silhouette | jhs ✓

31. Decisions

After he felt he put her through enough torment, he would take a few steps back, putting out his cigarette, and leaving the scene.

Then, it would all replay in her mind, torturing her not only during the night but during the day as well.

It infuriated her when she knew that's what he wanted.

He wanted her looking over her shoulders, to be terrified to walk out in public unaccompanied.

He got what he wanted.

"Seren?" A voice pried into her head, interrupting her loud thoughts. "Seren, are you okay?"

She glanced up from her untouched food, meeting eyes with a perturbed Hoseok.

She had a blank stare, her lips parting slightly.

"Are you feeling okay? You haven't spoken a word since we got here." His eyes pooled with apprehension, the worry lines on his forehead showing.

She cleared her throat, scooting her food around with her utensils. "That's not true, I ordered the food for myself."

His expression dropped, sensing her smarty attitude. "You know that's not what I meant."

She shook her head, setting her utensils down. "Sorry, I just haven't been able to get any sleep recently, I'm a little on the grumpy side today." Seren dropped her tired eyes to her palms.

He was about to say something, but his voice was cut off by the waitress that came by.

"How is everything? Is it to your liking?" She questioned, the smile detectable through her soft voice.

Hoseok tried on a smile, hiding his concern. "Oh, yes. Everything is fine. Actually, can I get a to-go box?"

She nodded, "Of course." Stepping away from their small booth.

Seren felt Hoseok's eye trace back to her wilted body, her hair covering all the sides of her face like fallen drapes.

"Seren." She heard his lilted voice become a slight whisper, not wanting to intrude. "Seren, we can leave soon. You can rest in the car, and I'll take you home."

His sentence gave her a sense of relief, but elicited great fear in her as well.

Immediately, she raised from her hands. "Huh? No, no I'm not tired. Let's not leave, I'm not even finished eating yet." She looked down at her lukewarm salmon and rice, scared to eat it.

She picked up her fork, carefully stabbing the fish into pieces to shove in her mouth. Seren winced once the cold food touched her tongue, she forced herself to chew through it, swallowing it, and rinsing her mouth with the melted ice water.

Hoseok watched her in silence, his lips parted in complete bafflement, watching her force-feed herself.

She then tried on a contrived smile, humming. "It's- it's so good."

It was.

It was the best food she had eaten all week.

She continued to eat, placing more food in her mouth at a meticulous pace, worried she would lose her appetite if she continued to eat quickly.

The longing to cry was strong, the lump in her throat pushed down with the food and water she was consuming.

"Sen, when was the last time you ate something?" Hoseok asked after watching her mercilessly stab the salmon, then eat more than half of it in a matter of seconds.

Her cheeks were distended with food, covering her mouth as she thought about her answer. "Yesterday evening. Why?"

He was silent for a moment, blinking. "That was over twenty-four hours ago." Hoseok mentioned, worry coloring his tone.