The world had always been a distant blur to Taehyung-something he observed from behind a thick glass, never quite stepping in. He existed, but he never truly lived. People admired him from afar, whispered his name like he was some untouchable myster...
She frowned but let it slide. He had been acting strange ever since the photoshoot, ever since that almost-kiss. Maybe it was the weight of everything—the competition, the attention, the undeniable shift in their dynamic.
Inside his mind, the battle waged on.
I like you. But I don't deserve love. I don't deserve to be cared for, to be held dear. Why would a sweet, innocent girl like you ever think of me as more than a reckless storm? I'm just a shadow lurking behind you, hoping—stupidly—that you'd one day turn around and see me.
I should stop. I have to stop. I cannot be greedy anymore. I've let myself go too far already. I've played pretend for too long, forgotten who I truly am. I let myself believe, even for a moment, that I wasn't a monster.
But I am. I always have been.
Memories he tried to bury clawed their way to the surface. His birthday. His tantrum. The explosion. The fire. The wreckage. The unbearable weight of guilt pressing down on him, crushing him, reminding him of the truth.
I killed them. And now, I'm doing the same to Y/N. Dragging her into my world.
There are people out there who can give her the life she deserves. And I am not one of them.
The weight of Taehyung's unspoken words clung to the air like mist, heavy and inescapable. Y/N stole a glance at him as he drove, the streetlights casting fleeting shadows across his face. His usual cocky demeanor was absent; instead, his grip on the wheel was tight, knuckles paling under the pressure.
The silence between them wasn't awkward, but it was thick with something unnamed. Something Taehyung couldn't bring himself to acknowledge.
"You good?" Y/N finally asked, breaking the quiet.
"Mhm. Just tired," he muttered.
"Liar."
He huffed a small laugh but didn't argue. She knew him too well.
She hesitated but nodded. "Oh... okay. We're twinning outfits tomorrow, right?"
Taehyung exhaled sharply; eyes fixed ahead. Hesitatingly he said, "I don't think I can, Y/N."
Y/N blinked. Y/N? No 'Buttercup'?
A knot formed in her stomach. "Why?"
"I have basketball practice."
She tilted her head, her brows furrowed. "Isn't it on Mondays and Wednesdays? Tomorrow's Thursday."
"Uh... um, there's extra practice tomorrow."
Y/N's stomach twisted. He was lying.
***
"The worst kind of distance is when two souls stand close yet feel miles apart."
***
But she didn't push. Instead, she nodded, feigning understanding. "Oh... okay. Meet you at the school gate then?"
"Yeah."
Y/N frowned slightly. What? He isn't going to insist on picking me up.
Normally, he'd insist on picking her up. Normally, he'd flash that infuriatingly smug smile and make some ridiculous comment just to see her roll her eyes.
But not tonight.
And as she stepped out of the car, a single thought echoed in her mind—
What's happening to you, Taehyung?
Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
She could feel it in the way he looked away too quickly, in the way his fingers tapped anxiously against the steering wheel.
As she walked inside, Taehyung leaned back in his seat, running a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every movement. He wanted to turn back. To knock on her door. To say it all before it was too late.
***
"The most painful goodbyes are the ones never spoken, the ones that linger in the silence."
***
But the past had its claws in him, dragging him under, whispering that he didn't deserve her. That if he let himself hope, he would only ruin her too.
Tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow he would tell her.
-*-*-*-
The next day, Y/N waited by the school gate, scanning the road for Taehyung's familiar car.
He didn't show up.
Instead, she spotted him walking in alone, hood up, hands shoved into his pockets.
"Hey! Where's my ride?" she called out, forcing a smile as she jogged up to him.
"Had early practice," he said, barely looking at her.
But before she could question it, Taehyung had already walked past her, leaving her standing there, confused and with an unfamiliar ache settling in her chest.
What was happening to them?
***
"Sometimes, love is not about holding on but about knowing when to let go."
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