[ 01. city boy ]
J E O N G G U K

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Sunday lunches at the Jeon household are what Jeongguk considers controlled chaos, a hurricane trapped within a glass bottle. It's not a secret the Jeons favor extravagant gatherings over ones with a smaller pool of guests, their quaint family inviting the whole neighborhood to attend a grand pot-luck where the women gather in circles over tea near the fireplace indulging in harmless gossip and the men of the households cluster in the kitchen over wine to discuss current events and of course, God.

Children are at home with their babysitters for the evening, parents not bothering to deal with their abundance of energy after a tiring day. There's also teenagers, too, but it's expected they'd prefer taking their parents' truck and convertibles to the lake side to spend the night, finally able to feel the addictive craze of teenage rebellion.

The older kids in the neighborhood are perhaps planning to get drunk with gasoline station beer bought with birthday money, to splash in the dark lake waters, maybe even smoke weed, and of course, hook up like every other highschool kid in the eighties. For them, the lake is an escape, an outlet far from the day's church-filled activities. It's a chance to be wild, free, and feel alive dancing hand in hand with the sins your parents have taught you to avoid.

Except for Jeongguk, however.

He's not really about the 'teenage rebellion' phase he's seen his classmates become a part of. Call him weird but Jeongguk is yet to explore the uncharted territory named by his peers as his "wild side", if he even has one in the first place. He doesn't seek comfort nor satisfaction in cheap beer or the lustful, illicit caresses of a one-night-stand. He's more at ease with a bible propped in his hands or listening intently to his father intertwine the words of the Lord into their actions, his energy spent on anything but associating with the devil.

But tonight, just as something felt different at the church, that same uneasy aura seems to have followed him home.

He's first hit with a wave of unfamiliarity when he leaves the kitchen. Everyone that's gathered by the hearth is recognizable at most, but there seems to be a new woman that has joined their exclusive group, the newcomer occupying the empty seat he usually claims for himself.

Though it isn't this foreigner that his attention seems to latch onto, but that same dark-eyed boy from church leaning against the door frame only metres away from him. The boy's arms are pinned across his broad chest that's outlined in the crisp material of his plain white button-up, that stance of his exerting this sort of confidence Jeongguk himself lacks in comparison as his gaze falls on him.

He realizes that the mysterious stranger is the second hit of uneasiness that settles over him thickly, coating his throat with sludge clogging his ability to produce a coherent sentence in his refined English. Jeongguk merely blinks, his tongue frozen in his dry mouth when the stranger mock salutes at him, smirking the same way he did at church - teasingly, testing
him in a silent manner.

Then suddenly, he slips out behind the door.

Lips tumbling into a frown, Jeongguk's legs sway him towards the front, a burst of curiosity tickling his tummy as he eases his way through the mingling adults crowding about the room.

It's not until he escapes does he realize he's been holding in a breath the whole time when he rushes into the crisp, skin-piercing coldness of the night. He exhales sharply, a white cloud snaking past his lips when his stare settles on the stranger, who's leaning against the fence railing, those plump lips of his curling into an amused smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes but gleams dimly in his narrowed irises.

"M'starting to wonder if staring is what you Southerners like to do at the sight of us Townies," His voice is controlled, velvety, and resonate. It's nothing what Jeongguk has expected, and here again he finds himself sucking in a breath.

Crap- he's nothing like he has ever dreamt of.

Jeongguk nearly shrinks in his position, awed by the boy's towering height now that they're standing parallel of one another. His stomach flutters, the bittersweet pitter-patter of his heart caught in the hollow of his throat. It feels as though their worlds are touching, colliding without a single fear holding one another back. The city boy clashing with the suburbanite, the conservative interfering with the likes of an extrovert.

Yet every insecurity he never knew he has emerges in the presence of this boy, and when he makes his first mistake of tilting his timid gaze upwards to meet the other's, he tenses on the spot.

"Name's Taehyung," The boy drawls, his deep voice rising and falling with each sugary cowel that rolls off his tongue. The edge of his lips tug effortlessly into a teasing smirk, his sandy locks tumble effortlessly off his forehead and down the back of his neck, his fringe brushing lightly across his eased brows as he tilts his head slightly to the side, eyeing Jeongguk carefully.

"My name's Jeongguk," Jeongguk's vowels are airy, brittle almost, the jitters that tingle beneath his skin overpowering his ability to think right. Never has he acted so nervous in front of a boy close to his age, though he presumes it's due to their obviously different upbringings in two different worlds that causes the ripple of uneasiness in his system.

"Cool to meet you," Taehyung nods meekly before gesturing to the porch swing wordlessly. Obediently, Jeongguk obliges and sits himself down on the rickety old thing.

He feels Taehyung join him, his weight swaying the darn swing, causing Jeongguk to press the heel of his shoe onto the deck to settle it. Afraid of the most brief of touches, he also puts effort on scooting to the side rather awkwardly, not daring to meet his gaze once.

"I-I don't ever see city people like you so I'm sorry for being rude earlier," Jeongguk stammers softly, folding his palms over his lap. He feels Taehyung's irises falling on him, and he swears he can imagine the curved parabola of his lips quirking into an all-knowing smile despite the fact they know nothing about each other. Gulping, he grips onto the loose fabric of his pants, his shoulders stiffening.

"It's okay. City people like me seem to fascinate your kind anyways," The other says in a matter-of-fact tone, causing Jeongguk to smile feebly. "I myself don't like attention, and my mother isn't much of a social butterfly either but they've been swarming us all evening."

"Then why did you move to boring Tennessee if you knew this?" Jeongguk finds himself asking with confidence, the relaxing warmth filling the pit of his stomach comforting him. It's like he's conversing with another one of his high-school friends, except the fact Taehyung is totally otherworldly with his sophisticated demeanor.

At this, Taehyung simply shrugs, "Everyone needs to experience something new once in awhile." Raising an eyebrow at the other, Jeongguk instantly frowns. "What do you mean?"

"Quite the airhead already huh," Taehyung chuckles, the velvety sound rumbling in his chest as Jeongguk's suddenly feel hotter against his frost-nipped cheeks. "Like, I mean, sometimes you need to take the city away from the city boy."

"Are you saying you got in trouble a lot?" Taehyung lifts a brow at the younger, his bottom lip captured between his teeth as he seems to think of an answer.

"Sure," Jeongguk's eyes widen, his head turning to face the other with shock dancing in his doe eyes.

"Have you done crack? Did the nasty? Drank underage? Smoked?"

Questions slip past Jeongguk's loosened lips, wonder clouding his mind and the overall enthusiam he finds in someone foreign to his world eliminating the awkwardness he once had. The whole time, Taehyung shakes his head along to his rampant antics, keeping that amused grin of his until Jeongguk realizes he's been bombarding him the whole time.

"O-oh I'm sorry again," He squeaks, instantly shutting his mouth in pure embarrassment. His cheeks tint a hue of bright pink as he ducks his head down, unable to meet Taehyung's eye after practically acting like some dimwit with no filter.

Sometimes he hates how curious he can get, how he feels obligated to act on to that curiousity spell. Though most of the time, it always gets him into trouble or leads to sheer embarassment. It's still surprising he hasn't learned his lesson after so long. He's already expecting Taehyung to get up and leave, his interest in him short-lived. But much to his expectations, he doesn't feel the seat beside him move a bit.

"Hey, don't be," Taehyung replies cooly, calmly. Then out of nowhere, Jeongguk feels his cool, icey fingers slip beneath his chin, guiding his gaze until they met his. His touch is electrifying, unusual, enticing and sensual in a way that has Jeongguk swallowing anxiously as his irises dart from his narrowed eyes, the mole on the round of his nose, and to the almost feminine-like fullness of his lips.

Realizing how intimate this may look from a distance to his neighbors, Jeongguk snaps out of the trance the boy has entrapped him in and swats his hand away, pressing himself to the other end of the swing much to the flash of subtle disappointment that flits through Taehyung's gaze.

"Don't be a fag," He chuckles awkwardly, his tone off at the way Taehyung's eyes seem to grow darker at the term. Everyone says it at his school to anyone who acts queer in any way. Surely he can use it too since he's just like them, right?

"I wasn't," Taehyung deadpans, any essence of kindness and warmth Jeongguk had relied on to his ease his nerves absent. It's almost scary seeing him change so quickly. "M'guessing your town mistakes friendliness for being homosexual." He drawls bitterly.

But before Jeongguk can answer and break past the shock that renders him frozen in his seat, Taehyung waves his hand dismissively, replacing his pressed lips for a gentle grin.

"Can I ask you something Jeongguk? Something serious?" Taehyung hums lowly, something unfamiliar glittering in the void of blackness within his irises. Nodding, Jeongguk fixates his attention onto his lap rather than his intimidating stare. However, he doesn't quite prepare himself enough for the question Taehyung asks.

"Have you ever sinned before?"

Eyes splaying wide, Jeongguk frantically shakes his head. "W-why would I? Thuh-That's stupid of you to assume such," He snaps in disbelief. "You attend the same church I do. Don't you know our morals? Our values? You told me you've never sinned yourself!"

Taehyung remains silent, his chin perched on top of his curled fingers as his irises scrutinize Jeongguk's reaction. The younger inhales shakily, the edges of his lip's deepening its frown when Taehyung doesn't say a word, seconds dragging into minutes, and minutes feeling like they're dragging into hours.

"I don't see how people sin. It's wrong, it goes against our religion, and 'course it results in absolutely no pleasure," Jeongguk explains, the skin between his brow furrowing. "They're all at the lake doing things their own parents taught them to avoid. It's hellacious and reckless yet they don't care if God's watching or what they're doing is stupid."

Expecting Taehyung not to say a word once more, the other favoring his silence over saying his opinion. Taking the lack of a response as a sign Taehyung's not listening, Jeongguk sighs, running a hand through his chocolate locks vigorously.

Suddenly, Taehyung clears his throat, catching Jeongguk off guard. "Well, then, I must say you haven't sinned enough to truly acknowledge how euphoric it can be, doll." His tone is darker, rougher, and the way his voice lulls Jeongguk's mind to believe him he's quick to stop himself for falling for his way of words.

"Can I ask you something serious too?" Jeongguk sits up, facing Taehyung without an inch of fear or timidity prompting him to cower away. He ignores how Taehyung's lips are arched into a teasing smile, like he's not serious himself at all but enjoying their current situation.

Yet nonetheless, Jeongguk gathers the courage anyways. "Do you believe in your faith?"

"'Course," Taehyung responds curtly, casually draping his arm over the back of the bench. "I believe in him enough to forgive me on how I live my life."

"Then how do you live your life?" Jeongguk shoots back, questioning him solemnly, not daring to back down until he gets an answer.

Taehyung chuckles wryly, retreating his arm back as he brings himself off the bench and to his feet, "Nowhere as pure as yours m'afraid." He says stiffly, leaving without another word as he steps down the porch steps and disappears into the pitch-black night.

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end chapter one

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- heyyyy like the longer chapters?
i'll try doing them more often hehe
also IM READY FOR THIS STORY
TO START after so much research
i've been dying to get this book out.
hopefully, you like it and you'll stay
for the end (:

i love you guys a lot and remember if nobody has told you today, you are beautiful, wanted, needed, valid
and important 💛 mela