[ 22. first love ]
J E O N G G U K

we going ✈️ soft taekook hours

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A gentle tapping on his window makes Jeongguk stir in his sleep. He's too tired to see who enters through the window, but the moment he feels the warmth of the person's presence beside him, he already knows who it is.

"Morning love," Taehyung wraps his arms around his side, pulling his body close to him as he buries his face into the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent.

Still groggy, Jeongguk rubs at his tired eyes. It's been Taehyung's habit to sneak into his room so early in the morning to hold him, and to be honest, he wants his sleep but he's just too cute to kick out.

So he just ends up cuddling him, the two enjoying each other's presence without having to worry about someone exposing them or someone catching them.

"You're crushing me," Jeongguk whines softly, gently patting Taehyung's chest from beneath him as he rolls on top of him. He hears him laugh, the deep sound rumbling in his throat.

Taehyung presses a kiss to his forehead before nuzzling against his cheek, easing his grip around his tiny waist. Jeongguk exhales in defeat, his lips eventually pulling into a smile as he wraps his arms around him, holding him close.

"You know what I wanna do today?" Taehyung hums, slipping his hand up Jeongguk's shirt and tracing little hearts over his soft skin.

Jeongguk giggles, swatting at him to stop tickling him. Taehyung, of course, doesn't listen. Instead, he distracts him by placing his lips over his, kissing him softly.

It doesn't last long, however.

"Ew, don't kiss me. I didn't brush yet," Jeongguk's nose scrunches in disgust, trying his best to push him off of him. Taehyung chuckles quietly, looking down at him with such fondness as he brushes his fringe out of his eyes.

"I'd kiss you anytime of day or year or era," Taehyung whispers, pinching his cheek. Jeongguk whines again, swatting at him helplessly to go away. At this, Taehyung chuckles softly.

"Okay seriously, what do you want?" Jeongguk asks him in between giggles, naturally slinging his arms around Taehyung's neck.

Before he can ask again when Taehyung doesn't reply, he gasps as Taehyung flips them over.

Jeongguk's sitting on his lap, Taehyung's hands are gripping his thighs, and just to tease him, he hooks his thumbs into the waistband of his pajama bottoms. Taehyung then presses their foreheads together, smirking cheekily at him as Jeongguk's cheeks flush bright red.

"I wanna make love to you until the sun sets!" He says happily, too happily for a person at this time of day. Jeongguk's lips instantly crumple into a frown, his brows drawing together.

"We are not skipping school for a day dedicated to sex," Jeongguk says slowly, his nose crinkling slightly. "I doubt we can last that long too," He adds quietly.

"I bet we could," Taehyung murmurs lowly under his breath, teasingly. Jeongguk can't help but roll his eyes despite the smile twitching on his lips.

"You really wanna go there huh," He punches his chest lightly, the familiar warmth spreading across his cheeks. He nods, squeezing his thighs beneath his firm grip.

"We can try it," Taehyung whispers, slowly leaning Jeongguk back onto the bed. He presses a short kiss to his lips, the duo smiling in between each sickly sweet peck.

Jeongguk laughs softly, gripping tightly on his shoulders as Taehyung lowers him on his mattress, his body fitting beneath his. He lets himself stare into the endless pools of brown that make up his eyes, his fingers playing with the small waves of blonde draped over the nape of his neck.

"I haven't made love to you in so long," Taehyung's breath tickles his ear, his nose brushing against the curve of his cheek. "Want me to please you today?"

Jeongguk feels his skin burn, his tongue numb in his mouth, and his heart soaring in the cavity of his chest. He looks up at him, his nose scrunched and lips pulling into a shy smile.

"Don't say it like that," Jeongguk chuckles fondly, shaking his head. "Th-that sounds inappropriate."

Taehyung snorts in response, his fingers trailing up his sides before settling on the dip of his small hips.

"I'd do inappropriate things to you anytime, anywhere if I could," He teases, finding it cute how red Jeongguk's face turns. He chuckles, pressing another chaste kiss to his lips.

For a moment, they seem to forget their responsibilities as the kiss progresses. Jeongguk's suddenly tugging at his hair for more, Taehyung's tongue is gliding into his mouth, and their bodies are pressing together for any form of contact.

Somewhere along the lines, Jeongguk's shirt comes off, and the two are making out like crazy. It's messy and kinda gross (Jeongguk hates morning breath), but every time Jeongguk kisses Taehyung it's always like his first- addictive, unreal, simply enchanting.

If this is what teenage romance feels like, he doesn't want to let go of it.

"Tae, we are not having sex all day!" Jeongguk bites down on his lip, trying to supress a moan when Taehyung begins to press wet kisses all over his neck.

"Right," Taehyung pulls away, meeting Jeongguk's eyes for a second. However, before Jeongguk can say anything else, Taehyung kisses him again, longer, more harder.

"We're gonna have sex all week."

"God no, get off," Jeongguk laughs, trying his best to push him off of him but Taehyung is way too heavy. At this, Taehyung begins to laugh, his lips spreading into a wide, rectangular smile.

Their laughter intertwines in the quiet of the morning, but as they sit there, admiring one another in the silence, a loud knock sends them back to reality.

"Jeongguk!" His mom's voice instantly sends them both scrambling away from one another. Shit.

Jeongguk hurriedly gestures at Taehyung to leave out the window, the two of them scrambling to not get caught. Right as Taehyung is about to escape, Jeongguk grabs him by the collar of his shirt and smashes their lips together in a rush.

"Meet me at the driveway," Taehyung murmurs after a few seconds, completely blissed with adrenaline and of course, his admiration for Jeongguk.

"Alright I will now leave," Jeongguk scolds him, already pushing him out the window to get out. Taehyung shakes his head, pretending to look hurt but is obviously failing with that huge smile of his.

He's trying so hard not to burst into laughter watching Taehyung climb into his window, but he quickly remembers his mom's at the door. Shutting the curtain, he runs over to the door and unlocks it, revealing his mom clad in her work clothes and her expression concerned.

"You never lock your door," She frowns, worry sparkling in her eyes as she closely studies his current state.

His hair is a mess, his lips are probably red, and of course he's shirtless. That's a lot of red flags there for a mother, and don't forget, a respected church woman.

"Safety precautions I guess?" Jeongguk chuckles uneasily, carding his hands through his hair, hoping Taehyung didn't leave anything obvious.

"We live in the safest neighborhood, Guk," His mom raises a questioning eyebrow at him, her expression shifting into confusion rather than concern.

"Oh really?" Jeongguk swallows, pursing his lips. His mom nods slowly, giving him a skeptical look that has him wanting to hide some place to avoid her judgement.

"Well I just wanted to tell you, your dad and I are heading to another church group meeting in Nashville," She then explains, her brows knitting together when Jeongguk's face turns red.

"Are you sick?" She suddenly asks, confused as she reaches over and feels his forehead.

"No, I'm fine," He reaches over and pats her shoulder, forcing his lips into a smile. "That's great! When are ya'll coming home?" He asks quickly, trying to change the subject.

"Tomorrow morning. I expect you to behave, okay? Don't want any bad behavior from you, young man," She scolds him using what she calls her 'motherly' tone on him.

"Promise I'll do good," He assures her, but the unsure look on her doll features say otherwise. "Mom, I won't do anything wrong," He groans, his shoulders slumping.

"Fine, I trust you," His mom smiles gently and reaches up to pat his cheek. "I love you a lot okay? I don't like leaving you for so long."

"It's okay mom," Jeongguk smiles back, though he can't seem to ignore how his heart is doing tumbles in his chest hearing this news. "I love you too."

"Great!" She claps her hands together, back to her happy-self once again. Jeongguk lets out the breath he doesn't know he's been holding the entire time. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"See you," Jeongguk waves goodbye, and the moment she turns down the hall, he's quick to dress-up, knowing exactly what he's going to do today.

And no, it's not having sex with Taehyung all day.

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Taehyung's leaning against his red convertible, clad in a yellow sweater, jeans, and converse by the time Jeongguk reaches him. He's practically glowing underneath the sunlight, his blonde hair like spun gold and his jaw line looking sharper in the light.

"You don't look dressed for school," He notes, observing Taehyung's attire upon jogging up to him. He's not wearing his varsity jacket but something he wears usually on the weekends.

"Correct because I'm not going today," Taehyung flashes him a crooked grin, whipping out his car keys and twirling them. Jeongguk raises an eyebrow at him, confused. "Why?"

"Because, my love, we are going to ditch," He declares proudly, smiling down at him with that boxy smile of his.

"I've never ditched before," Jeongguk's lips fall into a slight frown while considering it, the idea not as exciting now that he's fully awake. He doesn't really have much of a rebellious side, though he supposes it's there all because of his new friends.

"Well, time to ruin your perfect attendance then!" He says, enthusiasm radiating from his stance. Jeongguk glares at him, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Perfect attendance? Really, that's what you think is concerning me?" Jeongguk snorts, not realizing how much he has to look up now to meet Taehyung's eye.

Somehow as days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months, Taehyung has hit some sort of teenage growth spurt. Before, the pair used to be leveled, but now as they stand close to one another, Taehyung's just a few inches taller.

Not only has his height changed but Jeongguk has noticed his jaw has been getting more defined, the muscles on his body have been getting more bigger, and his features are maturing.

If Taehyung was beautiful before, now he's gorgeous. Wait- scratch that. He's ethereal. Puberty really does work wonders.

"What's wrong then?" Taehyung asks, his hand reaching out for him but freezes half-way knowing that they're outside, free to anyone's view.

Jeongguk swallows nervously, watching as Taehyung slowly retracts his hand back into his pants pocket. They have to be more careful- even the slightest of gestures can be interpreted wrong.

"Let's get in the car," Taehyung murmurs underneath his breath, surveying the area around them, this uneasy feeling enveloping the atmosphere. Jeongguk nods, knowing it's the best they can do, for now.

Inside the car, they waste no time driving. Jeongguk finds himself losing track of time as he leans his head against the window, his hand interwining with Taehyung's.

"Where are we going?" Jeongguk asks curiously, now sitting up in his seat when he notices they're now leaving town.

"Next town over," Taehyung notices Jeongguk's confusion in the mirror and adds, "so nobody will think wrong of you if they catch us."

"You didn't have to drive this far," Jeongguk murmurs, squeezing his hand, his chest feeling that funny sensation he can't quite name. Taehyung simply smiles.

"I did," Taehyung replies, running his thumb over his knuckles. "I know how you feel about being seen with a boy."

At this, Jeongguk's eyebrows furrow, "What do you mean?"

"Guk, we both know it's going to be bad if you're caught with me," He tells him, his lips falling into a pressed, thin line.

"But everyone assumes we're friends, right?" Jeongguk answers, sounding a little unsure. Taehyung shrugs, saying nothing as he keeps his eyes on the road.

A moment passes before he says, "I'm sure Rachel has told people about my current situation."

Jeongguk's lip curve into an o-shape, "Oh, right," He nods slowly. "Rachel."

"Yes, Rachel," Taehyung chuckles dryly, the smile he wears bitter, hateful. "I don't wanna run into her at all."

"Can I ask something about her?" Jeongguk says, immediately regretting it when he watches how Taehyung's features pale. He opens his mouth to take it back, but surprisingly, Taehyung nods.

"Was Rachel always like that?" He asks quietly, his tone soft. He doesn't expect him to reply when he notices his jaw clench, the muscle jumping across it a little scary.

"You don't have to answer me," Jeongguk quickly adds when Taehyung remains silent for a while longer. Of course it's a sensitive topic, and his curiosity just has to get the best of him.

Jeongguk scolds himself silently for being so dumb. But much to his expectations, however, Taehyung eventually shakes his head, sighing gently.

"She was a good mom to me," Taehyung recalls, his gaze fixing on the road. Jeongguk shifts in his seat, listening. "I think we were happy once."

"Tae," Jeongguk's voice drifts off, but he cuts him off, squeezing his hand to assure him he's okay.

"Trust me, I wanna tell you," Taehyung says, meeting his eye for a moment when they reach a stop light. Jeongguk nods, his teeth chewing on his bottom lip as the two sit in comfortable silence.

"I don't wanna lie to you anymore, my love," He whispers, bringing his hand to his lips. Jeongguk's breath hitches in his throat, watching beneath the thick beds of his eyelashes as Taehyung gently kisses his knuckles.

They quickly snap out of their trance when a horn honks at them to go. The duo just laugh it off, finding it ridiculous how easily they lose track of things just staring at one another.

It's so cheesy how things work, but they love it nonetheless.

"Okay, so anyways, my mom wasn't like that for awhile," Taehyung continues, not sounding as strained as he did earlier. "I don't know if it was me being gay or her being pressured by her friends that started it."

"She's still bad either way," Jeongguk says in a matter of fact tone. Taehyung chuckles in response, making his cheeks burn red.

"Yeah, youre right," He smiles sadly, entangling their fingers once more. The two sit in a comfortable silence, the radio playing Purple Rain by Prince, their hands intertwined, and the road flying past them in a technicolor blur.

It's calming, sitting here with Taehyung. Jeongguk has always thought of sin being an act of dancing with the devil. However, in the months he's been with him, sin is more like an exhilarating thrill rush opening your eyes to new experiences.

He used to think Taehyung was his worst sin, but now looking at him, he knows it's not true. He's more than that-much more than that.

"Where are we going?" Jeongguk asks again, though this time he's growing more curious by the second now that he's seeing amusement park rides in the distance.

"There's this summer fair by the lake," Taehyung says, keeping his eyes on the road, smiling wide. "I found out about it the other day."

"Are we going to it?" Jeongguk gasps, bouncing on his seat when they near the fairgrounds. Taehyung nods, chuckling softly at the boy's cuteness.

"It's a kick-off to summer fair, love, of course we are," Taehyung continues to chuckle, the edges of his lips curling into a gentle smile.

"You really outdone yourself," Jeongguk giggles, smacking his shoulder lightly. He can't seem to contain his excitement as they draw closer, and when the full park comes into view he gasps in awe.

"Have you ever been to one?" Taehyung asks, pulling into the parking lot after circling the area searching for a spot. Beside him, Jeongguk's too interested in the park he has to repeat his question.

"Never," Jeongguk shakes his head rapidly, his jaw sligtly ajar seeing the big rides like the ferris wheel and the swing carousel.

He's seen dozens of them in ads but his family never went. His parents didn't make time to go to any of them, so Jeongguk didn't experience fairs. Now that he is, it's like he's a kid again.

"Well then, I'm happy to be your first," Taehyung laughs sweetly and shuts off the car engine. Together they exit the car, and Taehyung quickly joins his side.

"Hey Gguk," Jeongguk turns his head to meet his gaze, his doe eyes wide and sparkling with excitement. Taehyung chuckles and pinches his cheek, smiling.

"Can I hold your hand?"

Jeongguk's smile falters slightly in shock. He gulps nervously, eyeing Taehyung careful as he takes his hand in his ever so gently. They never touch each other in public, but by the confidence in Taehyung's eyes, something's going on.

"We're in a town two hours away from ours. The fairground is packed so we'd be close anyways," Taehyung says shyly, the edges of his tinged a little red.

Jeongguk doesn't say anything, and when Taehyung's about to drop his hand in embarrassment, he takes his arm and drapes it over his shoulders. They're extra close now, their faces centimeters apart and noses nearly brushing.

"Is this okay for you?" Jeongguk murmurs, smiling fondly at him. Taehyung nods dumbly, swallowinng. "Perfect."

The two walk across the lot and to the entrance of the fair. Nobody suspects a thing or gives them dirty looks. They all expect them to be best friends, really close best friends, which is completely wrong.

At least for once Jeongguk can show how much he cares in public without having to hold back. And that, that makes him the happiest he can ever be.

After paying for their tickets, Jeongguk instantly leads Taehyung over to the bumper cars. Laughter filling the air and hands intertwined, Jeongguk enters the ride with Taehyung behind him.

The wait is short, so it's not long until the duo get to choose their cars. Jeongguk finds himself getting the red car while Taehyung seats himself in the blue one right across from him.

"Blue and red make purple," Jeongguk points out, happiness bubbling in his veins, literally making everything exciting.

Taehyung laughs, finding the boy to be so cute all excited, "I purple you." He tells him, fondness glowing in his eyes, "because red and blue are a perfect match."

Jeongguk blushes profusely, knowing that he means something else. Suddenly, the ride starts, and the two are laughing hard. They try to hit each other, and when they do, they throw their heads back in laughter. Taehyung is smiling wide, and so is Jeongguk.

When the ride's over, Jeongguk doesn't hesitate in choosing the next ride. They go to the swinging pirate ship, that one being the second to catch his eye.

But before that, Jeongguk sees a little shop selling cute headbands. He's so eager to get to everything, he ends up dragging Taehyung there too. They mess around, trying on bunny ears and tiger ears, but eventually they settle for cute frogs.

Soon enough, the two are running over to the pirate ship and get in line, but something is off in Taehyung that makes Jeongguk worry.

"What's up?" Jeongguk asks, nudging his shoulder. Taehyung shakes his head, but he nudges him again, Jeongguk's eyebrows creasing in concern.

"I'm kinda afraid of heights," Taehyung finally explains, or well, forces out as his ears burn crimson. Jeongguk's eyes widen, but he's quick to take his hand in his, not caring about the public anymore.

"Keep your eyes on me and you won't be afraid then," He squeezes his hand, giving him a reassuring smile. Taehyung nods silently, squeezing his hand back.

The two get onto the ride and sit towards the end (Jeongguk's request). Taehyung doesn't look so bothered as their shoulders are pressed against one another's, Jeongguk's presence enough to calm him down.

As the ride starts, Jeongguk notices he quickly grasps onto the railing. He worries a little bit, hoping he isn't scaring Taehyung, and as their eyes meet, he does his best to reassure him with a soft smile.

They begin swinging, and the higher they get, the better the rush. Somewhere during the ride, Jeongguk lifts his arms, cheering along with the other riders as the pirate ship swings high.

Taehyung gathers the courage to do the same, slowly finding himself enjoying the ride realizing how happy Jeongguk is. Eventually, both their hands are in the air, and as they continue swinging, Taehyung slides his hand beneath Jeongguk's and holds it.

After the ride, the duo go on more. They ride almost everything in the park by the time the sun is about to set, but there's one more ride Taehyung wants to go on.

"Let's go ride the ferris wheel before the fireworks," He takes Jeongguk's hand in his and leads him to the line. They don't wait very long, and the duo already are going into a seat.

"Gosh, I'm really tired," Jeongguk laughs, realizing this is the first time they can talk properly. He leans his head on Taehyung's shoulder, exhaling into the cool evening as the ride slowly lifts them up.

"Did you have a good day at least?" Taehyung slides his hand into his, then leaning his head on top of Jeongguk's. Jeongguk nods, chuckling softly.

"This was one of the best days of my life actually," Jeongguk glances up at him, his nose brushing against his cheek. Taehyung smiles, turning his head so now their noses are nudging against one another's.

"Well I'm happy if you're happy," Taehyung runs his thumb over his knuckles, smiling that wide rectangular smile of his.

The two turn their attention to the scenery before them. They're almost at the top, the silence between them also comforting as they're able to see the entire fairground. It's all illuminated in neon lights, and they can also see the lake with its many boats ready for the people.

"Do you sometimes wonder what would have happened if we never met?" Jeongguk asks him all of a sudden, catching Taehyung off guard.

"No, I don't," He answers after a moment, clearing his throat. "I like to think I'm able to meet you in any lifetime."

"That's really cheesy," Jeongguk snorts, punching his side lightly, making Taehyung laugh.

"It's true though," Taehyung tells him, his tone softening. "I really like you, and I think that's all that matters." Jeongguk looks up at him, his lips pulling into a grin.

"So if you like me, does that make this a date?" He teases him, which in turn, Taehyung snorts. He rolls his eyes, though the wide smile on his lips says otherwise.

"Of course this was a date," He reaches over and ruffles his hair, making Jeongguk squeal. "Just because we're both boys doesn't mean we can't experience what other couples do."

"You seem to know a lot about boys dating boys," Jeongguk murmurs, snuggling into Taehyung's side as he drapes his arm over his shoulders.

"Not really," Taehyung says, chuckling a little. "I never had a boyfriend before, but I did like someone in the past."

"Who was that someone?" Jeongguk asks curiously, finding himself playing with Taehyung's long fingers. Taehyung hums, trying to remember.

"Jung Hoseok was my first gay crush back in New York," Taehyung tells him, smiling in embarrassment at the old memory. At this, Jeongguk chuckles softly.

"My first crush was Namjoon at the pride parade," Jeongguk laughs sweetly at Taehyung's reaction. Taehyung pouts, looking down at him with pretend-sad eyes. "What about me?"

"You, you are my first for everything," Jeongguk pats his cheek with his small hand, his voice softening to a whisper. "My first lover, my first time-,"

"-Can I be your second time?" Taehyung teases, resulting with a smack on the chest from the smaller one beside him. Jeongguk's glad it's too dark to see the blush creeping on his cheeks.

But after a few moments, Jeongguk nods slowly, making Taehyung choke on air. "Maybe tonight we can do it again?" He suggests, his face unbearably hot.

"I-Isn't your parents home?" Taehyung stammers, his throat feeling oddly tight. Jeongguk shakes his head, "They're in Nashville until tomorrow."

"You really want me to...you know?" He gulps nervously, his hand somewhat shaking in Jeongguk's hold. Jeongguk nods, trying his best to hold a smile.

"Consider it a gift from me for today," Jeongguk says, making Taehyung instantly look away to hide how flustered he is. Laughing at one another's embarrassment, the two bask in each other's presence happily.

Once they reach the top, they look out once more. Jeongguk gasps, tugging at Taehyung's sweater sleeve to see the view. It's breathtaking from above. Everything is a little dot of colorful light, and the faint carnival music in the background can be heard.

The sky is falling into dark hues of blue, the pastel oranges and pinks of the sunset engulfed fully in black. The sky is clear, a perfect time for fireworks, and the stars that splatter across the sky look like little jewels.

Below them is their dangling feet, and to their right is the huge lake, mirroring the inage of the moon's pale white light. It's absolutely beautiful, and Jeongguk swears he has lost his ability to breathe just looking at it.

"Hey Jeongguk," Taehyung whispers. Jeongguk turns his head to see what's wrong, but he's instantly caught off guard when Taehyung crashes his lips onto his.

He melts into Taehyung's touch, his senses being flooded with his familiarity and the sweetness of his lips. He tastes like strawberry funnel cake from what they had earlier, and the way his lips move smoothly over his own engulfs him in bliss. Slow and gentle. Sweet and sugary. That is what bliss is.

Pulling away, they smile in a daze at one another. Kissing Taehyung is dizzying, euphoric, and completely enchanting, and all Jeongguk knows is that he will never get enough of his kisses.

"I like you so much Jeon Jeongguk," Taehyung declares, his fingers lingering on the curve of his cheek. Jeongguk places his hand over his, unable to tear his gaze away.

"I like you so much too, Kim Taehyung," His lips curve into a wide smile, exposing his bunny-teeth. His mouth hurts from smiling, yet he can't help himself.

This new feeling in his chest is something greater than happiness. It's light and warm and real.

Whatever it is, everything feels different, and Jeongguk knows for sure.

He isn't afraid anymore.

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hey i updated! i hope ya'll
like this update ((: i'm really
happy you guys like this book 💛
and shameless self promo, if
you want, please check out my
other book NO LOVE ALLOWED

also i got my first bts album
as an early birthday gift!! i got
jin and hobi's photocard too ahh
omg the v3 persona album is sooo pretty i was freaking out djsjfjf

anyways, i love you guys and
take good care of yourselves!
mela💛