Forty-Eighth
:Chapter Forty-Eight:

"So . . ." The silence was awkward and unbearable. Jeongguk didn't know if he was thankful his father broke it or not; not sure what outcome would be better.

Jeongguk's dad was driving toward's Taehyung's house. The aforementioned sat in the back while giving directions to his address and Jeongguk remained in the passenger seat.

"How long have you two been dating?" Mr. Jeon wondered, looking over to the side briefly before taking his gaze back towards the road.

Jeongguk didn't think this far into it, he didn't plan for them to be interrogated. Rookie mistake.

He tried to come up with something but Taehyung was quicker than he was.

"About two months now." The older teenager answered, it seeming reasonable. It was an acceptable answer to Mr. Jeon.

"Was this the . . . First time or have there been other times I'm unaware of?" The dad asked, hearing small directions given by Taehyung.

Jeongguk could answer this and be truthful. There was no need to lie on this one, right? They only did it one time. "Uh, j-just that once." He replied. He ended up stumbling over a few of his words mistakenly.

Words couldn't express how much Jeongguk hated lying to his father but he hated to disappoint the old man just as much if not more. He knew not all of what he said was a lie but it might as well be.

     "As long as you boys use protection." Mr. Jeon said, faintly shaking his head but it was more to himself than anything. "Too young to catch something." He added but by a tone quieter.

"Of course," Taehyung said, speaking in for Jeongguk who he knew was angry and ashamed at the moment. At least that's what he configured.

It was sooner or later when Jeongguk's dad pulled up beside Taehyung's house, putting the car in park and waiting.

Taehyung thanked the man multiple times and got out of the car, saying bye to both of them before he went up to his front door.

Jeongguk didn't say anything, staring ahead. He didn't feel like saying bye. He didn't feel like saying anything. All Jeongguk wanted to do was go to school and live out his day as if nothing changed; play the part he had to play in front of his friends.

     "It's rude not saying goodbye to your friend." Mr. Jeon informed, putting the car back in drive as he began to take his son to school. "Especially after what you two did. Not very nice, Jeongguk."

"Yeah, well, we had an argument in the kitchen." Jeongguk didn't even notice that his father addressed Taehyung as a friend. He just knew he was upset.

The old man hummed. "What did you guys argue about?" He inquired, drumming his thumbs on the stirring wheel.

"It was stupid. He's wrong." Jeongguk immaturely said, a pout on his thin lips. His arms were loosely crossed over his chest to further his appearance of what an attitude looked like.

"Ah, well, what if you're wrong?" Jeongguk's dad wondered, wanting to always see the other perspectives. He always tried to see both ends of it and Jeongguk knew that.

"No way," He retaliated. "He's just wrong. There's no right to this."

Jeongguk's dad chuckled, shaking his head. "What is he wrong about?" He asked. He wanted to know what had his son bothered.

"He wants to keep everything a secret." Jeongguk answered. "Our friendship. He doesn't want to tell anyone about the things we do."

"Your friendship?" Mr. Jeon didn't think the two were together and Jeongguk only solidified his answer the more they spoke.

". . . Relationship." Jeongguk reluctantly corrected himself, feeling his cheeks grow warm as his father caught his mistake.

It wasn't long before the old man spoke up. "You don't got to lie to me. I can't control what you do, I can only hope you choose the right thing to do." He said, side-eyeing his son to catch the shameful reaction.

Jeongguk sighed, feeling even worse now. It was one thing after the next, piling up and becoming another reason to be mad. It wasn't fair. Any of this.

     "Still. He just doesn't understand. I don't know why keeping everything a secret is so important to him. I get hiding what we did yesterday but . . . I don't know. Maybe I am the one in the wrong." Jeongguk looked down at his lap, uncrossing his arms and picking at the skin around his nail beds.

Mr. Jeon listened to his son, nodding as he was being informed. He took in the story and tried to think of why someone would want this but Jeongguk had more to say.

     "He says why but it never makes sense. It just sounds like a poor excuse." The teenager added. He winced as he pulled back a piece of skin, ending up pulling more than he initially intended.

"What excuse is it?" Wondered the older man, getting closer and closer to the school. He drove a bit slower than usual to hear Jeongguk and to give the teen some time.

"He thinks we're just going to fall back into not being friends again. He tells me that if that happens, we don't have to tell anyone because we never told them we were even friends in the first place." Jeongguk said.

His father hummed, nodding but to himself more than anything. He took it all in and analyzed the situation he was presented with.

     "Son, you'll come across people who make decisions you would never and unfortunately, we can't change what they choose. That's why I will never tell you what to do as far as this goes. If you ask, I'll give what I can but I just hope you make the best decision for yourself." The man told.

Jeongguk always knew his father knew what to say. He was a wise man and was very intelligent. He used his wisdom as best as he could.

     "Some people are just so prideful. He could be one of those people." Jeongguk's father provided a slight explanation.

"As if he were ashamed to be friends with me?" Jeongguk asked, looking to the left at his dad who remained looking forward.

"That could be one of the reasons. Maybe he truly is fearful things will just go back to being how they were. Can't lose something if you never had it." Said the old man, shrugging his shoulders.

Jeongguk repeated the words in his head and huffed, turning away. He didn't know if he was satisfied with that answer or not; not quite sure if he himself felt it was acceptable.

"There's more than just his pride. Like, I have feelings too. I don't like this secret shit." Jeongguk told with his annoyance heavily involved.

Jeongguk's dad let the profanity slide, knowing his son was just upset and irritable. He continued past it. "Does he know you don't like hiding your guys status?"

"He should know." Jeongguk said.

"Does he? Did you tell him with those words?"

Jeongguk sighed, shaking his head though his father didn't look over. "No." He mumbled.

"Then maybe he didn't put it together that you're not okay with it. Some people can't pinpoint it like others. He could be a bit thick-headed." The old man said as he pulled up to the front of the school, putting the vehicle in park.

Jeongguk didn't know if he felt helped. Sure his father gave explanations but were they reasonable? Were they valid? Were they even right?

     "You got to get going, can't have you missing anymore school." Said the old man, looking at his son who pulled in a deep breath.

Jeongguk got out of the car, saying a goodbye and telling his father he loved him before shutting the door behind him.

He went on up to the school, making his way straight to the main office so they could give him an tarty pass to class.

Though, he wasn't alone.

Jeongguk saw Hoseok and Jihyun walking together down the hall, chatting away and talking to one another. About what, Jeongguk couldn't tell you but they looked like they were enjoying the conversation.

However, him standing there didn't go unnoticed by the two.

"Jeongguk!" Hoseok grinned and rushed over, throwing a single arm over the younger's shoulder. "Hey, man!"

The aforementioned awkwardly smiled. He felt nervous since here he was with Taehyung's best friend and girlfriend and they didn't have a clue.

They were unaware that Taehyung and Jeongguk had a night to themselves. Touching.

"What? Woke up late?" Hoseok wondered, slowly retracting his arm and getting a good look at Jeongguk.

"Yeah," Jeongguk simply said but continued. "I messed up my sleeping habits so, uh, yeah." He shrugged, trying to keep it as unsuspiciously as he possibly could.

"That sucks," Hoseok told, clicking his tongue a few times in disapproval. "It's what you get from staying up all night."

"You're telling me." Jeongguk shot his brows up for a moment before slightly shaking his head. He looked over at Jihyun who was texting away on her phone. She was probably spamming her boyfriend with questions on his whereabouts.

"Taehyung said he won't be here today." Jihyun suddenly spoke up, slipping away her phone into one of her pockets.

"Really? Why?" Wondered Hoseok, taking his attention off of Jeongguk.

"He said he wasn't feeling so good so his mom made his stay home." She answered, humming. "I hope he's okay. He seemed fine yesterday." Jihyun added on with a lazy shrug of her shoulders.

Jeongguk felt like this was a cruel joke. Of course he would run into the two people he wanted to avoid. His guilty conscious was getting to him. He truly felt bad and wished they knew that the two were at least friends.

Too bad.

     "It's ironic," Hoseok began. "You're hella late and he doesn't even show? Ironic."

Life really hated Jeongguk apparently. The younger forced a taut smile and looked away, deciding it was best he not say anything as a response. He felt like if he opened his mouth, only things that could make this worse would fall out.

     "Well," Hoseok hummed after a moment of awkward silence. "We all should probably head to class before we get in trouble, huh." He added, walking over by Jihyun.

"Yeah. Plus, I don't want to be any later than I am." Jeongguk nodded, looking over his late pass. He crinkled it a bit due to his nerves unconsciously.

"I'll see you at lunch, Jeongguk." Hoseok waved, walking away with Jihyun who didn't bother saying a goodbye to the youngest. She didn't care for him like he didn't care for her.

     The raven-haired teenager released a deep breath he didn't know he was holding back, shaking his head to himself. Guilt was a terrible feeling and it was all Jeongguk seemed to feel. Rightfully so though.

He had just slept with someone else's boyfriend and all she did was care and comfort him. How sad. Jeongguk knew she didn't deserve it. It was eating away at him but he didn't let it get to him to the point of break.

Jeongguk shook it off and finished his way to his designated classroom. He walked on inside and handed his late pass to the teacher, not saying much.

He continued his way to his seat, ignoring anyone who looked at him if anyone was. It really felt like all eyes were on him, like they all knew what he did. This was a bit harder than he believed.

     Jeongguk distracted himself with the carvings in the desk, eyes seeing people's names followed by, 'was here'. He should add his name. Maybe one day he'll be a big famous idol or a professional athlete and kids of his current age could cherish this desk. They could all mutter how they got to sit at the desk once sat at by thee Jeon Jeongguk.

They would take photos and write their names around it, decorate it with hearts and X's and O's. There would probably be that one dickhead who would try to cross off Jeongguk's name but there would be photos of proof of him being there.

Before the young teenager could progress deeper into LaLa Land, his phone dinged. It startled him and had him freeze for a moment. He had a feeling who texted him but he hoped he was wrong.

Jeongguk pulled his phone out of his pocket, turning it towards him to see his screen which lit up. Then, it was Taehyung's contact that popped up.

He frowned, hating that the feeling was right. He got butterflies because his crush had messaged him but the guilt was larger than those silly insects.

Little Blond Bitch:
Im still sorry dude. I don't
mean to make shit awkward
and annoying. Not my intent

Jeongguk read the message through the notification. Instead of opening and responding, he just slid away the notification, shaking his head to himself.

Being conflicted was so tiring.

_________
A/N:

You guys are hard to please. I like where I'm taking things but it definitely is a rollercoaster.