Secrets - [TAEBIN FF]

Chapter 45

Literally, only one person always took that drink, but... he isn't here.

How did this stranger, who definitely hasn't been around South Korea at all, or at least for a while... know about this specific beverage?

Soobin looked back just in time to see the person take his hood off, finally showing himself.

It revealed a head of reddish brownish hair, grayish blue big eyes, thin lips, and a beautifully carved out face. He looked young, probably no older than 18 or 19 years old, but also slightly mature and innocent at the same time, especially with those big doe eyes. His body was slim and fit, yet looking so full, healthy and alive too.

He almost looked like a doll.

A very beautiful boy indeed.

Soobin didn't understand why, but the person's aura and appearance was so familiar and nostalgic.

Like someone who appeared only every once in a while, in his dreams.

Someone he's been yearning to see for so long.

It couldn't be...

Soobin shook off the thought.

No... I'm probably just hallucinating again. Has happened before where I mistook someone completely different for him.

Still shaking his head, Soobin finished preparing the vanilla drink, despite it not being on the menu, after five minutes, and handed it over to the customer.

"Thank you sir," he politely accepted with a bow.

A habit he knew.

All too well.

"Say... are you perhaps from here?" Soobin asked, finally gathering enough courage to state the burning question on the tip of his tongue.

The boy froze as he just took a sip.

"How did you guess that?"

"Your Korean is pretty good, even though it has an accent."

"Oh really? It's been a while since I've been in South Korea, probably like two years?"

Two years?

Soobin could feel his heart beating faster.

"How old were you when you were last in Korea?"

He pursed his lips in thought.

"Around 17 I believe. I shouldn't really be saying this to anyone, but I moved to the States because I was forced..."

And that's when Soobin recognized something.

The hoodie.

A stitched, romanized 'C.S' was right at the collar.

And a locket necklace was hanging around the person's neck...

Identical to the one he was wearing.

"T-Tyun?" Soobin shakily said.

It finally hit him.

This wasn't a hallucination.

This was real.

The reddish-brown haired boy's eyes widened from shock when he heard those four connected letters coming from his mouth.

Only one person in this world called him by that special nickname.

It can't be...

"Soobin hyung," he gasped.

Soobin placed the towel he was holding down on the sink, and ran, just as Taehyun ran towards the end of the counter.

The two met at the opposite ends, and then crashed into each other's arms. At that moment, when they collided, Soobin broke into tears.

Everything else did not matter to him anymore.

His arms wrapped themselves around Taehyun, burying the younger boy into his embrace. His fingers touched his hair, which was still so soft even though it was no longer the same shade of brown as before.

But besides that... everything was exactly how he remembered him.

He still fit perfectly into his arms.

"Taehyun y-you're here?!" Soobin cried.

Choked out sobs, all familiar, came in reply.

"I-I'm here Soobin hyung; i-is it really you?!"

"YES TAEHYUN IT'S ME!"

The two sobbed loudly, tears streaming down their faces.

Nobody could possibly ever describe the gratitude, the happiness, the emotion they were feeling at this very moment.

It was so... rewarding.

Like an accomplishment waiting for you at the end of the road.

And in a way, it was exactly that.

After two miserable years of hell, two years spent suffering in silence, on their own, longing for one another, they were finally back in each other's arms.

Right where they rightfully belonged.

Taehyun's hand reached up, touching Soobin's hair as he held the side of his face, looking at him to prove to himself he wasn't dreaming like he used to.

"You dyed it brown," he said, a tear running down his face.

"Yes Tyun, and you changed yours too!"

"Because of you," the two said at once.

Taehyun laughed because of that, but then broke into tears again, the diamonds beginning to pool in his eyes from disbelief.

"Soobin hyung you're here!"

"I'm here Taehyun!"

"You won't leave, right?!"

"No! No, I won't leave!"

"Soobin it is you!"

Taehyun's sobs were filled with happiness and emotion, and he continued to cry into his long-lost lover's chest.

Soobin was... in a trance.

Everything he dreamed of... imagined even though it was impossible... came true.

Kang Taehyun, the love of his life, was finally back.

"Shhh... it's okay Tyun," he managed to say without a sob.

Taehyun coughed quietly as he sniffled.

"It's okay..."

The two hugged each other tightly, Taehyun nuzzled close to Soobin, buried in his embrace once more like he used to be.

Now, the café was hearing quiet sobbing, and a soothing voice shushing it.

It was a familiar sight the walls, that once saw their first kiss and first true commitment of love, had yearned to see again.

A sight that proved what true love really is.

Taehyun slowly calmed down, taking deep breaths.

"It's okay Tyun... I'm here."

Those words... how much the younger missed hearing them. How much he missed hearing Soobin's low voice, having to not be able to hear it for two years.

It turns out the two were exactly near that spot where they shared their first kiss.

And it became the spot where the two finally met again.

Just as they promised each other.

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A/N: 🥹
This could be a perfect way to end the fanfic but nah, we still got a bit to go. Here's a hug if you're crying cuz guess what so am I for once 🫂

Also TXT are on their way to Antwerp SEND FUCKING HELP I'M GOING TO DIE IN TWO DAYS AHHHHHHHHHHHHH OKAY BYE LOVELIES