In 29 Days

24. Clueless Thugs

Daegu, March 28, 6: 10 am

"Oh! Taehyungie, what's wrong? Are you alright?" Mrs Kim gasps in worry as soon as she opens the door and takes in the sight of her son's face.

"I'm fine, Mom," Taehyung mumbles and carefully walks in, trying to keep his droopy eyes open. His head feels heavy and he feels like he's about to go crazy.

"What happened to him? Didn't he sleep?" Mrs Kim asks, looking at Jungkook.

"Yeah, we couldn't sleep well at that resort. That's why we quickly returned. He'll be fine if he sleeps for a while," Jungkook replies and quickly follows Taehyung up the stairs.

Taehyung falls onto his bed with a loud thud as soon as he reaches his bedroom. Jungkook closes the door and then crawls up on the bed beside the older. "Hyung, just sleep, you'll be okay soon, I used a healing spell on you," he says and entangles his fingers in the older's smooth hair, gently massaging his scalp. Taehyung lets out a quiet moan as the wizard's fingers soothingly caress his locks. It feels so good. But somehow he also feels guilty inside. He still hasn't told Jungkook about Freya. He doesn't know how to tell him.

"Jungkookie, you also sleep. C'mere," Taehyung whispers and pulls the younger closer to him, hugging him tightly. "I love you," he says and a sob leaves his throat.

"Hyung, what's wrong?" Jungkook asks in surprise, his fingers stop moving on the older's hair.

"Please keep doing that. It feels so good," Taehyung says and hugs Jungkook even more tightly, squirming his face into the crook of the wizard's neck.

"Uhm..okay," Jungkook nods and starts gently moving his fingers again. "But is there something wrong, hyung?"

"No, bunny, I just have a headache," Taehyung mumbles.

"Hmm.." Jungkook nods. But he feels like the older is lying. Taehyung looked so anxious when he met him at the hospital a little ago. He asked him if there was something wrong and Taehyung just said he feels tired and he wants to sleep. So, they quickly apparated to Busan where they had parked Mr Kim's car. Then they got inside the car and apparated to Daegu. The headache is definitely because of the long-distance apparition and lack of sleep. But there's also something worrying Doctor Kim. Jungkook doesn't want to use magic on him to find out what it is. So, he just closes his eyes and keeps running his fingers through the older's hair until he slowly drifts off into sleep.

Jungkook wakes up to Mrs Kim's voice along with knocks on their door. "Taehyung-ah, your friend Park Joonwoong came again to see you. C'mon, wake up and open the door!"

"Oh, Ajumma, I'll wake him up!" Jungkook shouts to her whilst quickly pulling away from Taehyung and sitting up.

"Okay, Kook shi, wake him up quickly. His friend is here," Mrs Kim says and Jungkook hears her footstep retreat from the door. He looks at the clock on the wall opposite the bed to see it is past 10:30 am.

"Hyung, wake up, your friend is here to see you," he says and shakes Taehyung, only for the older to groan and squirm his face into the pillow. "C'mon hyung! Wake up!" Jungkook squeals in his ear and Taehyung flinch open his eyes in shock. "Baby? My baby?!" He utters in a panicked voice, staring up at the ceiling.

"Uhm..what? Baby??" Jungkook asks. "Not baby, hyung. But your friend from high school whom you can't remember. Park Joonwoong. That guy who came to see you yesterday."

"Oh..uhm..Park Joonwoong?" Taehyung asks in a hoarse voice, looking around confused. Then he lets out a sigh, looking at Jungkook who is grinning at him.

"Are you a bit confused, hyung? We are at your home in Daegu right now. We apparated last night from Emerald. Remember??" Jungkook asks.

"Hmm..yeah. It's now morning right?" Taehyung asks, looking at the clock.