’s hair now, combing through the dark locks and savouring the noises he made as he tugged, deepening the kiss.
It had probably been an entire five minutes when the two finally broke apart, panting heavily, and lips flushed and swollen.
Jeongguk found himself locked in a hug, Taehyung giggling into his ear. “I’ve never made out in a cemetery before.”
“What, was that on your bucket list, or something?”
“Something like that.”
Jeongguk laughed, raising a hand to brush a thumb across the other’s cheekbone. Taehyung sighed and leaned into the touch, eyes fluttering closed when Jeongguk dropped a light kiss onto his lips.
“You’re too good, Jeonggukkie. Can I keep you, you little flower thief?”
Jeongguk broke eye contact to look at the tulips resting on his best friend’s grave, laughing as he realized something. Jimin had always been the matchmaking friend, trying to set Jeongguk up on blind dates all the time and introducing him to every attractive acquaintance he made.
Even after you’re gone, you couldn’t ever stop, could you?
“Actually, I’m not so sure I’m sorry I ever stole your flowers.”
“To be very honest, it was worth replanting them,” Taehyung replied. “But you owe me.”
Jeongguk grinned. “I do. You can keep me. I won’t steal your flowers any more. Deal?”
Taehyung leaned forward and pressed another kiss, long and slow this time, to Jeongguk’s mouth.
“Deal.”