Vestiges || KTH FF

Chapter IV

A pattern of random black dots filled the screen of the DVD player as a static noise filled the room before a young looking boy - maybe in his teens yet bit younger than Taehyung - popped up on the screen. He wore a fury black sweater with its hood on, covering his ears yet revealing his fair face. He looked around on the other side of the screen, his doe-like eyes wide open in confusion.

Does he know that the camera is on? Taehyung questioned himself mentally.

The boy clapped his hands in excitement (he finally knew the camera is working) and a smile spread across his baby cheeks displaying his two bunny teeth.

“December 12, 1994. Jeju Island. Jeon Jungkooks log. Jimin hyung is the biggest liar in this world. He had promised me to visit me every weekend. I'll really miss him, with being so far and all. Well, I guess I have to be the matured one here and understand his situation, just like dad says. Mom too said that it will get better with time. And I trust her.”

He pauses - more a like stops speaking - and sniffs in between, his face kept down and his eyes on his lap now.

Maybe hes trying to hide his tears. But from whom?? Me? Himself?, Taehyung wondered.

He looks up at the camera again, the video quality not good enough to see his bambi-eyes clearly. He chuckled before speaking again.

“My first log. Well, this got emotional. END.”

The screen turned black, silence surrounding the room again. Taehyung leaned back on his chair as he took a long breathe and closed his eyes. He could feel the warmth of the bright rays of the sun which was already fresh in the sky waking the sleeping world up.

“1994.”, he mumbled and opened his eyes to look at the calendar hung across the wall.

5th May 2001.

Was he the previous owner of the house? To be more exact, the son of the previous owners of this house.

“GOOD MORNING TAE!!! TIME TO-”

Taehyung almost fell of his chair when Heechul-ssi walked into his room abruptly. Why was he so..... impulsive?, he thought.

“Ohh you're already awake. Good thing. We have alot to do today. Come down and freshen up.”

Heechul-ssi closed the door and went down back as soon as he was done speaking. But Taehyung was still processing the whole thing. He breathed out heavily not knowing he was holding onto it.

Before he could regain his composure, he slammed open his door again. This time, with a mischievous smile on his face and eyebrows held up suggestively as he leaned on the door frame.

“Don't keep on watching those things so early in the morning., he said wriggling his brows funnily.”

“Aishhh... Its not what you think it is.”, Taehyung said defensively as his cheeks started burning in embarrassment.

“Yeah yeah.”

He waved his hand in the air and went downstairs closing the door behind him. Taehyung was convinced he wont make his surprise visit again. Or would he?

The brunet looked back at the boxes full of DVDs. He had decided to watch one because of his curiosity and started with the numbered ONE. But now. He can't. He shouldn't.

These seemed personal. These seemed secret. Like a dairy. And no one should read someone else dairy. Taehyung repacked the whole thing and left it on his table, before going downstairs.

***

Heechul-ssi had quit his comfortable desk job at Seoul and had decide to start his very own cafe. Beans n Cream Cafe. Taehyung wondered where he found this cliche name. Or since when has he been planning this whole thing out. the younger had millions of questions popping in his mind which he was dying to ask (not exactly).

But watching Heechul-ssi quarreling and shouting with the suppliers, asking him those not-so-important questions looked like a bad idea.

The cafe was a spacious studio-like room with a huge spread out balcony from where you could get one of the beautiful view of the sea. This place was actually owned by Heechul-ssis ancestors. He's quite a rich guy.

“They are charging extra 15 dollars for the moving the furniture.”, he said as he walked into the cafe, to the counter where Taehyung was removing the cups from the boxes.

“I still made them bring it down to 10.”, he said with a proud smile.

He's bit frugal too.

Taehyung looked at the clock and it was already 12 in the afternoon.

“I'm taking a break. I'll bring lunch.”

Saying that, Taehyung left the cafe and rode his old-yet-usable bicycle. It was a gift from his mom. He rode along the roads, new and old. This wasn't his first time here. He had once visited Jeju Island during the first year of his highschool. It was a school trip.

He cycled and cycled as if the breeze was taking him with itself. He went through places he had not seen before and left some to be discovered for later. That was when Taehyung passed by an alleyway behind a school, a familiar scene grabbing his eyes.

Taehyung stopped abruptly, the tires screeching from the sudden brakes. He mentally debated with himself whether he should go back to the alleyway - which was just a few steps back - or just mind business. His grip tightened around the handle of the bicycle, knuckles turning white.

A yelp emerged from the alleyway, and he lost all his reasoning as he left his bicycle there and ran back to the alleyway.

“THE PRINCIPALS HERE. RUN!!!!!!”

Taehyung shouted. He kept on shouting till three to four guys came running out the alley and jumped over the school walls. He slowly walked and saw a guy laying on the dirty ground. He was actually kneeling on the ground, his arms tightly crossed at his chest. Taehyung clenched his fist in anger when he saw the boy in such a condition. Familiar faces, familiar voices ran through his mind. Those boys were kicking and beatin-

“Ahhh... Those fuckers. Always harassing the weak.”

The guy said grumpily as he stood up from the ground. Taehyung wasn't able to get a good look at his face since his back - his white uniform shirt, now printed with footsteps - was towards him.

“Are you alright?”, Taehyung asked (he wasn't much worried about him though especially after hearing him curse.)

“She's alright.”

The guy turned as he raised a kitten in his hands towards the brunet. He said as he smiled at him. It was a gummy smile.

Unable to understand the guy, Taehyung thought leaving him there would be a better option. The best option. He went back to where he had left his bicycle.

Just before he could paddle his way back, Taehyung felt a pull from behind. It was the same guy. With his same lazy eyes. With the same gummy smile.

“Can I trouble you for a lift?”

A/n: Are you guys even alive after butter ^^
Cuz imma not. Not at all!!!!
And that's why I couldn't upload last week. Sorry~~~
Btw... Who's this new guy?!?!
Imma sure you already know the answer to it :)))
Dun forget to twinkle the lil 🌟