[ 15. pride ]
J E O N G G U K

moment we've been waiting for
and also 5604 words????

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When Grace appears at his front door at the break of dawn, Jeongguk and Taehyung are already ready. The drive to Chicago is six hours away, and in order to be able to get there in time for the parade, the group has to leave before the sun rises.

"Ya'll ready?" Grace asks, busy tying back her blonde curls with a scrunchie. Jeongguk checks his bag one last time before giving her a thumbs up. He glances over at Taehyung to see if he's ready, and when their eyes meet the boy nods tiredly.

"Let's getting going," She claps her hands together excitedly. The trio follow her to the car. Jeongguk and Grace end up giggling the entire time while Taehyung's hiding under his hood while they pass Rachel's bedroom window.

Upon reaching the car, Grace shouts 'shotgun' and leaps into the passenger seat. Taehyung and Jeongguk don't really care much - they have planned to sit by each other anyways. And surprisingly, Grace's dad isn't that bad. He tells them to call him Dan, and when they get onto the freeway to Illinois, he ends up telling them a lot of stories.

Jeongguk finds himself listening to Dan's stories most of the time, completely entranced by his experiences. He tells the trio about his experiences in pride marches and how he protests along with the LGBT community during his free time. He also tells childhood stories about Grace, and Dan even cracks a few dad jokes that have all of them groaning at how cheesy they are.

"Are you two a couple?" Dan asks Jeongguk into the third hour.

Grace is sucking on a bright blue ring pop and Taehyung is staring out the window quietly. Billy Joel is playing on the radio in the background, and Jeongguk can feel the cool wind whip through his cheeks from Grace's open window. However, the question gathers all of their attention.

"Me and Grace?" Jeongguk says slowly, his statement sounding more like a question. Grace snorts in the front seat, and from the mirror he can see her roll her eyes.

"Guk, my dad knows," Grace laughs, plopping her ring pop back into her mouth.

Jeongguk's lips form an oval, realizing his mistake. "Oh." He chuckles awkwardly and sinks back into his seat, his ears a bit hot.

Dan laughs from the driver's seat. "I know, not a popular idea back at home with your folks, huh?" He taps the wheel, a smile present on his face.

"Right," Jeongguk nods, lowering his gaze to his lap. "My parents wouldn't be happy if I was gay, or well, anyone actually." He admits, chuckling softly while he fiddles with his fingers.

"Well kid, all I can say is be honest to yourself even though it seems hard at first. It makes living easier," Dan tells him. He can feel Grace's dad's eyes on him. "One day this damn country will realize they can't stop people from loving who they want, and you wouldn't have to worry." Jeongguk nods quietly, unsure of what to think of his response.

He then notices Taehyung's frowning, and before he can ask him what's bothering him, Taehyung asks Dan, "When do you think they'll realize what they're doing is wrong?"

Dan glances at him from the mirror. For a minute, he doesn't answer. He fixes his gaze on the road, and after awhile he simply shrugs.

"Don't know, honestly. Eventually they'll wake up on some Saturday morning and realize same sex love is the same as straight love and that there's no use in fussin' about it anymore. Things like this are unpredictable." He tells him.

Jeongguk's eyebrows furrow when Taehyung nods silently. He doesn't know why he expects Taehyung to say more, and somehow his silence is a little unnerving. He reaches over for his hand to try and comfort him, but Taehyung instantly pulls his hand away.

Taken aback, Jeongguk's lips crumble into a frown, somewhat hurt and confused. He swallows thickly, searching Taehyung's narrowed gaze for any answer. When their eyes meet for a split second, Jeongguk can't decipher what's going through his mind.

Whatever is up with Taehyung will be solved soon - hopefully. Jeongguk really wants them both to be happy and feel free for once at the parade. Especially Taehyung. He out of all people deserves to be happy after leaving behind his old life, and this - this little weekend trip will hopefully make him happy.

He needs it more than the world, and Jeongguk knows deep down he needs it too.

▂▂▂▂▂

Jeongguk's shocked when they get to the hotel.

He has expected the place to be a cheap motel like the ones his parents get, but instead it's a glamorous hotel with chandeliers dangling from the ceilings and fancy furnishings. It's honestly nothing like he's used to.

Their hotel also happens to overlook the Chicago River, and besides that there's glass skyscrapers kissing the sky surrounding them instead of mountains. He glances over at Grace with wide eyes upon entering the lobby, and she simply smiles back and shrugs like it's nothing new.

"My dad works a huge office job back in California," She explains when Dan disappears to go check in. Taehyung, Grace, and Jeongguk decide its best to stand around than sit on the furniture, the three teenagers feeling out of place in such a fancy place.

"Alright kids," Dan walks back to the trio after retrieving their keys from the receptionist. He tosses one to Jeongguk and hands his key to Grace.

"You two boys share a room. I trust y'all not to sneak in any girls later, " He wags a finger at them both, but Jeongguk snorts when he turns to face Taehyung with a mock stern-look on his face.

He hears Grace giggling beside him, probably knowing it's a joke but Taehyung looks really uncomfortable.

"Kidding kid," Dan chuckles deeply and pats Taehyung's shoulder, "you're quite the looker like me at your age. Bet you get all the ladies, right?" He smiles teasingly.

"Sure?" Taehyung replies awkwardly, side-eyeing Grace and Jeongguk for help. Thankfully, Grace clears her throat and elbows her Dad's side.

"Alrighty kids," He then claps his hands together, remembering what he needs to say. "We have two-hours until the parade. Meet me at the lobby by then?" He asks, eyeing the group.

They all give him a thumbs-up, and with that, Dan waves goodbye to them and walks the other way, leaving them alone. Grace immediately tugs Taehyung and Jeongguk to the elevators to get to their hotel rooms when her dad's gone.

While in the elevators, Jeongguk can't help but gasp in awe as they go up the floors, the view of the river before them behind the clear glass breathtaking. He can feel Taehyung's eyes on him during it, and he misses how Taehyung smiles at him fondly.

Upon reaching their rooms, Grace stops them in the hallways, her small hands pressing on both of their chests.

"Okay, rule number before we start. No unprotected sex," Grace holds a finger up as she digs into her bag. Taehyung and Jeongguk look at each other a bit confused, until their eyes widen when Grace pulls out condom wrappers from her purse.

"AIDs is going around, and I doubt y'all wanna die," She shoves the wrappers into Taehyung's hands, oblivious to their red faces. Jeongguk tries to interrupt her, but Grace holds her finger up again to stop him.

"Rule number two is consent. You gotta give fucking consent or else it's fucking rape and nobody likes rape. Rape is bad, and rape is incriminating and really messed up. So, in conclusion, just don't be a rapist," Grace explains, and Jeongguk's glad when Taehyung clears his throat awkwardly.

"Grace there's no need-," He stammers, his voice small but Grace shakes her head.

"No, there is a need. Lets get to rule number fuckin' three bo-"

"Fucking hell, please stop," Taehyung groans, slightly annoyed as he stuffs the condom wrappers into his backpack. "I'm not thirteen and inexperienced," He runs a hand through his hair, frowning.

"You sure? I get hella virgin vibes from you," Grace snickers. Taehyung gives her a death-glare, though she doesn't seem to care and ends up continuing with her mini lesson. On the other hand, Jeongguk's entire face is on fire, and God, he just wishes this can end soon.

"Okay, since I was rudely interrupted by someone," She flips Taehyung off. His scowl deepens. She then smiles, continuing like nothing happened. "Rule three. Prep. It's not good to stick your willy in when poor Jeonggukie isn't stretched properly. Don't want any ripped buttholes do we? From personal experiences, bleeding isn't fun, and Jeongguk is a whole virgin so his first time should be totally amazing."

Suddenly, they hear a woman gasp in the hallway, and instantly all their heads turn to the elderly woman overhearing their conversation.

In that moment, Grace's smile falls. They all wave awkwardly, their faces bright crimson as the woman gives them a dirty look and hurriedly walks away from them.

Taehyung finally exhales and presses his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "You're a fucking idiot," He scowls.

"Well sorry that I'm just a concerned friend who just wants the best for her friend who's probably gonna do the nasty tonight!" Grace frowns, batting her eyelashes innocently at Taehyung.

Taehyung opens his mouth to say something else but he decides against it. Jeongguk awkwardly looking between the two, unsure of what else to say.

The silence between them is undoubtedly awkward, and by the looks of it, neither one of them want to speak. Eventually, Taehyung rolls his eyes and pushes past Grace and inserts the key into the door, allowing them into Jeongguk and his room.

Inside, there's a double bed in a separate room (it doesn't take long to know Grace is behind that feature), a bathroom, a little kitchen and a small living room set. It's not too fancy, and Jeongguk supposes that's what he likes the most about it.

It feels like a piece of home, and as he settles on the bed, watching with amusement as Taehyung and Grace bicker, he allows himself to enjoy the moment all until their voices begin to rise.

"Take the fucking lube you animal!" Grace shouts, shoving what looks like a plastic bottle into Taehyung's hands. He doesn't seem to be having it, his features crumpled into a disgusted scowl as he tries to hand it back.

"I'm not having sex with him!" Taehyung snaps, throwing the bottle at Grace.
She's able to catch it, and thankfully, she doesn't throw it at him. Instead she throws it to Jeongguk and the bottle lands on his lap.

"I'm just preparing for future events! You're more likely to get AIDs with oil lubricant! It breaks down the fuckin condom I wasted precious money on for you two pinheads!" She shouts back, gesturing wildly at the two of them.

Taehyung shakes his head at her, and for the umpteenth time today they continue to argue. Honestly, it's nothing new, and Jeongguk knows it's bound to happen eventually.

While they're busy, Jeongguk takes a quick peek at the bottle, a little curious to what it is. Not even a second passes and he's already looking away, getting flustered realizing the purpose of this gel thingy. He glances over at Grace, wondering how in the world a small girl like her knows these types of dirty things.

"Grace, for fucking Christ's sake, we aren't having sex," Taehyung groans, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. He reaches over and snatches the lube from Jeongguk's hands and throws it into the trash bin.

Grace rolls her eyes, not seeming to believe him, "Bull-fucking-shit. If you get AIDs, don't come crying to me." She shrugs. Taehyung sighs, annoyed.

"We are not getting AIDs," He assures Jeongguk when Grace walks over to the bathroom. Jeongguk doesn't know what AIDs is but he nods anyways, listening to Taehyung.

He scoots over on the bed and lets Taehyung sit beside him, the bed dipping suddenly he nearly falls off the edge. Luckily, Taehyung's able to wrap his arm around his waist to catch him, and Jeongguk can't help but feel a little disappointed when Taehyung removes his hold from him.

"You alright?" Jeongguk asks, concern lacing his words. Taehyung doesn't say anything, which in turn, irritates Jeongguk a little. The boy has been silent the entire ride - how does he not expect Jeongguk to not get worried?

He exhales softly and reaches to cup Taehyung's face with his small palms, turning his face to be parallel of his own. "What's your problem?" Jeongguk frowns, squishing Taehyung's cheeks.

"Nothing," Taehyung responds, his tone void of any emotion. He tries to move away from Jeongguk's grasp, but he's quick to hold him in place, determined to get an answer.

"You've been quiet and tense the entire time," Jeongguk lowers his voice to a whisper, his thumb stroking his cheek gently. Taehyung chews on his lip, shrugging nonchalantly as Jeongguk rolls his eyes at him.

"It's nothing doll, don't worry," He forces out, and when Jeongguk opens his mouth to speak, Taehyung suddenly yanks himself away.

"Stop fucking asking dude. I told you I'm fucking fine," Taehyung snaps, scooting away from Jeongguk to create some space between them.

Jeongguk nods stiffly, feeling a little numb from Taehyung's reaction. He's never been angry at him before. Taehyung's been so understanding and patient with him that his unexpected outburst shocks him.

"Ya'll alright? I heard shouting," Grace shuts the bathroom door behind her, the smile she wears falling slightly noticing the tension between the two. Jeongguk nibbles on his bottom lip anxiously, too afraid to look at Taehyung.

Neither one of them say a thing. He feels Grace studying them both. Her lips press into a thin line, "Okay, well, do you guys wanna go check out the shops?" Again, no answer. "Walk around the park?" Silence.

"Fine then," Grace grabs both of their hands, helping them both to their feet.

She stands in between them and locks her arms with theirs, giving them space. Jeongguk also tries his best to not look in Taehyung's direction, and he doesn't have to know Taehyung's doing the same.

"You two are weird," She shakes her head in disappointment. "Anyways, my dad bought us tickets to the aquarium just in case we wanted to go. Doesn't it sound fun Jeongguk?" She nudges his side, obviously trying to lighten the mood.

"I dunno. I've never been," Jeongguk admits a bit shyly, his lips easing into a small smile as Graces squeals excitedly.

He steals a glance over at Taehyung, his heart feeling heavy when Taehyung doesn't look his way. Realizing Taehyung will probably be mad the whole trip, he frowns, his mood instantly dampening.

Grace notices this, and she holds onto Jeongguk a little tighter. "Great!" She grins, shaking his arm slightly, "We can go check it out. We can take pictures too and print them later for mementos! Doesn't that sound like a rad plan?"

Jeongguk nods, a small smile forcing itself on his lips. Grace laughs sweetly and drags them to the door, making it her mission getting the duo back to being all lovey-dovey once more.

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The ride to the aquarium was silent. Jeongguk doesn't speak to Taehyung once, and Grace and Taehyung don't bicker during the ride. It still feels tense between Taehyung and him, so Jeongguk does his best to keep his space.

After entering the place and using their tickets, Grace drags Jeongguk and Taehyung to the exhibits. He finds it really sweet how Grace tries hard to make the atmosphere light and fun. She cracks stupid puns about fishes, and she's also pretty intent on taking pictures with the camera she got from her girlfriend.

"Why are you taking so many?" Taehyung complains. They're barely at the second exhibit, and Grace wants Jeongguk and him to pose in front of a fish tank with bright, multi-colored fishes swimming about.

"Cuz," Grace says as she snaps the picture, "taking pictures is the best way to save happy memories. Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever, you know. It helps us remember the little things, long after you've forgotten everything."

"Wow, where did you get that quote?" Taehyung says sarcastically, knowing there's no way Grace is smart enough to know that. Grace flicks his cheek (she's too short) and in return, Taehyung pushes her playfully.

Grace chuckles, tucking back a loose curl behind her ear, her cheeks a soft hue of pink, "Aaron Siskind. He's my girlfriend's favorite photographer," She tells them, her eyes glittering with stars at the mere mention of her lover.

"Your girlfriend sounds cool," Jeongguk chuckles, nudging her side with his elbow. She nods silently, playing around with her camera shyly.

"She really is," Grace murmurs, sounding a little sad. Jeongguk decides not to say anymore, knowing this trip should be a happy experience together.

The trio continue to walk down the exhibits, taking in the beauty of each tank. Jeongguk stops every now and then to admire and point at the pretty fishes or cry out in pure joy when they see the dolphins.

Grace also makes sure to take a picture every time they stop and also ends up whining about how photogenic Jeongguk is unlike her when she reviews each image.

Taehyung gets annoyed most of the time, but what Jeongguk doesn't notice is how his irritation seems to fade whenever he gets up close to the glass that his nose presses against it. He misses the way Taehyung's frown eases into a soft smile, his fondness for the boy glowing in his irises when Jeongguk will gasp in awe at a fish he's never seen before like a little kid.

While Jeongguk's sucked into the experience of looking at aquatic animals, Grace notices everything.

Towards the end of the aquarium, Jeongguk gasps loudly when they reach a tunnel. Everything but the floor contains sea life. The lighting in the room is quite dark from the water, which colors everything with a spectrum of blues.

Jeongguk steps into the center of the tunnel, his jaw hanging as he spins in a circle, his eyes practically stars as all different types of sea creatures swim above him.

It feels unreal standing beneath a tunnel meant to mimic the ocean. He looks up to the ceiling, his breath hitching in his throat when a school of fish swim above him. The room seems to be shimmering, the purple light pouring from above the tank dancing across Jeongguk's features.

He's never felt so calm, and despite standing there alone, he doesn't feel lonely like he usually does. However, it's not the fish that make him feel that way. He turns to look over at where Grace and Taehyung stand. Grace seems to be whispering in Taehyung's ear, and he doesn't look to be happy but Jeongguk doesn't care.

It's them. It's them that make him feel complete.

Here, it's like the world just contains the three of them. There's no scrutiny or disappointment or fears. It's just them, existing freely amid a colony of things that are just as unique as them. Unlike his town, everyone is the same - they're copies of one another, and whatever is different to them, they look down upon them.

The aquarium isn't like that. All the fishes are unique, beautiful, and live the way they want to live. Instead of attacking whoever's different, they seem to embrace one another because in the end, they're the same no matter how different they look or how they choose to live.

They're meant to coexist, and they accept each other without questioning. Despite their differences, they live in peace, and even if they're introduced to something new they adjust to it.

It's a reality Jeongguk doesn't have, but just this once, he lets himself pretend he does.

"Hey," He feels Taehyung's arms slip around his waist, pressing their chests together. Warmth spreads through Jeongguk's face when Taehyung leans their foreheads together, his narrowed, dark eyes looking straight into his.

"What are you doing?" Jeongguk breathes, his heart running wild when Taehyung starts to sway them in place. He wraps his arms around Taehyung's neck, slightly confused but letting him do it anyways.

"Grace wants a picture," Taehyung answers vaguely. Jeongguk raises an eyebrow at him, though he doesn't add anything else. Instead, they just stand there, together in their own little world among the fishes without uttering a single word, and Jeongguk doesn't seem to mind.

"Perfect! I got it guys," Grace runs up to them, waving her camera at them. The pair break apart, both of them curiously looking at their picture.

"You two look like a couple," She points out, her tone gentle. Jeongguk takes her camera and gets a closer look at the two of them, his heart leaping in his chest realizing how intimate it looks even though they're not doing anything sexual.

"Kinda," Jeongguk lets out softly, handing the camera back to Grace. He looks over at Taehyung, who is back to ignoring him again. Sighing sadly, Jeongguk ignores the heaviness spreading throughout his chest and gives Grace a gloomy smile.

"Don't say those things anymore," He pats her shoulder, his heart splitting at the edges. "Things like that are impossible." He forces out, trying to make his smile believable. Taehyung turns his head, looking a little shocked and even a bit upset.

Grace gives Jeongguk a skeptical look, but nonetheless the trio get ready to head back in time for the pride parade.

▂▂▂▂▂

"You kids were almost late," Dan tsks as the four meet in the lobby. Grace, Jeongguk, and Taehyung apologize to him, but instead, he laughs.

"It's alright," He ruffles his daughter's hair, smiling. "Let's get going, shall we?"

The trio don't have to walk far to reach the parade. It's obvious where it's being held because the moment Jeongguk and them arrive, they're instantly stopped by giant rainbows and signs being held up by small crowds of different people. The sidewalks are packed but not enough to overflow the streets, every single parade watcher overflowing onto the street alongside the paraders.

Jeongguk's never seen so much diversity in his life as Grace, Taehyung, and he immediately squeeze to the front of the sidewalk to get a closer look of the parade. His eyes widen at the sight, and for a second, he swears he's been transported somewhere else.

All around them there are people of color, different race, and couples embracing their sexualities in the open. Men are wearing feminine clothes and makeup, there are women defying their gender norms, couples are holding hands with their loved ones, and others are clad in pro-LGBT shirts and are holding up signs about gay love.

"Magical right?" Grace shouts over the loud chants from the crowd. Jeongguk nods excitedly, not able to take his eyes away from the sight.

Everyone is marching and having fun while swaying their signs above their heads. People are laughing and clapping along, others are kissing their lovers freely despite being gay or lesbian.

Jeongguk sneaks a glance over at Taehyung, curious to what his reaction is too, and when he sees his eyes are just as wide as his own, his heart flutters in his chest.

Here, everyone's acting freely and celebrating who they are. Nobody's trying to hide or feel shameful about themselves, and those nasty people who shout back at them that they're disgusting and unnatural are simply ignored in the bliss of the moment. Groups of lesbians with funny signs, gay men waving and showering the crowd with flying kisses, and even transgender people walk the streets, proud of who they are.

All of this is so new, so exciting, and Jeongguk doesn't want to leave.

"Jeongguk look!" Grace tugs his sleeve, one of her fingers pointing to a car. On it is a woman with short black hair and outrageous makeup. Beside her is another woman with spiky short hair and makeup just as wild as her friend.

"Those guys are drag queens," Grace explains, gesturing to the man that Jeongguk has thought to be an actual woman. "Some men like to dress up in feminine clothes to express themselves. Drag is like an art form some use, and others do it for fun." He nods along, finding it rather cool.

"Why are they using 'faggot' and 'dyke' on their signs?" Jeongguk asks her, slightly confused when he sees a woman waving around a sign saying 'I RAISED A GOOD DYKE'. "Aren't those mean names?" He frowns a little.

"It's kinda like a fuck you to those people who say lesbians are bound to go to hell," She tells him, laughing when she notices another sign that says 'GAY PRIDE IS GAY POWER'.

"Everything here is a metaphor for 'fuck you society -- we're hella gay and we love it'," Grace adds, noticing how Jeongguk still doesn't seem to understand.

The trio then make their way down the street, following the crowd as they march down the road. The parade goes on for hours, and by the time they finally come to a stop, the sun is already setting in the distance. Jeongguk tries to stand on the tips of toes to see what's going on. Grace grabs both Taehyung and him, dragging the both to the front to give them a better view.

In the center are a man and a woman. One of them is standing on top of a peach box, and he looks to be whispering something to the woman. The crowd's chanting comes to an end when the man's done talking to the woman, and by the looks of it, the man has something to say.

"Thank you for coming today! It's a tough coming out here," The man flashes them a dimpled smile, and with that, the crowd cheers back.

Jeongguk even finds himself cheering along, his lips spread in the biggest smile he can muster. Beside him, Taehyung and Grace are cupping their hands around their mouth, shouting and smiling just as wide as he is.

When the crowd quiets down again, the man begins to talk, his tone more serious. "My name is Kim Namjoon, and I know it's hard. As a gay man myself, I understand how it feels to feel scared, to feel upset, and to feel disgusted with myself for being different in a society where love supposedly exists only between a man and a woman."

"I've been there with parents who still believe being gay is wrong, and the moment when you come out they tell you you're just sick. I've seen what conversion camps do to the youth. I have seen things and heard things that have told me that I'm unnatural or that I'm a monster, but deep down I know I'm none of those things. I'm still human, and I still love. But I love differently, and that's okay," He grins proudly.

"It's okay to love boys. It's okay to love girls. It's okay to love everyone. Not everyone will approve of you, and not everyone will support you and that's just how it is. Hate exists in this world, but you-- you can choose to ignore it. Embrace yourself as an individual and love yourself. You are the only one who can decide who you want to love, not a scripture, not a god, and certainly not anybody else," Namjoon stresses, gesturing to the people surrounding him.

"We gather here to celebrate love of all different kinds, and most importantly, ourselves. Coming out is a difficult process. I spent years of my teenage life hating myself and denying who I was, but when the time comes you'll realize living in a lie is not worth it," Jeongguk shyly glances over at Taehyung, his heart thumping in his chest softly realizing the speaker's words mean so much more to him. Taehyung's also so invested into the speech that he doesn't notice how Jeongguk slowly inches closer to him.

"To all of you who are in the closet or struggling to come to terms with your sexuality, I truly hope you will figure everything out. The world we live in may not be ready to accept us, but what matters is that we accept ourselves," Namjoon takes a deep breath as his gaze scans the crowd. For a moment, Jeongguk makes eye contact with him. Namjoon smiles at him softly, and Jeongguk can feel his heart flutter as he gathers the courage to smile back.

Namjoon clasps his hands together, determination sparkling in his eyes. "As long as we accept ourselves, this battle for our rights will be worth it in the long run. What's the point in trying to fight for equality when we don't even approve of ourselves?"

And with that, the crowd bursts into applause.

Jeongguk feels his breath hitch in his throat when Taehyung's gaze meets his, and while the crowd's cheering around them, all he can focus on is Kim Taehyung looking down at him with that beautiful rectangular smile of his.

Slowly, his hand reaches for his, and steadily their fingers intertwine.
Taehyung's palm fits perfectly into his, his fingers engulfing his hand whole.
Around him, the community is cheering, screaming at the top of their lungs to celebrate their pride and throwing their arms around their friends and lovers.

He feels like he's walking on air, every single one of his emotions becoming vulnerable in the moment yet he feels invincible at the same time. He's not sure what to think or what to say, or what he's supposed to do. His thoughts are numbed and the usual voice in his head telling him everything's wrong is gone.

Right now he guesses he's living in the moment, but somehow it doesn't feel like that. Something in him feels different, and he's not quite sure what it is.

"Hi," Taehyung murmurs, his thumb gently caressing Jeongguk's knuckles. Their bodies slowly gravitate towards each other, not caring that they're in public where everyone's eyes are on them.

"Hey," Jeongguk smiles softly, nibbling nervously on his bottom lip. He feels Taehyung's other hand settle on his hip, carefully pulling him closer.

"I'm really sorry," Taehyung presses his forehead against his, his voice low enough for Jeongguk to hear him.

"Don't be," He replies, squeezing his hand. "It was my fault too. I should have backed-off-,"

"-No, it was my fault for being rude. I'm really sorry Guk," Taehyung sighs, squeezing his hand back. Jeongguk smiles, chuckling as he shakes his head.

"I swear let me take the blame sometimes," Jeongguk laughs sweetly. Taehyung smiles, snorting softly.

"Maybe another time," Taehyung teases, Apressing a delicate kiss to Jeongguk's temple. "Let's just enjoy the moment while we can, doll," He murmurs against his forehead.

"You know, we're free here," Jeongguk looks up at him, genuine happiness twinkling in his doe-eyes.

Around them, couples of all kinda are suddenly kissing. He hears something about showing your love and pride before the day ends, but he doesn't hear it fully.

"Yeah, we're free now, love," He repeats quietly. Jeongguk lets out a shaky laugh, as he scans his surroundings. Grace is behind Taehyung and gives him a thumbs-up of approval but he can't deny the sadness in her smile.

He'll surely talk to her about that later.

"What do we do?" Jeongguk asks curiously, unsure of what to do next.

Taehyung simply shrugs, "Dunno." A moment of silence passes between them before Taehyung gets an idea.

"Can I kiss you?" He asks shyly, his vowels wavering slightly. Jeongguk sucks in a breath, finding it cute how Taehyung's cheeks turn a hue of red.

"Sure," Jeongguk giggles, and with that, Taehyung leans in and connects their lips into a sweet kiss that doesn't last long, but for them it feels like eternity.

Jeongguk's entire chest swells with happiness, and never has he felt this happy and comfortable with himself in so long. Grace instantly joins them and throws her arms around them, pulling them close in a group hug.

"I love you nutheads," She pretends to sniffle as she ruffles their hair with her fist. Taehyung swats Grace, and the two engage in another arguement.

The three of them leave the crowd and walk to one of the benches. Dan comes back with ice cream, and the four of them decide to eat ice cream and watch the sunset.

Later in the evening, they all return home, and as Jeongguk and Taehyung go back to their hotel room he realizes something while Taehyung's in the shower.

This is the first time in his entire life he has been sure of something and felt free from all his struggles, and as he sits there contemplating whether it's a good decision, he realizes this is the only chance he gets.

"Hey Taehyung," Jeongguk flops back onto the bed, his gaze following him as he rubs his hair with a towel.

"Yeah, love?" Taehyung asks, adjusting his robe. Jeongguk takes a deep breath, trying to ease his nerves as he gets the courage to say what's been on his mind.

"Lets have sex."

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Tune in next time (;