[ 03. consequences ]
J E O N G G U K

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"Taehyung's got to be a fag."

Jeongguk chokes on water, the boy's fingers scrunches the plastic aggressively as liquid dribbles from his lips and onto his lap. He turns his widened gaze to his friend group (he doesn't quite consider them friends but people his parents have persuaded him to be around), shock riddling his features.

It's lunch, and the typical conversation between the group of four doesn't really stray towards gossip but sports, girls, or boring church conversations. It's a feminine thing, and most boys at Jeongguk's school would rather associate with masculinity than risk being called a queer for doing such girly things. However, it's not their gossip that catches him off guard, but the familiar name of a boy he was literally in the closet with a few hours ago.

"W-what?" Jeongguk wheezes, swiping at the corner of his mouth with the back of his palm much to the weird stares his companions are giving him.

"You heard me Jeon," Jason, the blonde haired one that always wears a letterman jacket to signify his importance as a football player, lets out an nasally laugh. "He's a fag."

"But you don't know him," Jeongguk counters, setting his waterbottle on his tray. Jason rolls his eyes, the corners of his mouth fluttering into a smirk.

"I don't need to know him to tell if he's a fuckin queer. Look, Brian, Steven, d'ya'll agree?" The leader of their group jerks his thumb to the two boys on their right.

Jeongguk spares a bored glance over at the two, Brian seeming to be occupied staring over at the cheerleaders' table, stuck in a dreamy haze filled with peaked, nude breasts while Steven's busy picking at his pulled pork with a look of pure disgust. It's not until Jason snaps his fingers do they listen, nodding along like they're totally listening in on the conversation.

"Sure, like, look at him bros," Brian, the other blonde that has a mullet and also sports a matching letterman jacket with his football number juts his chin to where Taehyung sits. Jeongguk doesn't really see anything wrong - there's just a lot of girls fawning over him at his table and some dudes he can only identify as popularity seekers. It's really nothing new.

"Dude, he's just another chink," Steven mutters underneath his breath, propping his elbow on the table and setting his chin on his palm.

He tosses Jeongguk a look realizing what he's said. He blinks slowly, then adding, "Jeon you're technically American so, uh, no offense."

"None taken," He bites back the anger riling up his throat at the slur, hiding it instead with a mere smile. He averts his attention back to Jason. "Are you afraid he's gonna overshadow you Jase? I mean, he has more popularity than y'all and y'all are football stars."

At this, both Steven and Brian seem to snort out, but Jason flashes them both a frown before forcing the edges of his lips into a fake smile directed towards Jeongguk. Jeongguk straightens his posture, eyeing the other with the same, forced grin splayed across his lips.

"No Jeon, I'm not scared of a little company," Jason says slowly, though he breaks their little stare-off to cast Taehyung another dirty look over his shoulder, though Jeongguk knows the other's probably too swamped in attention to care anyways.

"Then why call him a homosexual when you know that's gonna hurt his rep?" Jeongguk retorts, letting his smile fall into a frown as he shifts awkwardly in his seat.

He feels Brian and Steven staring at him, silently telling him to keep his mouth down. It's not every day Jason and Jeongguk fight, but when they do, it doesn't end so well. He observes as Jason rolls his eyes, pressing his arms over his chest, brows scrunching in irritance.

Jason scoffs, "Why are you even standin' up for him? Did city boy enchant you too?"

"Naw," Jeongguk fires back, "but it's best you don't assume. Your Pa taught you better."

"And my Pa don't know 'bout the shit I do," Jason snarls angrily. "If you wanna even see the next day Jeon, I suggest you don't tell my folks and keep your mouth shut."

"Try me Jase."

"I will Jeon. Mark my words, punk."

"Guys," Steven interrupts tiredly, the oldest of the four rubbing at his face with his palm, "don't fight now. Jason I doubt you wanna get grounded by your Pa before you get to see Mary Lou at the Lake, and Jeon your Pop don't want you to fight either."

The youngest of the four sighs defeatedly, slumping in his seat along with the other. Steven's right; he can't fight anyone without getting into trouble with his father. Neither of them want to face the wrath of their pastor fathers, and with that, Jeongguk avoids looking the other in the eye.

He hears Brian clear his throat from beside him, attempting to lighten the blatant tension between the boys. "Uh, is anyone amped to head over to the Lake in a couple weeks?"

"Mhm," Steven nods, stretching. "I get to see that Bethany girl again. Pretty bogus the Lake's polluted cause of Dean dumpin' alcohol in it so we can't go there for a few weeks."

It's in no time the energetic and "good boy" version of Jason appears once more, the blonde's lips pulling into a confident smirk as he elbows Steven's side playfully. "Right! I told the dimwit to drink it, but he was so drunk I bet he heard the opposite!"

Jeongguk tunes out the three's banter about girls, sex, drinking, and smoking, finding himself focusing on Taehyung's gentler smile and quieter voice beyond their table.

It's surely a contrast he finds himself preferring over the rowdy teenage boys he's unfortunately friends with.

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A few days later, it's finally Friday afternoon.

Jeongguk's already at home, lounging on the couch as his mom's baking cookies for the new neighbors next door while his father studies the bible to prepare for a new sermon over at the kitchen table. It's quiet, the good kind, and neither of them seem to intrude in each other's personal bubbles of solitude.

It's also been a few days since his slightly heated conversation with Jason, yet he still can't get the boy's words out of his damn mind. Calling Taehyung a fag has never made him so angry, so irritated in his life, but for what reason, he has absolutely no clue except for the fact it's bugging him like crazy.

He doesn't really know the boy very well, and it's true he's done some questionable things (Jeongguk guesses the customs are different in the city) that can be explained. Though he can't see Taehyung actually being a homosexual, a true queer when he's devoted to the same faith Jeongguk believes in. Jason's accusations feel more out of jealousy than factual evidence, the boy being fueled by envy to spite the other.

Unless Jason's actually right and Taehyung is a homosexual, then Jeongguk must do his best to guide him away from that sort of sin.

"Hey Jeonggukie," His mom calls out. "I need you to do me a favor, son."

Jeongguk quickly shoves his bookmark on his page, tossing the novel onto the coffee table before joining his mother in the kitchen. His mom is quite young for her age, the woman's features smooth from any crease and hair a vivid brown that fits the current trend of wild hair. People overlook the fact she had him at a young age too, her powerful devotion to God making them forgive her sins.

She's busy fixing a basket of goods for what seems to be for their new neighbors by the counter, his mother just about done tying a ribbon over the handle when he arrives. His mom flashes him a sweet smile, gesturing him to her with a manicured hand. Jeongguk joins her side, pecking her cheek briefly with a smile mirroring her own.

"Take this to the neighbors," She turns to face him, taking the basket and pushing it into his arms. Jeongguk struggles slightly, the basket surprisingly large, but nonetheless he nods.

"Who are they again?" He asks curiously, tilting his head to the side for a sign of any card, though it's way too big to crane his neck over to see.

"Heard of the Kims?" Jeongguk shakes his head. His mom chuckles softly. "Well, they're Koreans too, so go ahead and welcome them. Oh, and invite them to dinner tomorrow too before Saturday church."

"Got it," Jeongguk grins widely. He says a short goodbye before making his way out of his house to the similar one right beside his own.

It doesn't take long to trudge down the porch steps and tread down the sidewalk. The house beside theirs is a baby blue with white trim, its exterior filled with green shrubs and flowers. The design matches everyone in the division's suburban homes, the white gated door and partially broken doorbell hanging off a wire like his own. He approaches the front and rings the door bell, facing forward with a warm smile.

As the door swings open, his smile nearly falters seeing an insanely beautiful woman much older than his mother answer.

Her eyes are a piercing green; her hair a wild, curly reddish brown color that matches her bold makeup that seems to accentuates her sharp jawline and high cheekbones. The woman's wearing nothing but a red lacy bra and a figure-hugging skirt that tints Jeongguk's entire face a fiery shade of scarlet, prompting him to force his stare towards the ground than at her humongous breasts.

"What are you doing here?" Her accent is rough, unrefined at the edges. Jeongguk feels a haze of cigarette smoke fan over his cheeks, the smell putrid. "Look at me boy while I address you."

"S-sorry ma'am," Jeongguk stammers awkwardly, struggling to level his gaze with hers. Somewhat successful, Jeongguk swallows thickly, hating how small she makes him feel with her mere presence. She's just so freaking intimidating, and her confidence exerts itself from her figure in waves that swallow him and spit Jeongguk back out in a total mess.

"I don't accept freebies boy," She puffs out another cloud of nicotine, making Jeongguk's noise scrunch at the toxicity. "Whatever boy scout shit this is, I don't want it."

"Uh i-it's- this i-is from my muh-mom," Jeongguk squeaks, slowing stretching his arms out to give the woman his mother's welcoming badket. However, the cold, hard glare she gives him makes Jeongguk regret moving at all.

"Tell her we don't want charity. We ain't planning stayin' here very long-," But before she can finish her sentence, he hears a person faintly shouting from behind her that sounds quite familiar to his ears.

"Rachel what the fuck," He tenses in his stance recognizing the same, deep, velvety vowels that belongs to nobody other than Taehyung. He can't see him, though he can picture the boy with his windswept locks and tanned skin in his mind talking angrily to whoever this is.

"Fuck off kid. I told you to stay in your room, but what do you do?" Rachel snaps back, iritation lacing her words. "You never listen!"

"Because you're a literal bitch," Taehyung screams at her, causing the woman to flinch.

"Don't use that language son," The woman sneers, the venom in her voice throwing Jeongguk off guard. He merely blinks, unsure whether it's appropriate to leave or wait until it blows over.

But before he can leave, Taehyung emerges from behind the door, his brows furrowed and his fingers pressing the bridge of his nose as he whispers something to his mother. Jeongguk notices how he's clad in a loose white shirt and flannel pajamas pants, his hair askew over his forehead as though he's left it tangled.

"Leave Rachel," He mutters cooly, his voice tired. "I'll deal with this."

"Fine, but we'll discuss you disobeying with your father later," Rachel slams the door against the wall, making both Taehyung and Jeongguk jump at the same time.

Jeongguk frowns, waiting patiently for Taehyung to gather himself. He watches through saddened irises as Taehyung runs his fingers through his hair, tugging lightly as his scalp while an exhausted sigh slips past his lips. Taehyung doesn't look very clean or put together like he usually does, and when he meets Jeongguk's awkward gaze with that cold stare of his, he realizes Taehyung probably didn't want him to see this side of him.

Scratch that. Taehyung doesn't look happy to see him at all.

"I suggest you leave now," Taehyung's voice is detached, empty, yet Jeongguk can't help but notice the hint of nervousness lingering behind his wavering vowels.

He snatches the basket from Jeongguk's arms, his fingers brushing against the youngers subtly. Jeongguk inhales sharply, retracting his hans to his pants pockets, taken a back from the jolt of electricity that ran beneath his skin. Taehyung eyes him once before sighing softly, shaking his head before ducking his gaze to his feet, embarrassed.

"Are you okay?" Jeongguk musters, feeling Taehyung's blank stare fall on him once more, seemingly unraveling him where he stands without a single emotion flickering in his irises.

"None of your business," Taehyung croaks, struggling to sound calm. "Don't tell anyone about what you saw."

"I promise," Jeongguk whispers, his voice caught in his throat. Taehyung lingers by the door for another second, nodding stiffly without a single word. He then reaches for the door, gaze fixating on Jeongguk.

"If I hear any of this anywhere, there's gonna be consequences," He warns darkly, his mood shifting as he slams the door in his face, missing the way Jeongguk's face turns pink all over again.

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jeongguk has a southern accent
and taehyung kinda has a new yorker
accent but not really it's more of an
american accent lololol 🤷‍♀️

love you guys a lot 💛💛