Caged | {k.t}

01. Morning Call

He didn't keep his promise again.

"______-ah, I won't leave you in the morning ever again. I promise I'll walk with you to school tomorrow," _____ recalled what her best friend, Taehyung, had told her yesterday.

Oh, she was foolish enough to believe him. She sighed out of frustration as she stared at her phone screen, which illuminated the text that she had just received.

FROM: Taehyung

Please understand that I can't walk with you to school this morning. I'll make it up to you after school, okay?

_____ bit her lip, thinking of a way to respond to him.

TO: Taehyung

Yah. There is only one thing you can do to make it up to me – treat me to gelato. If the gelato happens to exceed beyond my expectations, I'll forgive you and become your friend again.

She placed her phone down, trying to get more sleep before her preparation for school. However, her phone instantly buzzed, alarming her with a new text. Seriously, who, on earth, would make a huge amount of effort to text someone else at 4:30 a.m.?

FROM: Taehyung

If you're not my friend, I'll find someone else to take your place.

This punk, _____ thought. He was getting on her last nerve.

TO: Taehyung

Okay, if that's what you want. We shall end our friendship here. Goodbye, Taehyung.

With that, she quickly placed her phone back on the nightstand and pulled the covers over her head. It wasn't long before her phone began to buzz crazily while playing her ringtone.

"Aish, seriously?!" _____ began to complain, quickly pulling her covers off.

"Hello?!" she greeted with an irritated tone, knowing it was Taehyung calling.

"Yah," he began, his voice sounding huskier than usual due to recently waking up. "Don't do that. Never say goodbye to me like that."

_____ couldn't help but tug the ends of her lips into a smile, aware that her best friend was pouting at the other end of the line.

"Why?" she asked him. "Would you rather have me say goodbye to you like this? Through a phone call?"

"No!" he slightly raised his voice. "You know that's not what I meant, _____."

"Then what do you-"

"Never leave me," Taehyung said hastily.

It fell silent on the phone. Although no words were being said at the moment, _____ couldn't help but think of how peculiar it was of him to suddenly say something like that. It just didn't seem like him.

Through all the years she lived, _____ had never imagined herself with a friend like Taehyung. They were completely different; he was outgoing, a bit arrogant, and he wasn't afraid to act so... peculiar, especially in public. Whereas _____... she seemed to be a bit more reserved. Of course, due to their incompatible personas, there'd be arguments every now and then. But that only proved how they keep themselves in balance with one another.

"_____?" Taehyung called her name.

"Y-Yes?" she stuttered, aware that the silence was broken.

"Are you really mad at me?" he asked quietly.

"N-No..." _____ drifted. "Maybe? But if it's really important for you to not walk me to school today, then it's okay."

"Aren't you even going to ask why I won't be keeping my promise again?"

"Why would I do that? I wouldn't want to interfere with your personal whereabouts, Taehyung. Besides, that inform-"

"I'll be giving my friend a tour," he interrupted _____, midsentence. "An old friend of mine is moving in town from Busan, and he's planning to transfer into our school."

"You didn't have to tell me," _____ sighed.

"Why not?"

"Because if it's something personal, you really shouldn't say it," she answered.

"Well, whether it's personal or not, you know I'd still tell you," Taehyung replied. "Besides, nothing's too personal when it comes to telling you, _____. You understand me, and you always have. I hope that never changes."

_____ fell silent, once again, trying to process what Taehyung had just said.

You understand me, and you always have. I hope that never changes.

At those words, she felt her cheeks becoming more flushed. Why was he suddenly saying things like that?

"Anyways," Taehyung began, "I'm sorry, _____. I'll text you later, okay?"

Before _____ could regain herself from her current state and reply back, Taehyung ended the call.

What just happened?