Thirtieth
:Chapter Thirty:

"When are we going to see Taerung again?" Jaeyong whined, standing in Jeongguk's doorframe, arms by his side and his favorite rabbit in hand.

It had been a day since Jeongguk and Jaeyong saw Taehyung at the small shop. It currently was a Monday afternoon, after school. Hoseok and Taehyung both weren't there, neither was Namjoon.

Jeongguk hated that he allowed Jaeyong to make friends with the devil himself because now it was constant nagging to see Kim. He sighed and set his phone down. "Bubby, Kim is busy with his personal life."

"Why do you call him Kim?"

"Why do you call him Taerung?"

"That's his name." Jaeyong was under the impression he was saying the teen's name right, unaware of the mispronunciation.

"Jae, we can't go see him. I don't have his number so I can't invite him." Jeongguk shrugged, saying it was out of his control and wanting to leave it at that. Sucks things didn't work out that way when you had a baby brother who was the cutest thing known to man.

Jeongguk's little brother frowned and sighed. He pulled his bunny to his chest and turned away, walking out of his brother's room with utter disappointment.

The older brother sat on his bed with a bored look, anger igniting in him. "Jae! Come back!" He pushed to sit up a bit straighter, not believing he was doing this but when it came to his brother, anything was possible.

Little Jaeyong came rushing back in, a trembling smile on his face since he knew Jeongguk had a hard time telling him no.

"Whenever he comes back to school, I'll ask if he wants to hang out with you." Jeongguk sighed, not believing the words that were coming from his own mouth.

"Really?" The young boy asked excitedly, grinning. His eyes showed huge amounts of joy, wanting to see his friend soon.

"Yeah, but it might not be for awhile, he felt really sad the day we saw him." Jeongguk answered. "Just be patient, yeah?"

"Okay! Thanks, Gooie!" Jaeyong said, stomping his feet in place just from excitement.

"Welcome, Bubby." Jeongguk said, watching his brother leave his room for the second time, just now with absolute joy. He sighed to himself.

He wasn't sure how he could get out of this one but he would rather see his brother happy than to just sit and avoid the interaction all around.

It was beef between Taehyung and Jeongguk, not Taehyung and Jaeyong.

     His phone snapped him from his thoughts, hearing it ring. He picked it up and looked at who was calling him. It was Namjoon.

He quickly answered, placing the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, sorry I wasn't there today. I hope everything went well your first day back. I feel like a horrible friend for staying home." Namjoon sounded genuinely upset with himself for missing Jeongguk's first day back to school since his head injury.

"Don't worry about it, hyung, all went well. I still had Jimin, Seokjin, and Yoongi hyung to help me around." Jeongguk replied, playing with one of the strings from his jeans, it was a rip he had in jeans.

"Any pains?" The elder wanted to make sure all was alright for Jeongguk.

"They allowed me to wear my hat to help keep the lights from my eyes but nothing that was too bad. Definitely nothing like when it first happened, that's for sure." Jeongguk chuckled somewhat but then stopped. "Um, how's things with you? You sound pretty upset."

Namjoon sniffled, a bit of movement being heard on the other end. "Hoseok told me someone we knew passed away on Friday night. Taehyung and Hoseok were the only two allowed to see him since they were so close, besides family of course. They were one of the last people to see Changmin before he . . . Died."

"Changmin?" Jeongguk repeated the name. "He sounds familiar."

"You don't know him. He use to go to our school but transferred. I'm pretty sure he played for one of the teams you guys went against." Namjoon answered.

It hit Jeongguk who it was. He felt like shit because he accused Taehyung of cheating that game because he went over and talked to Changmin. All it was was a good friendship.

"I'm sorry for your guys' loss." Jeongguk said, feeling bad. He would've mentioned that he saw Kim a day back but he didn't feel like telling that business, feeling it would've been better kept almost like secret. "I couldn't imagine losing one of my close friends like that."

"Life does that, not much we can do about it." Namjoon replied after a moment of thought, humming. "Hoseok's taking it pretty hard, he was the closest out of all of us."

"Are you with him right now?" Jeongguk inquired, pushing to his feet all while keeping the phone close to his ear. He walked over and shut his door before pacing a bit around his room.

Namjoon nodded though he couldn't be seen. "Yeah, Taehyung's here with us. They're just laying on Hoseok's bed and staring at the ceiling together. Taehyung tried saying something but Hoseok just gives short responses. It wasn't too bad but I think it really connected that Changmin left us."

"Well, why don't I come over? I'll have to walk but I can bring snacks over and maybe help cheer him up." The raven-haired teen suggested. "I know it isn't much of an idea but I don't think it hurts to try, yeah?"

"You missed the part when I said Taehyung's here too." Namjoon was hesitant.

"Hyung, you're all hurting. I think me and Kim can set our differences aside for a moment. I won't say anything to him if it makes you feel better. I know the right time and place, put faith in me." Jeongguk was already slipping on his slides, looking around for his wallet.

"I guess but the moment anything is started, you're out." Namjoon was still on the fence but it couldn't hurt to try, right?

"I'll be over in about fifteen minutes." Jeongguk told, the two boys saying their goodbyes and hanging up the phone.

     Jeongguk left his bedroom, pulling the door shut behind him. He went down the steps and approached the front door.

But he was stopped.

     "Where you going?" Jaeyong trotted down the steps, following his big brother.

Jeongguk sighed and turned around. "To see my friends." He answered vaguely, unlocking the door and pulling it open.

"Taerung?" Jaeyong questioned. "Can I come with? I want to hang with friends too!"

Jeongguk really would love to sit here and argue with his brother all day on why he couldn't come with but, instead of that, he sighed and rolled his eyes. "Grab your shoes and come on, we have to hurry, Bubby."

Jaeyong wasted no time and ran back up the steps to his bedroom. He was quick to grab his light-up sneakers and slip them on his tiny feet.

The small child soon rushed back down, careful so he wouldn't fall, and to Jeongguk's side.

"I'm heading over to Hoseok's house for a bit, I'll text you when I get there." Jeongguk called to his father who was most likely sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of black coffee and his phone in-hand.

"Be safe," was called back and Jeongguk's cue to leave.

     It wasn't a too bad of a walk to Hoseok's house, just felt a bit too sunny outside for Jeongguk's liking.

He had Jaeyong in his arm again because the poor child said his legs were hurting. The older brother knew that was a hidden message to pick up his younger brother so he did just that.

He knocked on the door, the bag that was hanging down his forearm felt like it was stopping all circulation.

     After a moment of waiting, Jaeyong and Jeongguk were greeted by Namjoon who had answered the door, stepping aside and allowing the two on it.

"They're upstairs." Namjoon spoke softly.

"Do they know I'm here?" Jeongguk asked.

"I said someone was stopping by but I didn't specify." Namjoon answered and look at the younger Jeon. "Hey, haven't seen you in awhile." He smiled weakly.

Jaeyong grinned back. "Hi!" He was just happy to be out with Jeongguk, even more joyous when he got to see Jeongguk's friends.

     The three walked up the steps together, Namjoon leading the way to Hoseok's bedroom.

The design of the home was much different from Jeongguk's. It was a bit bland and had no real color to it but it wasn't anything lifeless.

     "I'm back," Namjoon said. "And I brought Jeongguk with."

Hoseok looked towards the doorway, seeing the aforementioned. "Jeongguk?" He didn't think he would see the boy here.

Taehyung too looked where the younger stood, brow cocked.

Before anything more could be said, Jaeyong was getting out of Jeongguk's arms and making his way to his new best friend.

"Taerung!" Jaeyong giggled and went to the side Taehyung was on, throwing his arms up. "See! We don't leave you! We back!" He was way too happy to see Taehyung according to Jeongguk who was handing the bag over to Namjoon.

     "Hi, kid." Taehyung placed his hands right at Jaeyong's underarms and picked the child up, setting him down between himself and Hoseok.

"Woah, how does Jaeyong know who you are?" Hoseok questioned. It's been the most words he's said since Taehyung and Namjoon got here.

"Long story, just know me and him are great friends. We go way back." Taehyung answered, feeling the boy wrap his arms around him. Taehyung had no other choice but to hug the child back in return.

"Okay then." Hoseok blinked a few times, turning his attention back to Jeongguk who stood uncomfortably at the door. "Why're you here?"

"Damn, I don't even get a hello?" The younger teen rolled his eyes, shrugging. "I wanted to see you guys, see if you all were okay."

"Yeah, he's who I was on the phone with. Today was his first day back at school." Namjoon pulled himself into the conversation, looking through the bag of snacks to see what the teen brought.

"Shit, that was today, wasn't it?" Hoseok sighed. "I'm sorry, I totally forgot that was today but with everything that happened, I just couldn't pull myself out of bed."

"Hey, don't be sorry!" Jeongguk said, walking a bit closer. "I'm glad you decided to stay back and take a mental day off here. You were there for my first day ever so no biggie."

Taehyung and Jaeyong were in their own worlds, talking to each other about nonsense. It was mostly Jaeyong rambling about his day at school and how some kid broke his only red crayon.

Hoseok stood from his bed, walking to Jeongguk and giving a side hug to the boy. "Thanks for coming over. I'm still sorry for missing that. I told myself I was going to give you a headache for missing so much school."

Jeongguk patted his back, giving a light chuckle. "Well, in that case, glad you didn't come." He then pulled Hoseok into a pull hug, securing both his arms around his hyung.

The elder enjoyed the embrace, taking in a deep breath before he pulled back. "I needed that so thank you."

"What I'm here for," Jeongguk said. "How long do you want me here? I brought snacks, better act fast before Namjoon hyung devours them all."

"I'm just taking the stuff that's spicy. Those two babies won't eat any of it. They don't like spicy anything." Namjoon was holding a few things, doing a once over before he tossed the bag over to Hoseok.

"Not liking spicy things isn't being a baby, it's just a lack of tolerance." Hoseok rolled his eyes and pulled out a back of mini donuts.

"Sounds like pussy shit if you ask me." Jeongguk chuckled, seeing the glare he was given by Hoseok.

"Yeah, whatever. You can stay here as long as you want though, we weren't doing much before you got here." The elder moved on, looking over at Taehyung to see if he wanted any of the snacks but it was clear that the said teenager was occupied by a four-year-old. "When did you guys start being cool?"

"We're not," Jeongguk said simply. "Jaeyong makes friends out of anyone and he really likes Kim for some odd reason." He added on, shrugging.

"I knew Jaeyong would find good in Taehyung. He found quite a bit of it if he's enjoying his company that much." Hoseok wasn't as upset as he was earlier. Jeongguk being here and being the change of topic really helped him out, it was according to plan.

     "Childish behavior attracts children." Jeongguk rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "As long as it keeps us from bickering, I don't care what happens."

Jeongguk decided to keep the little incident that happened at the convenient store under raps, thinking it was okay not to tell anyone at all what happened there. It wasn't killing anyone from not knowing it so it was fine just as a little secret.

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A/N:

Jaeyong is so cute. Don't you love it when a four-year-old is more mature than you?