Remnants of the Heart | Kim Taehyung

06: essaye

Her order comes a few minutes later, but Taehyung is not the one who brings them over. The girl is rather disappointed when she realizes it's some other waiter. Her attention is always on Taehyung that she's forgotten that other people actually work here.

"Where's Taehyung?" Seojung feels a little embarrassed that she asked.

"A little occupied right now. I feel sorry for him, really. Can't believe he screwed over his best friend," Yeoreum says and leaves.

Her eyes follow where the waiter—Yeoreum—points, and her heart drops at the sight. It's the first time Seojung sees Hwayoung ever since last day of school. She still looks stunning as ever, so stunning that she feels herself boil. Wants to know what she and Taehyung are talking about but they two are too far from hearing range. Whatever it is, it seems to be a heated conversation. And even if Taehyung looks slightly bored and pissed off, nothing can ever make Seojung feel as terrible as when Hwayoung places a hand above Taehyung's.

The girl forces to take her eyes away from the two. Looks out the window instead, takes a bite of her chicken wings, tries to savor the taste and forget about Taehyung. She can't, not when he's in the building and right there, but he's talking to another girl instead of her. Eventually he stops, and Seojung tries to stay unfazed when he slides into the seat in front of her and steals a chicken wing from her plate.

Seojung doesn't ask about Hwayoung, doesn't ask if they're still together. Some things are better left for her to never know.

"Don't look now, but I think the guy on table five is checking you out."

Seojung looks at where Taehyung's eyes are despite his instructions, spots a boy her age with hair as dark as night and skin as pale as linen. The only distinct color on his face is the faint hue of red on his cheeks. The boy looks away, but not quick enough that Seojung catches his lingering gaze before he goes back to staring at his meal.

He is nothing like Taehyung, whose skin is always kissed by the sun. The innocence that radiates from his eyes makes him look younger than he probably is. He is much, much softer than Taehyung's striking features. There's something oddly pleasing about looking at him. It's a small town they live in, and the fact that this is the first time Seojung has ever seen him must mean he's just moved. He's new. Fresh.

"He's not," she says anyway, even if she knows he clearly was.

"He is. Was," Taehyung takes another chicken wing off her plate. She would have complained if it weren't for the the fact that they always let her eat here for free. "You should be used to it."

"w-what?" she stutters, trying to comprehend the meaning behind Taehyung's words.

"I mean, guys at school look at you all the time, Seojung. Haven't you realized?"

No, she hasn't. She might be book-smart, but she's oblivious when it comes to things like these. Her self-esteem only comes around once in a while, but she deems herself decent-looking enough to fall in the category of "okay". Does she think she's pretty? Sure, but only when her hair cooperates and the clothes she wears look cuter than they usually do.

"Then how come none of them has ever come up and talked to me before?" she asks, wonders if the new boy would be the first one to do so.

"do you really think your brother would let any random guy get into your pants?"

Heat creeps up her cheeks. She never knew guys thought of her that way. Tries not to get too flattered that Taehyung pays enough attention to her to know this.

"I saw you talking to Hwayoung." Seojung tries to change the subject, though she wishes it had been any other question that came out of her mouth. She's not interested in the details of Hwayoung and Taehyung's relationship, even if it does make her wonder at times. "h-how's everything?"

Taehyung sighs. "It's... frustrating. I ended things with her right after Jimin found out, just because I'd feel like the biggest douche if I still saw her even when he knew. But she keeps coming to me." there's something distant about his eyes as he looks out the window. She can never really know what Taehyung is thinking about. Maybe he misses her, and talking about her like this makes him wish that things were different. "she keeps trying to talk to me, pick up where we left off, woo me. I don't want things to be more complicated, y'know?"

"How did it happen? You two, I mean."

"We were part of school's play a few weeks ago. I was stage crew this time because I didn't audition in time and all the roles were filled. It just so happened that both Hwayoung and I were assigned to handle props. We got stuck together, I guess. Always the ones that stayed late after school, just the two of us. One thing lead to the other and... You know what happens after that."

Taehyung gave her a shrug that seemed to say none of it matters anymore, but his eyes say otherwise. Does he feel bad? Does he still wish he could be with her someway?

"I see," is all Seojung can say.

"You really are disappointed in me, aren't you?" Taehyung asks. His tone is soft, vulnerable like he's actually worried she might say yes. Seojung's more than disappointed. She's heartbroken even if she's not on the receiving end of the breakup. She's tired, just wants him and Jimin to go back to being friends so she can enjoy her summer peacefully.

"Yeah," Taehyung's face falls when she says this, "I expected a lot better from you."

"I'll make it up to you. Somehow." his words spark up a hopeful gleam inside her head. Has her thinking that maybe it's not so possible after all.

"I'll wait."

But Seojung's tired of waiting.

a/n: who do you guys think is the guy who was checking seojung out? ;)