HOME - Taejoon

12. Alone

He leaned back on the booth again, just to see the lights. He liked that homey touch that they gave to the place, differentiating it from most of the sales corridors that he had seen as a child. The setting reminded him of his childhood, of walking with his friends and his grandmother through the stream of people to buy cookies. Not that the day was really a holiday, but it was fine for Taehyung.

It was just a lucky day, one that happened to be celebrated with a small party and some lucky souvenirs and charms. He did not remember the origin of the celebration, probably something unimportant.

He looked around and saw that people were starting to drift away, to watch some movie showing in one of the gardens. He thanked for not having to sell more things to the crowd, his shoulders were already aching slightly.

"Take this back, we need more packages." The voice of one of his shift-mate brought him back to earth. She handed him two garbage bags with a smile, before going off to tend inside the cafeteria kitchen, semingly to check on the remaining cookies.

Taehyung sighed before starting to walk. His phone in his pocket vibrated, but he ignored it. It was probably just another call from Jimin to accompany him and his recent situation with Chaewon to one of the games offered there, or some message of emotion for having dared to look the girl in the eyes. Taehyung didn't have time for that, nor did he feel like it in any way: he had been preparing the event since morning and at that moment it was eleven at night, standing all the time carrying things and serving people, pointing out places and telling the same story about the cookies to whoever asked. He wished himself luck so many times that he felt he had exhausted his own.

All he wanted was to leave, to eat, or sleep, or do whatever. To see Namjoon and sit together.

Behind, where the trash cans were, he found Hoseok chatting with another unknown student. He tried to ignore them, especially since things with his mind had gotten passive aggressive lately, but Hoseok looked at him first.

"Taehyung-ah, how's everything going?" The question infuriated him, not only because he came with a smile, but because he also came from someone who was there without having made any effort to help anyone, something of a jerk because most of the pastry participants were women.

"Good, I think we're done." He said without much eagerness, then turned to him. "Or at least my shift has." He started to leave, but Hoseok followed him, saying goodbye to the other man; Reaching for it, he turned Taehyung around to stare deeply into his eyes.

"Where are you going? You're not thinking about going with Namjoon-ah, are you?"

"Yes, I am, why." He tried not to sound rude, but even so the elder's face twisted.

"You shouldn't talk like that to your elders." Hoseok suppressed it, surprised by Taehyung's still challenging attitude. The sigh. "For doing that now you have to help clean inside with the others."

"Hoseok-ssi-"

"It's part of being a good partner. That will teach you to treat each other with respect. Do you think it's easy for me? Of course not, but we all have to work here." Hoseok scolded him seriously, in a tone that only made Taehyung angrier. "Come on, child, go."

He gave him a few blows on the shoulder and then went to talk to the manager of the club, she answered something. Hoseok looked back with a smile before leaving the place.

Taehyung was about to follow him because he had a bad feeling, when the girl approached him to indicate that he could go in to polish some things and then leave.

He entered, because those girls did not deserve for him to be rude and it was also a pleasure to help them. However, his chest continued to ache, as if there was something suspicious within all that laughter.